Financial Services Legislation

What role should regulation play in financial markets? What have been the ramifications of financial regulation? To answer these and other questions regarding the efficacy of legislation on financial markets, this book examines the impact of the Gramm Leach Bliley Act (GLBA), also called the Financial Modernization Act of 1999, which fundamentally changed the financial landscape in the United States. The GLBA allows the formation of financial holding companies that can offer an integrated set of commercial banking, securities and insurance products. The tenth anniversary of the most sweeping financial legislation reform in the industry’s structure is a natural benchmark for assessing the effects of the law and for questioning whether changes are necessary in the working of this historic legislation. The importance of this review is reinforced by a variety of proposals in the last several years to reform the regulation of financial institutions that have attracted considerable attention among regulators and in the financial firms that they regulate. Most recently, the financial crisis and the failure of some large financial institutions have called into question the legitimacy of America’s current financial structure and its regulation, including to some degree the GLBA. There is no doubt that regulatory reform is front and center on today’s policy agenda. The lessons of the GLBA experience and its effects, both domestic and international, on financial markets and competitiveness, risk-taking and risk management by financial services firms and their regulators will be critical to the direction the country takes and the effort to ensure that future financial crises do not occur or have less costly damage. With contributions from academics, policy experts, and a sponsor of the GLBA, Congressman James Leach, this book is invaluable to anyone interested in financial system reform.

Provides the reader with an overview of the Financial Services and Markets Act and the principal statutory instruments made under it. The text places the statutory provisions in their practical context, providing commentary, and an overview of the law and its consequences. The work also summarizes the relevant changes in the regulatory regime, and highlights the powers of the FSA.

A fully updated edition of the definitive guide to financial regulation In recent years, not only has the compliance field become firmly established, but it has seen staggering growth, thanks to never-ending changes in the regulatory environment. As regulation increases still further, the demand for clear guidance on navigating daily compliance issues is greater than ever. Now in its second edition, the highly successful Essential Strategies for Financial Services Compliance has been updated with the latest compliance strategies and regulatory information, making it indispensable for compliance officers, legal firms, and anyone else working with the financial services compliance function. Non-compliance represents a significant material risk for any financial services firm that fails to understand and appropriately apply regulatory standards. This Second Edition of Essential Strategies for Financial Services Compliance makes it easy to digest complex information on the regulatory framework. But this book is far from solely theoretical. A balanced approach means that both the concepts and their application are within reach. Annie Mills and Peter Haines deliver solid advice that can be applied on a day-to-day basis to manage any compliance issues that may arise. Read this book to: Understand the conceptual basis of compliance and the current regulatory environment applicable to the financial services industry Quickly and thoroughly learn the accepted best practices for everyday compliance Get up to date information on the current financial regulatory environment with this new edition Reference detailed advice as issues arise in day-to-day operations This update to the popular first edition of Essential Strategies for Financial Services Compliance will help eliminate non-compliance risk and ensure that your firm is entirely current on its ability to navigate the maze of financial services regulation.

That different types of financial services and products continue to spring up in the financial sector of many countries is indicative of the changing landscape of the financial services industry globally. Equally important, as indicators of the evolving trajectory of financial services regulation, are increases in the number of countries where universal banking is practiced and in numbers of parent and subsidiary companies providing different types of financial services and products. This book is written against that background. A central thesis pursued in the book is that until there is a longer track record of experience with unified regulators, it is difficult to come to firm conclusions about the restructuring process of regulators, and the optimal internal structure of such agencies. In addition, the book examines the concept of an independent regulator, showing how this concept, as a corollary to the concept of a unified regulator, could strengthen the regulatory and institutional framework for financial services supervision if accountability were to be part of such a framework.