EU unveils regulatory plans

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Geithner defends reforms; EU unveils  regulatory plans

WASHINGTON, September 23 (Global Risk Regulator) --  

US proposals for a new international agreement on  
bank capital standards won't put US firms in a position  
where their competitors would profit by operating with  
lower standards, US Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner  
told a Congressional panel today.  
 
"We're going to negotiate an international agreement  
on a set of standards that apply a level playing field  
that people can understand and which can be enforced,"  
Geithner said. He was replying to questions from  
Congressman Barney Frank, chairman of the House of  
Representatives' powerful financial services committee.
Geithner said the US has put out a detailed proposal  
with a timetable so that "we can all move together".
Today's session was the committee's first in a final  
round of hearings on US President Barack Obama's  
plans for reforming America's financial regulation in  
the wake of the global financial crisis. The hearing  
took place as leaders of the Group of 20 (G20)  
nations began gathering in the US city of Pittsburgh  
for their third summit on the crisis, which is due to  
start tomorrow and continue Friday.  

In testimony today to the panel, Geithner urged  
Congress to enact the Obama plan this year and not  
let signs of an improving economy scupper  
legislation. He defended the plan to create a new  
consumer financial watchdog against criticism from  
the banking industry and regulators.  

Earlier this month, Geithner surprised G20 finance  
ministers by issuing a policy statement setting out  
eight principles for shaping a new international  
capital accord.  

Washington regulatory sources last week insisted  
the Administration is not seeking to replace the  
Basel II international bank capital adequacy  
framework with a new international accord.  

Meanwhile the European Commission, the  

executive arm of the European Union, today  
unveiled its plans for new pan-European  
regulators to enforce common rules for banks,  
insurers and securities markets.  

The proposals include a European Systemic  
Risk Board to warn of future risks, and  
watchdogs over banks and insurers across the  
EU's 27 nations, as part of a two-tier system of  
macro- and micro-prudential supervision. The  
approach was first outlined in the De Larosière  
report in February on the future of EU financial  
regulation, which was subsequently endorsed  
by the leaders of the EU member states.  

Financial Services Committee: http://financialservices.house.gov   
US Treasury: www.ustreas.gov ;