<!-- headlesslaw {"release":{"id":"a4f2a0495fe55b47323883f82977a9b34ab66171ec9623e39925d3a7045b6c81","published":"2026-11-01T16:41:30Z","pinned":false},"limits":{"coverage":{"history":"current_only","held_since":"2023-12-20","gaps":[],"covered":["ESMA Q&A 2056 — Q&A — Software distributors [Question Rejected] L3"],"not_covered":["national guidance","court decisions"]},"freshness":{"release_id":"a4f2a0495fe55b47323883f82977a9b34ab66171ec9623e39925d3a7045b6c81","release_published":"2026-11-01T16:41:30Z","checked_at":"2026-10-26","checked_against":"the ESMA publication"},"truncation":null,"failures":[],"incomplete":[]},"page":{"path":"/dora/level-3/q-and-a/esma/esma-qa-2056-software-distributors","url":"https://www.headlesslaw.com/dora/level-3/q-and-a/esma/esma-qa-2056-software-distributors","title":"ESMA Q&A 2056 — Q&A — Software distributors [Question Rejected]","family":"l3","work_id":"spaces/dora/level-3/q-and-a/esma/esma-qa-2056-software-distributors","status":"question rejected","force_status":null,"date_state":"current","requested_date":null,"as_of":"2026-11-02","applies_from":null,"application":null,"version_label":"ESMA Q&A register, 20 December 2023","check":{"against":"the ESMA publication","on":"2026-10-26"},"check_result":"matched","official_url":"https://www.esma.europa.eu/publications-data/questions-answers/2056","valid_from":"0001-01-01","valid_until":null,"revision":1,"content_id":"18124c15cbf14095","change_date":null,"nearest_versions":["2023-12-20"],"first_text_date":null,"correction_applies":false,"versions":["2023-12-20"],"version_url":"https://www.headlesslaw.com/dora/level-3/q-and-a/esma/esma-qa-2056-software-distributors/versions/2023-12-20","revision_url":"https://www.headlesslaw.com/dora/level-3/q-and-a/esma/esma-qa-2056-software-distributors/versions/2023-12-20/rev/18124c15cbf14095","versions_url":"https://www.headlesslaw.com/dora/level-3/q-and-a/esma/esma-qa-2056-software-distributors/versions","relations_url":"https://www.headlesslaw.com/dora/level-3/q-and-a/esma/esma-qa-2056-software-distributors/relations","source_line":"Question published in the ESMA Q&A tool · no answer · not legislation [Question Rejected]","attribution":{"prepared_by":"not stated in the document","published_by":"ESMA","published_in":"ESMA Q&A tool","document_type":"qa_question","legal_nature":"not_legislation","addressees":"not stated in the document","dates":{"question_submitted_on":"2023-12-20","locators":{"question_submitted_on":"ESMA Q&A Excel export ESMA_QA_2056, column 'Date of submission'"}},"adoption":null}}} -->
---
title: "ESMA Q&A 2056 — Q&A — Software distributors [Question Rejected]"
shortTitle: "ESMA Q&A 2056 — Q&A — Software distributors [Question Rejected]"
answer_id: ESMA_QA_2056
topic: "ICT third-party risk management"
status: "Question Rejected"
type: qa
instrument_type: qa
authority: ESMA
binding: false
binding_character: non_binding
legal_status: withdrawn
regulation: "DORA"
dora_level3: true
mica_level2: false
legal_basis: "On Draft Implementing Technical Standards to establish the templates composing the register of information in relation to all contractual arrangements on the use of ICT services provided by ICT third-party service providers as mandated by Regulation (EU)"
date: 20 December 2023
source_link: https://www.esma.europa.eu/publications-data/questions-answers/2056
lifecycle: "Question Rejected"
text_version: "ESMA Q&A register, 20 December 2023"
source_url: "https://www.esma.europa.eu/publications-data/questions-answers/2056"
check_status: matched
verified: true
last_checked: 2026-10-26
checked_against: "the ESMA publication"
source:
  prepared_by: "not stated in the document"
  published_by: "ESMA"
  published_in: "ESMA Q&A tool"
  evidence:
    prepared_by: "ESMA_QA_2056"
    locator: "ESMA Q&A entry ESMA_QA_2056: no answer; no author named"
document_type: "qa_question"
legal_nature: "not_legislation"
addressees: "not stated in the document"
dates:
  question_submitted_on: "2023-12-20"
  locators:
    question_submitted_on: "ESMA Q&A Excel export ESMA_QA_2056, column 'Date of submission'"
lifecycle_label: "Question Rejected"
---

**Question published in the ESMA Q&A tool · no answer · not legislation [Question Rejected]**

*Question Rejected · ESMA Q&A register, 20 December 2023 · Checked against the ESMA publication on 26 Oct 2026 · [Official source](https://www.esma.europa.eu/publications-data/questions-answers/2056)*

| | |
|---|---|
| **Full title** | ESMA Q&A 2056 — Q&A — Software distributors \[Question Rejected\] |
| **Prepared by** | Not stated in the document |
| **Published by** | ESMA, in the ESMA Q&A tool |
| **Reference** | ESMA_QA_2056 |
| **Document type** | Q&A |
| **Legal nature** | No answer · not legislation |
| **Addressees** | Not stated in the document |
| **Dates** | Question submitted 20 December 2023 |
| **Legal basis** | On Draft Implementing Technical Standards to establish the templates composing the register of information in relation to all contractual arrangements on the use of ICT services provided by ICT third-party service providers as mandated by Regulation (EU) |
| **Related instruments** | None recorded |
| **Text on this page** | Word for word — the full text of the ESMA publication |

**Software distributors**

### Question

When an off-the-shelf software license (e.g. operating systems, database) is purchased through a distributor, is the distributor qualifying as “ICT third-party service provider” in case if the distributor itself is not providing any additional services in addition to the distribution, and its contractual tasks are completed with the successful intermediation of the license agreement? Is the software company qualifying as a direct “ICT third-party service provider” based on the end-user license agreement (EULA) accepted by the financial entity?

***

**Source:** [ESMA original document](https://www.esma.europa.eu/publications-data/questions-answers/2056)