French President Nicolas Sarkozy yesterday (23 September) called for a global summit to address the financial crisis, which he described as the "most serious" since the 1930s amid demands from MEPs for the Commission to introduce legislation aimed at better supervision and greater transparency of speculative funds and private equity.

The FT reports that French President Nicolas Sarkozy abandoned plans to visit Gordon Brown today to try to calm fears that the City of London will be subject to a French-inspired drive for tighter financial regulation, after the appointment of Michel Barnier to the role of EU Internal Market Commissioner including financial services.

Is Tony Blair to become the First President of the European Union? "Tony Blair is poised to become the first President of Europe after it was confirmed that French leader Nicolas Sarkozy is determined to help him win the post. A senior aide to President Sarkozy told a private gathering of senior British and French politicians that he is to tell fellow EU leaders that Mr Blair is the only man who c...

The appointment of former French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier as the European Union's new internal market commissioner is a victory for France and a loss for Britain, French President Nicolas Sarkozy told Le Monde newspaper.

UNI has put out a useful little report (PDF) looking at pension fund investment in private equity as an asset class. It helpfully points out where the labour movement has representation in the funds that are investing in PE (actually this is quite common). It's another sign that unions are developing another element to their engagement with private equity. So far we've had the air war - ...

Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, was asked this week about the pledge of David Cameron to hold a referendum on the treaty if he comes to power before it is fully ratified. The French leader’s response was ­telling, reports the FT. “I am watching the debate in that country,” Mr Sarkozy said. “I simply want

Over the weekend it emerged that France has secured the job of EU Internal Market Commissioner for Michel Barnier as part of the deal that saw Lady Ashton become EU Foreign Minister, following reports in French newspaper Le Monde. The paper reported, that, according to a source at the European Commission, “The French supported the British to lead European diplomacy, with Catherine Ashton&rsq...

EU Internal Market Commissioner Charlie McCreevy still has reservations about regulating private equity firms, despite heavy pressure from MEPs and earlier promises made by European Commission President José Manuel Barroso.

EUobserver reports that, in a speech to the Association of European Journalists in Dublin, outgoing EU Internal Market Commissioner Charlie McCreevy has said that recent statements by French President Nicolas Sarkozy were a “coming out” on EU matters. Regarding Sarkozy’s comment that Michel Barnier’s appointment as the next Internal Market Commissioner was a “defeat f...

A stand-off between France and the UK has dashed hopes that an agreement on European rules for hedge funds and private equity funds could be reached this week, forcing diplomats to suspend a final negotiating session