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---
title: "ESMA Q&A 1767 — Q&A — Recording of telephone conversations and electronic [Answer Published]"
shortTitle: "ESMA Q&A 1767 — Q&A — Recording of telephone conversations and electronic [Answer Published]"
answer_id: ESMA_QA_1767
topic: "Recording of telephone conversations and electronic communications"
status: "Answer Published"
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date: 10 October 2016
source_link: https://www.esma.europa.eu/publications-data/questions-answers/1767
lifecycle: "Answer Published"
text_version: "ESMA Q&A register, 10 October 2016"
source_url: "https://www.esma.europa.eu/publications-data/questions-answers/1767"
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---

**Answer by ESMA, published in its Q&A tool · not legislation · published 10 Oct 2016 [Answer Published]**

*Answer Published · ESMA Q&A register, 10 October 2016 · Checked against the ESMA publication on 26 Oct 2026 · [Official source](https://www.esma.europa.eu/publications-data/questions-answers/1767)*

| | |
|---|---|
| **Full title** | ESMA Q&A 1767 — Q&A — Recording of telephone conversations and electronic \[Answer Published\] |
| **Prepared by** | ESMA |
| **Published by** | ESMA, in the ESMA Q&A tool |
| **Reference** | ESMA_QA_1767 |
| **Document type** | Q&A |
| **Legal nature** | Not legislation |
| **Addressees** | Not stated in the document |
| **Dates** | Published 10 October 2016; question submitted 10 October 2016 |
| **Legal basis** | MiFID II |
| **Related instruments** | None recorded |
| **Text on this page** | Word for word — the full text of the ESMA publication |

**Recording of telephone conversations and electronic communications**

### Question

Can firms charge their clients to access recordings?

***

### Answer

\[ESMA 35-43-349 MiFID II Investor protection Q&As , ch 3, question 2\]

MiFID II enables clients to request access to records of telephone conversations and electronic communications kept in accordance with Article 16(7) of MiFID II. ESMA considers that a decision on whether to charge a client for access to such records is within the discretion of the firm. There is no prohibition in MiFID II on this point. However, firms are expected to pay due regard to the national laws in their respective jurisdiction on whether it is permissible to charge clients to access recordings[^1].

ESMA therefore expects that, if a firm decides to charge its client, any charge must be reasonable in order not to deter clients from making such requests.

\----

[^1]: Firms should bear in mind that the Article 12 of the Data Protection Directive 95/46/EC states that every data subject should be guaranteed a right of access “without excessive delays or expense”.

***

**Source:** [ESMA original document](https://www.esma.europa.eu/publications-data/questions-answers/1767)