German SME Bond Standard Aims to Strengthen Capital Markets Access
Frankfurt, Germany – A fundamental development of the German SME bond market is underway, spearheaded by the Capital Market SME Interest Association. The initiative, known as the German SME Bond Standard, seeks to broaden access to capital markets for smaller and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Germany.
Ingo Wegerich, President of the Capital Market SME Interest Association and a lawyer specializing in capital market law, believes a recent change to prospectus law could pave the way for more SME bonds, even potentially including issuances from entities like football clubs.
Wegerich’s firm, Law Firm Ingo Wegerich, focuses on capital markets and regulatory law, providing counsel to credit institutions, financial service providers and companies on related legal matters. He has over 20 years of experience in capital market and banking supervisory law and maintains strong working relationships with regulatory authorities, including BaFin and CSSF.
The association, founded on Wegerich’s initiative in 2017, lobbies for improved framework conditions for SMEs seeking capital market financing and has become a leading representation for the capital market-oriented Mittelstand. Wegerich emphasizes a cost-efficient approach to advising clients, leveraging a lean structure and specialized expertise.
The development of the German SME Bond Standard involves ongoing dialogue with the BaFin, the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority, and the German Association of Corporate Bonds (DAI). The association’s arguments have reportedly been successful in influencing regulatory perspectives.
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