The association provides a forum for Central Securities Depositories (CSDs) to exchange views and take forward projects of mutual interest.
The history of the ECSDA dates back to the early 1990s, when CSD chief executives started to meet on a regular basis to exchange best practices and prepare for the adoption of the euro.
The idea of formalising these contacts in an association emerged in 1995 at a meeting taking place at the European Monetary Institute in Frankfurt.
It regularly publishes research reports on CSDs, including technical standards, statistics, positions on regulatory issues.
It provides educational material on the role of CSDs in financial markets, including Frequently Asked Questions, an online tutorial and facts about the CSD industry.