Impact study finds strong benefits and few problems with the proposed EU bank regulations. Main concern is fairness in implementation Melvyn Westlake reports

Urgent need to change Basel II to avoid unfairness in loan costs. SME solution proposed

European Union enlargement brings another uncertainty into the process for converting the complex, risk-focused Basel II rules for improving bank safety into European law.

Some claim that April\'s reinsurance directive will seriously disadvantage them. Industry gears up for intensive lobbying

LONDON -- Liquidity risk is now coming under the microscope, with banking, insurance and securities regulators starting to look at whether approaches to managing this type of risk can be better harmonised both within the European Union and more globally.

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Half of the 66 countries that responded to an international survey conducted earlier this year indicate that they intend to apply the new Basel capital adequacy accord within their own banking systems.

BRUSSELS -- The three pillars of the new Basel accord on bank capital need rebalancing or the effectiveness of the project to bolster the solvency of the world banking system could be undermined, according to a new report.

WASHINGTON DC -- The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Work Bank, the sister Washington-based multinational agencies, have no intention of pushing countries into implementing the new Basel II international capital accord.

HONG KONG - Asian economies and banks should look on the Basel II upgrade of international rules for bank safety \"as a great opportunity\", a senior Hong Kong banking supervisor said in early May.

LONDON -- The first secretary general of the EU\'s potentially powerful new Committee of European Banking Supervisors (CEBS), based in London, will be Andrea Enria, currently head of financial supervision at the European Central Bank, in Frankfurt.