The following is excerpted from a news release by the International Chamber of Commerce.
The rules set by bank regulators impose unwarranted capital requirements that choke trade and have adverse impacts on growth. A new report issued today by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) shows that trade finance is a relatively low-risk asset class that should not be feared by banks, nor overregulated by governments.
ICC also said it was pleased that the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision had announced measures yesterday that recognize trade finance as a low-risk activity for banks, and said that there is opportunity to further refine the rules to foster the development of trade and the support of SME clients. ICC asserted that treating trade finance as a unique asset class to accurately reflect its low risk will help foster more trade and create jobs.
This release is available in its entirety on the International Chamber of Commerce website at: http://www.iccwbo.org/policy/banking/index.html?id=46278