Basel II – an opportunity for convergence in the EU

Purpose – Seeks to present the personal viewpoint of the chairman of the Committee of European Banking Supervision (CEBS) on the opportunities for convergence afforded by the BASEL II capital framework. Design/methodology/approach – Highlights some of the initiatives under way in CEBS that aim to make the above a reality in the EU. Findings – The success of CEBS cannot be measured against the number of publications it produces but only on the impact of their implementation. More specifically, re BASEL II the real test will come with full implementation of the new framework, which will trigger full application of the CEBS agreements. Originality/value – Coming from the chairman of CEBS, this paper carries great weight.