Credit claims (or bank loans) represent a large share of the collateral accepted by the Eurosystem in its credit operations in recent years. Hence the techniques and procedures used in the use of credit claims as collateral have become significant elements of the monetary policy implementation...

The last consultative papers of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision set the path for a future where a wealth of credit assessment sources may be available. New external credit assessment institutions and internal ratings-based assessments will be added to ratings of major international...

Resources for the Future and the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies convened a one and one-half day workshop on domestic and international climate policy May 11–12, 2005, in Tokyo, Japan. The first day included 49 participants hearing presentations from 13 speakers and discussing...

China implemented a package of policies during the 11th Five-Year Plan (2006–2010) to improve industrial energy efficiency. This assessment provides a methodology that establishes a causal relationship between policy implementation and energy conservation effects. To enhance the confidence in...

Ever since Japan adopted the Basel capital adequacy standards, questions have been raised about the extent of its compliance. This article explains the political dynamics that have led to deviation from those standards in Japan. Scholars have posited various models of compliance--from mechanisms...

Resources for the Future and the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (Japan) convened a one-and-one-half day workshop on domestic and international climate policy on February 12–13, 2004 in Washington, D.C. On the first day, 55 participants heard presentations from 14 speakers and...

Overall, the prospects for a continued and reasonably fast real convergence process between the EU8 countries and the euro area are good. However, the continuation of the rapid progress made by many EU8 countries in the past cannot be taken for granted. In fact, in order to ensure that fast...

In a number of countries, especially emerging market economies, the public sector has in recent years been accumulating sizeable cross-border financial assets, mainly in the form of official foreign exchange reserves. World reserves have risen from USD 1.2 trillion in January 1995 to above USD 4...

The paper provides an overview of the hedge fund industry, mainly from a financial stability and European angle. It is primarily based on an extensive analysis of information from the TASS database. On the positive side of the financial stability assessment, hedge funds have a role as providers...