“It’s now or never for the leaders of the world’s biggest economies to make the changes that will support their claims to have learnt the lessons of the financial and economic crises. Oooh aye? “Strict and consistent measures must be put in place to regulate financial markets, particularly in regard to hedge and private equity funds. Private equity

Sweden, the new holder of the EU presidency, came to the defence of hedge funds and private equity, saying it did not blame them for the financial crisis and would press for improvements in EU proposals to regulate them

The EU internal market commissioner tells Tim Geithner that new rules for hedge funds and private equity will not shut foreign funds out of EU financial markets

The European Commission's draft directive on hedge funds and private equity funds can and will be improved, according to the UK's financial services minister

EU finance ministers reach broad agreement on the need to impose tighter regulations on hedge funds and private equity firms.

Congress edged closer to a landmark financial reform as Democrats patched up differences over restrictions on bank investments in hedge funds and private equity firms

By supporting tighter regulation on hedge funds and private equity on 10 September, the European Parliament's Economic Committee may have signalled the end of an era for the financial sector. Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, president of the Party of European Socialists, told EurActiv why he thinks events have taken a new turn.

By supporting tighter regulation on hedge funds and private equity last week, the European Parliament's Economic Committee may have signalled the end of an era for the financial sector. Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, president of the Party of European Socialists, tells EurActiv why he thinks events have taken a new turn.

European Commission president Jose-Manuel Barroso has said that the financial crisis means that new regulation will be required and that 'no financial player should be exempt'

The Spanish EU Presidency is aiming to close an agreement on the draft hedge and private equity funds directive at a meeting of finance ministers in Brussels tomorrow (16 March), with teething problems on foreign fund treatment threatening to derail a deal.