“On behalf of Americans for Financial Reform (AFR), we write today to ask you to ensure appropriate regulatory oversight of derivatives transactions conducted through foreign subsidiaries of multinational Wall Street banks. In particular, we urge you to prevent the inappropriate classification of such derivatives as ‘non-guaranteed’ by the parent company, a classification which could exempt them from numerous critical derivatives regulations.”
In a letter to U.S. and EU trade negotiators and finance ministers, more than 50 civil society groups on both sides of the Atlantic have come together to warn that the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) currently under discussion could undermine new financial regulations and potentially create significant risks to the global financial system, as well as to investors and consumers.
AFR submitted a comment letter to federal regulators urging that they impose strong restrictions on Wall Street executive pay and bonuses to ensure that they do not create incentives to take inappropriate short-term risks. This should be made a critical priority, given the role of pay in creating the incentives that led to the 2008 financial crisis.
AFR offered comments to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in response to their Request for Input on how consumers are using mobile financial services to access products and services, and manage finances. While mobile technology can enhance access to safer and more affordable technology for consumers, benefits will only be seen if technological systems are safe, fair, and honest. Regulators can help consumers—as well as those in industry—by establishing strong minimum standards.
AFR offered comments to the Federal Housing Finance Agency in response to their Request for Input related to g-fee policy and implementation. AFR encouraged FHFA to refrain from instituting any increases in g-fees or loan-level price adjustments (LLPAs) at this time.
AFR joins our members in urging OCC to update preemption rules
AFR joined consumer organizations in urging the OCC to update its preemption rules to comply with Dodd Frank reduction of sweeping federal preemption of state consumer protection actions.
