Recital 12

(12)In accordance with Regulation (EU) 2021/168 of the European Parliament and of the Council ² third country benchmarks can be used in the Union without the need for the relevant administrators to seek equivalence, recognition or endorsement in a transitional period extended until 2023. During this transitional period, recognition in the Union is an opt-in regime for benchmark administrators located in third countries, which indicates that their benchmarks will remain available for use in the Union after the transitional period ends. As a consequence, during such period, provisions on recognition and supervisory fees should apply only to administrators located in third countries which have voluntarily applied for recognition before the expiry of the transitional period introduced by Regulation (EU) 2021/168 and where the relevant national competent authority or ESMA has granted recognition.