International & World Report

Michel Barnier has arrived in London earlier this week, a white flag in hand. The new European Commissioner for Internal Market had to reassure the financial capital of Europe. Firstly because he is French, therefore, suspected to be a regulator born. Secondly, because his appointment had been made by Paris as a victory over the English.

In twenty-four hours, Michel Barnier has met Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Chancellor Alistair Darling, the president of the Bank of England, Mervyn King. And the lords of the City, big bankers and hedge funds, investment funds so maligned for their role in the crisis.The Commissioner also gave an interview to the influential Financial Times.

"I'm not horrible, but I'm not a nice cat (" I'm not horrible, but I am not a pussycat either "in the original English version)," slipped the European Commissioner for British journalists . Beyond the formula, the French assured the City that he wanted "to be a commissioner for a more unified market, not less." But "the market must serve the economy, not vice versa," he said in his speech to leaders of the City.

The visit of Michel Barnier occurs after the Commission issued a proposal for a hedge fund sector (Directive on alternative investment funds, known MWIA) payday loans ."Investment funds are an important part of the financial system," he said, representing over 50% of daily trade in the market share. "It is vital that they are subject to regulation and adequate supervision," he added.

"Red lines"

According to the Financial Times, the leaders of investment funds have emerged reassured of their encounter with "Frenchy." "They appreciated the Commissioner's apparent willingness to try to understand their concerns," reported the Economic Daily. Adding that the City leaders have warned that British negotiators should be careful to protect certain "red lines" that Brussels should not be crossed.

Starting with the authorization could be given to non-European funds to come and sell their services within the EU."Have European funds to meet the high standards of transparency, without requiring the same from those located outside the EU would not be appropriate," Michel Barnier acknowledged. Funding fear ultimately, the Financial Times that the principle of market liberalization, to which they belong, or poorly implemented.

Is this a consequence of the economic crisis? "We found an increase in rent arrears in 2009," said Lucie Cahn, CEO of Apagl, the Association for access to rental guarantees. "About 30% of tenants in difficulty were unemployed and 25% of them had suffered a decline in their income," says she.

A difficult situation for tenants, but also for landlords, private income sometimes required at the time of retirement. To avoid such a scenario, they can protect themselves by taking out probably next month, with an insurer, the new security risks rental (GRL).

The propriétairesmieux protected

This extends the existing insurance arrangements.It is for rents not exceeding 2.000 euros and the maximum coverage is 70,000 euros and costs about 2% of annual rent.

However, the UNPI (National Union of Property Owners) said the device "inappropriate." "It is quite unfair to bear the brunt of financing the GRL by the lessor while the lessee is is insured and who will benefit from the contract, "sorry Jean Perrin, president of the UNPI.

The relationship between landlords and tenants are not always simple. "While the vast majority of rentals are going well, some cases come up repeatedly," said David Rodrigues, a lawyer for the consumer association CLCV.

The reimbursement by the landlord's security deposit at the end of rental, tops disputes.They are "more and more," says besides a survey released Wednesday by the CLCV, as Le Figaro was purchased.

Since 2008, the amount of the deposit is one month's rent excluding charges (rather than two months). According to the survey, the tenant is unlikely to recover fully after his move: the case of only 10% of tenants. And "in addition to a lease on three (37.5%), the lessor retains the full deposit, according to the survey. The majority of tenants (52.5%) recovered some of their stake. "But only 28% of the amount deposited in average (36% on average in case of dispute).

Withholding part of security deposit can be explained in deteriorating housing, or by UNPI, non-payment of last month's rent … But "this is not always the case," says CLCV."Quite often (28%), donors do not justify the deductions from the deposit," said David Rodrigues. "For this reason, we want the landlord to provide invoices stating that repairs were actually made," he concludes.

The Committee approved the December 8 and 9 "advisory for a package of proposals to strengthen regulation of capital and liquidity with the objective of strengthening the banking sector," he said in a statement.

These measures will "respond to the lessons of the crisis in the regulation, supervision and risk management of banks," said the committee.

The proposals for capital and liquidity will strengthen the banks and create a financial banking system and healthier, "said the chairman, Nout Wellink, who is also president of the Dutch Central Bank.

It is, however, that a "consultation document" and not a final text, recalled Wednesday a spokesman of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) in Basel, including hosting meetings.

The 27 "wise men" had already announced in early July an increase of Basel II, introduced in 2004 and requiring banks with a capital ratio weighted overall risk incurred by financial institutions.

Avoiding a new "Lehman Brothers"

To avoid the disastrous consequences of a new financial crisis including the collapse of financial institutions of systemic importance, as the bankruptcy of U.S. bank Lehman Brothers in September 2008, the Basel Committee grilled for several months on a building rules governing the banking sector.

In his new proposals, the committee wants to strengthen the quality and transparency of the core capital Tier 1 (core capital of a bank), allowing institutions to better absorb potential losses.

He also wants to improve the level of capital to protect facilities including activities on derivatives and repos (repos).

Debt ratio

Banks should also establish a ratio of debt to contain their debt, financial buffers to cope with difficult situations and a minimum level of liquidity.

The impact of these measures on the sector should be analyzed in the first half of 2010 with the aim to introduce by the end of 2012.

The committee, founded in 1974 and composed of the governors of 27 central banks worldwide, "will ensure that the implementation of new standards is consistent with the financial market stability and sustainable economic growth," assured Nout Wellink.

Central bankers also want to introduce a period of tolerance and accompanying measures "for a period sufficiently long to allow a smooth transition to new standards.

The agency Fitch has not taken into account what is doing the new government. Photo credits: AFP

Gemalto has announced that exclusive negotiations with the group Xiring to acquire its banking activities. The statement showing the transaction has not been clarified, but it should be limited, given the turnover in the banking business Xiring in 2008, which reached 16 million euros. Still, business is plummeting, the latter has reached 5.3 million euros in 2009, a decrease of 45.5%.

The contribution of this activity will strengthen Gemalto, the plan provides for 2010-2013 "complementary acquisitions" to reach an operating result of 300 million euros in 2013, up more than 50% compared to 2009. The plan also includes the payment of a dividend for 2009 of between 0.20 and 0.25, which is subject to shareholder approval in May.

In the field of secure transactions as well as for safety, the 2010-2013 plan for 2011 provides a margin "to one situated in the upper portion of the top ten. The operation today and should allow him to qualify for this purpose.