The Consequences of the global financial crisis: the rhetoric of reform and regulation

The recent financial crisis has shown that national frameworks have been insufficient to stem the cross-border effects of the failure of a systemically important financial institution. This paper refers to the challenges for governments, in the aftermath of the financial crisis starting in 2007/2008, to provide stability in financial markets and the role of financial institutions for national economies and on a global scale. It discusses the need for coordinated action to resolve SIFIs by evaluating the regional approaches in Europe and the US, as well as considering the recommendations of four international bodies on the insolvency of large and complex financial institutions: the Financial Stability Board, the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law, the International Monetary Fund and the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision. The paper argues that key implications need to be recognized in order to make a global cross-border insolvency framework work effectively to coordinate around another Lehman-like event. It concludes that much has been discussed and initiated in the last six years, however, many issues are still unsolved. While single measures with a regional character are fit and comprehensible as a starting point, the pursued goal should be a mandatory and internationally consistent, homogenous cross-border insolvency framework since the interconnectedness of global financial institutions and their importance for financial stability will make it very difficult to prevent the next crisis and its disruptive impact.

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