Financial Crisis Advisory Group Publishes Wide-Ranging Review of Standard-Setting Activities Following the Global Financial Crisis

Press Release

28 July 2009

Financial Crisis Advisory Group publishes wide-ranging review of standard-setting activities following the global financial crisis

The Financial Crisis Advisory Group (FCAG), a high level group of recognised leaders with broad experience in international financial markets, today published its recommendations related to accounting standard-setting activities, and other changes to the international regulatory environment following the global financial crisis. The FCAG was formed at the request of the International Accounting Standards Board and the US Financial Accounting Standards Board to consider financial reporting issues arising from the crisis. Co-chaired by Hans Hoogervorst, Chairman, AFM (the Netherlands

Authority for the Financial Markets) and Harvey Goldschmid, former Commissioner, US Securities and Exchange Commission, the FCAG met six times from January to July 2009. The report of the FCAG articulates four main principles and contains a series of recommendations to improve the functioning and effectiveness of global standard-setting. The chief areas addressed in the report are: 1. Effective financial reporting 2. Limitations of financial reporting 3. Convergence of accounting standards 4. Standard setter independence and accountability The principles and a summary of the recommendations are set out in the appendix to this press release. The FCAG will reconvene in December to review the progress made on its recommendations. Commenting on the report, Hans Hoogervorst, Co-Chairman of the FCAG said: I urge policymakers around the world to study the report and to take note of its conclusions, especially the importance of broadly accepted accounting standards that are the result of a thorough due process. The report highlights the importance but also the limits of financial reporting. Accounting was not a root cause of the financial crisis, but it has an important role to play in its resolution.

c/o IASC Foundation, 30...