FSB Meeting Agrees Proposals for November G20 Summit
The Financial Stability Board (FSB) has reviewed and approved a number of policy proposals to be submitted to the G20 Summit in November, including on a package of measures to address the ‘too big to fail’ problem. Members also discussed the current strains in financial markets arising from sovereign debt and the steps being taken to address them.
Key Financial Regulatory Reforms
The FSB has approved the package of policy measures to be submitted to the G20 to address the ‘too big to fail’ problems posed by systemically important financial institutions (SIFIs), taking account of the results of the public consultation over the summer. The policy package will include:
The meeting endorsed the findings of the working group on the macroeconomic impact of the additional loss absorbency requirements, which show that the benefits from reduced risk of systemic crises far outweigh the transitional costs in terms of GDP growth.
Shadow banking
The FSB reviewed workplans to strengthen the oversight and regulation of shadow banking. The FSB will conduct annual monitoring exercises to assess global trends and risks.
Over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives
Members approved the conclusions of the second progress report on implementation of OTC derivatives reforms, to be published shortly. They noted delays, and urged jurisdictions to achieve the end-2012 deadline for full implementation of the reforms agreed by the G20 in as many areas as possible.
Members agreed to strengthen their coordination of work to address potential inconsistencies and gaps in the implementation of reforms, which cover standardisation, central clearing, exchange or electronic platform trading, and reporting to trade repositories. Members also discussed mutual recognition. The progress report clarifies that the reforms to OTC products committed to by the G20, and set out in more detail in the FSB October 2010 report, are to be fully implemented irrespective of whether those products continue to trade OTC or are moved onto organised platforms.
Commodities and securities markets
The FSB reviewed and approved two reports by IOSCO on principles for the regulation and supervision of commodity derivatives markets, and on regulatory issues raised by the impact of technological changes on market integrity and efficiency.
Implementation Monitoring
Co-ordination framework for implementation monitoring
Financial reforms agreed within the G20 and FSB must be fully and consistently implemented. Accordingly, members agreed on an enhanced framework under which the FSB, in coordination with standard-setting bodies, will monitor and publicly report on country-by-country implementation. The framework will draw on monitoring undertaken by individual standard setters as well as by the FSB. This will include particularly detailed monitoring in priority areas for reforms.
Compensation practices
The FSB approved the report of its follow-up peer review on implementation of principles and standards for compensation practices, which will be published in the coming days. The report finds that progress has been made since last year by both national authorities and firms in implementing the FSB Principles and Standards but more work needs to be done, and sets out recommendations to address remaining gaps and impediments.
Credit rating agencies (CRAs)
The FSB encouraged further progress by standard-setters and regulators in implementing the FSB principles for reducing reliance on CRA ratings. Members agreed to study the further practical steps that need to be taken to implement the principles, including to incentivise enhanced risk management capacity at market participants.