Regulators have developed a new supervisory framework for the industry. But there are many challenges ahead, says IAIS technical committee chairman Tom Karp

GENEVA, Switzerland, December 8 - Banks thinking of using the so-called fair value option in new international accounting rules should be aware of the complexity of the possible impact on regulatory capital and loan loss allowances, according to a top US central banker.

LONDON, December 21 - European banking regulators today issued guidelines to help maintain the quality of the capital banks must keep to absorb losses as new international accounting rules come into effect in the New Year.

BRUSSELS, December 7 - European Union ministers today backed a raft of financial proposals ranging from radically new bank capital rules to stricter scrutiny of accountants and tougher controls on terrorism financing, Reuters news agency reported.

BASEL, Switzerland, December 15 - Global banking regulators are asking national supervisors to consider excluding unrealised gains and losses on loans designated as available-for-sale from the definition of Tier 1 and Tier 2 capital.

NEW YORK - US banks may need to increase their efforts in some areas in preparing for the implementation of the internal ratings based (IRB) approach to credit risk under the Basel II bank capital accord, Basel Committee chairman William McDonough said in February.

BASEL, Switzerland, December 21 - Global banking regulators have suggested that templates of workbooks and instructions used in previous impact studies of the Basel II bank safety rules could be used in separate national studies now underway or planned.

LONDON - Bankers engaged in the securitisation business have been asked by Basel Committee officials to provide more detailed material and calculations to support the arguments made in a letter sent to regulators in January.

Bankers and European officials want to lower regulatory burden in capital directive. Host supervisors fear loss of sovereignty By Melvyn Westlake

UK-based bank Bradford & Bingley has selected SunGard\'s Basel II Capital Manager as its technical platform for achieving compliance with the new Basel II regulations and for general retail and wholesale credit risk management, SunGard Trading and Risk Systems said in October.