Articles by Huw Jones

Britain and EU Sign Post-Brexit Cooperation Pact in Financial Services

Britain and the European Union signed a long-delayed post-Brexit cooperation pact in financial services on Tuesday, but the rapprochement is unlikely to restore EU access for the City of London anytime soon. The memorandum of understanding on regulatory cooperation was …

New G20-Backed Global Rules Aim to Clamp Down on Corporate Greenwashing

Companies will face more pressure to disclose how climate change affects their business under a new set of G20-backed global rules aimed at helping regulators crack down on greenwashing. The norms published on Monday have been written by the International …

Insurer Capital Rule Changes in UK to Start by End of 2023, Finance Ministry Says

Britain’s finance ministry said on Thursday that the first batch of post-Brexit reforms to “Solvency II” capital rules for insurers, which it hopes will unlock billions of pounds to boost growth, will be implemented by the end of this year. …

Bank of England Launches First Sector-Wide Liquidity ‘Stress Test’

The Bank of England has launched its first system-wide liquidity ‘stress test’ to establish how big banks, insurers, clearing houses and investment funds respond collectively during extreme stresses in markets, it said on Monday. The BoE had said in December …

EU Sets Out Plans to Cut Price of Financial Products Offered by Banks, Insurers

The European Union set out plans on Wednesday to cut how much retail investors pay banks and insurers for financial products to encourage investment and make its capital market deeper and more efficient. The retail investment package toughens up existing …

Analysis – EU Power Battle Could Hamper Proposed Safeguards for Financial Products

European Union plans to increase protections for consumers of financial services are reigniting a long-simmering power battle between national and EU regulators that could hamper how the tougher safeguards will be enforced. The European Commission, the EU’s executive body, on …

Crypto Should Be Regulated as Gambling, UK Lawmakers Say

Bitcoin, ether and other cryptocurrencies should be regulated as gambling given the significant risks they pose to consumers, a panel of UK lawmakers said in a report on Wednesday. Britain, which wants to become a global hub for crypto and …

EU Plans Tough ‘Value for Money’ Rules for Investment Products: Draft Proposals

Banks, insurers and asset managers in the European Union would only be allowed to sell funds and other products across the bloc if they could prove to regulators they offer value for money, draft proposals seen by Reuters showed. The …

EU Lawmakers Back Human Rights, Environmental Checks for Big Companies

European Union lawmakers on Tuesday backed rules requiring thousands of large companies to identify and mitigate human rights abuses like child labor or slavery, and environmental damage by suppliers. The European Parliament’s legal affairs committee voted to approve the draft …

Crypto Must End Anonymity for Illicit Finance, U.S. Regulator Says

Anonymity is allowing crypto assets to finance illegal activities, a top U.S. regulatory official said on Tuesday, posing national security risks that must be addressed. Christy Goldsmith Romero, a commissioner at the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission, said cryptocurrencies were …