<!-- headlesslaw {"release":{"id":"a4f2a0495fe55b47323883f82977a9b34ab66171ec9623e39925d3a7045b6c81","published":"2026-11-01T16:41:30Z","pinned":false},"limits":{"coverage":{"history":"current_only","held_since":"2024-07-02","gaps":[],"covered":["ESMA Q&A 2226 — Q&A — Scope of the definition of ICT services [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-2226-scope-of-the-definition-of-ict-services","url":"https://www.headlesslaw.com/dora/level-3/q-and-a/esma/esma-qa-2226-scope-of-the-definition-of-ict-services","title":"ESMA Q&A 2226 — Q&A — Scope of the definition of ICT services [Question Rejected]","family":"l3","work_id":"spaces/dora/level-3/q-and-a/esma/esma-qa-2226-scope-of-the-definition-of-ict-services","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, 2 July 2024","check":{"against":"the ESMA publication","on":"2026-10-26"},"check_result":"matched","official_url":"https://www.esma.europa.eu/publications-data/questions-answers/2226","valid_from":"0001-01-01","valid_until":null,"revision":1,"content_id":"b3295ecb9b1c2ebd","change_date":null,"nearest_versions":["2024-07-02"],"first_text_date":null,"correction_applies":false,"versions":["2024-07-02"],"version_url":"https://www.headlesslaw.com/dora/level-3/q-and-a/esma/esma-qa-2226-scope-of-the-definition-of-ict-services/versions/2024-07-02","revision_url":"https://www.headlesslaw.com/dora/level-3/q-and-a/esma/esma-qa-2226-scope-of-the-definition-of-ict-services/versions/2024-07-02/rev/b3295ecb9b1c2ebd","versions_url":"https://www.headlesslaw.com/dora/level-3/q-and-a/esma/esma-qa-2226-scope-of-the-definition-of-ict-services/versions","relations_url":"https://www.headlesslaw.com/dora/level-3/q-and-a/esma/esma-qa-2226-scope-of-the-definition-of-ict-services/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":"2024-07-02","locators":{"question_submitted_on":"ESMA Q&A Excel export ESMA_QA_2226, column 'Date of submission'"}},"adoption":null}}} -->
---
title: "ESMA Q&A 2226 — Q&A — Scope of the definition of ICT services [Question Rejected]"
shortTitle: "ESMA Q&A 2226 — Q&A — Scope of the definition of ICT services [Question Rejected]"
answer_id: ESMA_QA_2226
topic: "Other DORA topics"
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: "DORA"
date: 2 July 2024
source_link: https://www.esma.europa.eu/publications-data/questions-answers/2226
lifecycle: "Question Rejected"
text_version: "ESMA Q&A register, 2 July 2024"
source_url: "https://www.esma.europa.eu/publications-data/questions-answers/2226"
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_2226"
    locator: "ESMA Q&A entry ESMA_QA_2226: no answer; no author named"
document_type: "qa_question"
legal_nature: "not_legislation"
addressees: "not stated in the document"
dates:
  question_submitted_on: "2024-07-02"
  locators:
    question_submitted_on: "ESMA Q&A Excel export ESMA_QA_2226, 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, 2 July 2024 · Checked against the ESMA publication on 26 Oct 2026 · [Official source](https://www.esma.europa.eu/publications-data/questions-answers/2226)*

| | |
|---|---|
| **Full title** | ESMA Q&A 2226 — Q&A — Scope of the definition of ICT services \[Question Rejected\] |
| **Prepared by** | Not stated in the document |
| **Published by** | ESMA, in the ESMA Q&A tool |
| **Reference** | ESMA_QA_2226 |
| **Document type** | Q&A |
| **Legal nature** | No answer · not legislation |
| **Addressees** | Not stated in the document |
| **Dates** | Question submitted 2 July 2024 |
| **Legal basis** | DORA |
| **Related instruments** | None recorded |
| **Text on this page** | Word for word — the full text of the ESMA publication |

**Scope of the definition of ICT services**

### Question

As the manager of an Alternative Investment Fund (AIF), we provide specialized investment opportunities to professional investors such as pension funds, insurers, and banks within the EU. Consequently, both our firm and our investors fall within the scope of DORA.

Our investors can access their portfolios through an online portal operated by a third-party service provider (an ICT third-party service provider). We intend to establish a DORA addendum with this ICT third-party service provider to address this specific ICT service.

Several of our investors have inquired about DORA compliance in relation to their contractual relationship with us. While we are committed to ensuring the portal itself is compliant, we believe our core service – providing investment opportunities – does not constitute an ICT service under DORA. The online portal is merely a supplementary tool for accessing reports, not a fundamental part of our contractual obligations. This view is further supported by the fact that our agreements with investors only stipulate that we provide them with reports, without specifying the method of delivery.

Given these considerations, do you agree with our assessment that our services to investors do not fall under the definition of an ICT service as per DORA and that we, in respect of our investors, cannot be considered an ICT third-party service provider?

***

**Source:** [ESMA original document](https://www.esma.europa.eu/publications-data/questions-answers/2226)