Notes from Europe – Page 7
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Opinion Pieces
Worse than it looks
The forthcoming loss of Jörgen Holmquist, director general, and David Wright, deputy director-general, two of the most senior and experienced officials from the European Commission’s division responsible for legislation for the banking, insurance, free movement of capital, pensions and capital reserves sectors is bad enough. But accusations that there is a shortage of personnel preparing a “crazy number of legislative initiatives” make the losses worse in this time of crisis.
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Opinion Pieces
IORPs back on agenda
A planned wide-ranging green paper on the state of pensions in the EU is causing anxiety in the industry. The ‘holistic’ approach of the European Commission policy paper – due to be presented in the summer – could throw into question the current ceasefire over the solvency issue for the ...
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Opinion Pieces
Boost to derivatives legislation
Flesh is being added to the bones of the proposed regulation to cover legislation of the vast derivatives markets in the EU, and the European Parliament’s EP Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee (ECON) is generally welcoming of the tough stance put forward by its co-ordinating MEP.
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Opinion Pieces
Capital is not a panacea
Brussels, the Basel Committee, and other regulators striving to increase the minimum reserves of the banks have apparently got it wrong. Regulators wanting to reduce the risk of a further financial and economic crisis should concentrate their efforts somewhere else, according to the European Banking Federation (EBF).
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Opinion Pieces
EFRP sets out its stall
The European Federation for Retirement Provision (EFRP) has called for a more logical, thought-out and co-ordinated approach to pensions policy in the European Union in its strategy paper, “Beyond the crisis: Workplace Pensions”.
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Opinion Pieces
A year of execution
The year ahead in Brussels will be one of implementing measures to tighten financial legislation. But will the financial services regulatory programme align with the plans of the G20, or be diluted under pressure from one lobby after another? Whatever the outcome, no-one should expect a bump-free ride.
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Opinion Pieces
AIFM Directive delayed
Delayed scheduling in Brussels of the Alternative Investment Fund Directive — by about six months — might be bringing smiles to the faces of the anti-reform lobby. They would not mind at all that the Directive’s final clearance, through a European Parliament plenary session, is now estimated for June or ...
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Opinion Pieces
WMD under fire
Brussels is set to regulate the over-the-counter derivatives market, but it could still be some time, perhaps years, before the European Commission achieves implementation of any legislative steps across the member states.
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Opinion Pieces
AIFM: "Blood and guts"
The European Commission’s proposals for its Alternative Investment Fund Managers (AIFM) directive faces a tough time as it progresses through the European Parliament, and there could be blood and guts flying during hearings in the Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) committee.
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Opinion Pieces
A golden age
“Dealing with the impact of an ageing population in the EU,” a communication from the European Commission, kicks off with the joyful view that: “For the first time in history, the vast majority of Europe’s citizens are able to lead active, healthy and participative lives well into old age.”
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Opinion Pieces
Solvency II
The European Commission called representatives of the European pensions and insurance industry and member state officials to a public hearing in May to thrash out a harmonisation of solvency rules for cross-border company pension schemes (IORPs). But most attendees were not receptive.
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Opinion Pieces
Quo vadis IORP?
What is the future for Europe’s Institutions for Occupational Retirement Provision (IORP) directive?
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