As you can see, the papers at this conference cover a variety of important topics, and I expect they will provoke spirited discussions among the many experts in attendance. I must say that I am encouraged to see so many researchers from a wide range of academic and government institutions working on issues of great interest to both community bankers and their regulators.
Some progress has been made over the past year towards resolving these cross-border issues. One example is the ‘Path Forward’, a joint statement which was agreed upon by the European Commission and the CFTC in July 2013. This statement is a necessary foundation for further cooperation. However, some cross-border matters are still unresolved and urgently need to be addressed.