The European Commission’s legislative proposal on conflict minerals, expected any day now, has instead been put on hold until next year. In March 2013, the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Trade initiated a three-month public consultation to shape EU law on the responsible sourcing of minerals from the war-torn Congo. Since then, indications are the European […]
Joe Mont
Posted inFrom the Archive
New Chairman’s Nomination Puts CFTC’s Budget Back in the Spotlight
The Dodd-Frank Act catapulted the once under-the-radar Commodity Futures Trading Commission into the ranks of the nation’s top regulators, notably through its mandated role in the forthcoming Volcker Rule and increased oversight of risky derivatives trades. The shift in influence, however, hasn’t translated into increased funding. Now, a new push is underway to bolster its […]
Posted inAccounting & Auditing
OCC Crafts Guidance for Banks Using Independent Consultants
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency on Tuesday published updated standards for the use of independent consultants by banks. The guidance describes the criteria used to determine whether it will require a national bank or federal savings association to retain a consultant, and the necessary due diligence to ensure that they have sufficient […]
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Obama Names Treasury Official As Next CFTC Head Today
After weeks of speculation, President Barack Obama on Tuesday afternoon nominated Timothy Massad, a Treasury Department official, to replace Gary Gensler, the outgoing chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Gensler, who also served at the Treasury Department, during the Clinton Administration, has signaled his intention to step down by the end of the year. […]
Posted inUncategorized
Critics of Pay Ratio Rule Urge Changes in Comments to SEC
Be careful what you wish for. Those who demanded more flexibility in how the Securities and Exchange Commission wants companies to comply with the controversial pay ratio rule got what they wanted. Now, some are bemoaning that apparent victory in comment letters to the SEC. In September, the SEC approved a proposed rule that requires […]
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Oil Industry Demands Confidential Filings in New Extraction Payments Rule
As the Securities and Exchange Commission redrafts a rule requiring the disclosure of government payments made by oil and gas companies for extraction rights, the trade group responsible for having its first attempt thrown out by a federal judge has a few suggestions. In a letter delivered to the SEC on Thursday, the American Petroleum […]
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OSHA Wants Companies to Report On-the-Job Injuries to Public Database
Companies will need to report workplace injuries to a government database that will eventually be made public under a rule proposed Thursday by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. OSHA is proposing to amend its current recordkeeping and reporting regulations to add requirements for the electronic submission of injury and illness information employers are already […]
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CFPB Considers Debt Collection Rules, Releases Complaint Data
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is escalating up its oversight of the debt collection industry and, as part of those efforts, has publicly released nearly 5,000 reports to its Consumer Complaint Database. Through an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) released on Wednesday, the CFPB said it plans to collect data on a variety of […]
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SEC Announces Dec. 5 Roundtable On Proxy Advisory Firms
The Securities and Exchange Commission will host a public roundtable on Dec. 5 to discuss the services proxy advisory firms provide for institutional investors and investment advisers. The roundtable, held at the SEC’s Washington, D.C. headquarters, will be open to the public as well as webcast live. Information on the time, agenda and participants will […]
