The White House, President George W. Bush Click to print this document

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
November 15, 2008

Declaration of the Summit on Financial Markets and the World Economy

     Fact sheet In Focus:Summit on Financial Markets and the World Economy

1.  We, the Leaders of the Group of Twenty, held an initial meeting in Washington on November 15, 2008, amid serious challenges to the world economy and financial markets.  We are determined to enhance our cooperation and work together to restore global growth and achieve needed reforms in the world’s financial systems.

2.  Over the past months our countries have taken urgent and exceptional measures to support the global economy and stabilize financial markets.  These efforts must continue.  At the same time, we must lay the foundation for reform to help to ensure that a global crisis, such as this one, does not happen again.  Our work will be guided by a shared belief that market principles, open trade and investment regimes, and effectively regulated financial markets foster the dynamism, innovation, and entrepreneurship that are essential for economic growth, employment, and poverty reduction.

Root Causes of the Current Crisis

3.  During a period of strong global growth, growing capital flows, and prolonged stability earlier this decade, market participants sought higher yields without an adequate appreciation of the risks and failed to exercise proper due diligence.  At the same time, weak underwriting standards, unsound risk management practices, increasingly complex and opaque financial products, and consequent excessive leverage combined to create vulnerabilities in the system.  Policy-makers, regulators and supervisors, in some advanced countries, did not adequately appreciate and address the risks building up in financial markets, keep pace with financial innovation, or take into account the systemic ramifications of domestic regulatory actions.

4.  Major underlying factors to the current situation were, among others, inconsistent and insufficiently coordinated macroeconomic policies, inadequate structural reforms, which led to unsustainable global macroeconomic outcomes.  These developments, together, contributed to excesses and ultimately resulted in severe market disruption.

Actions Taken and to Be Taken

5.  We have taken strong and significant actions to date to stimulate our economies, provide liquidity, strengthen the capital of financial institutions, protect savings and deposits, address regulatory deficiencies, unfreeze credit markets, and are working to ensure that international financial institutions (IFIs) can provide critical support for the global economy.   

6.  But more needs to be done to stabilize financial markets and support economic growth.  Economic momentum is slowing substantially in major economies and the global outlook has weakened.  Many emerging market economies, which helped sustain the world economy this decade, are still experiencing good growth but increasingly are being adversely impacted by the worldwide slowdown.

7.  Against this background of deteriorating economic conditions worldwide, we agreed that a broader policy response is needed, based on closer macroeconomic cooperation, to restore growth, avoid negative spillovers and support emerging market economies and developing countries.  As immediate steps to achieve these objectives, as well as to address longer-term challenges, we will:

Common Principles for Reform of Financial Markets

8.  In addition to the actions taken above, we will implement reforms that will strengthen financial markets and regulatory regimes so as to avoid future crises.  Regulation is first and foremost the responsibility of national regulators who constitute the first line of defense against market instability.  However, our financial markets are global in scope, therefore, intensified international cooperation among regulators and strengthening of international standards, where necessary, and their consistent implementation is necessary to protect against adverse cross-border, regional and global developments affecting international financial stability.  Regulators must ensure that their actions support market discipline, avoid potentially adverse impacts on other countries, including regulatory arbitrage, and support competition, dynamism and innovation in the marketplace.  Financial institutions must also bear their responsibility for the turmoil and should do their part to overcome it including by recognizing losses, improving disclosure and strengthening their governance and risk management practices.

9.  We commit to implementing policies consistent with the following common principles for reform.

Tasking of Ministers and Experts

10.  We are committed to taking rapid action to implement these principles.  We instruct our Finance Ministers, as coordinated by their 2009 G-20 leadership (Brazil, UK, Republic of Korea), to initiate processes and a timeline to do so.  An initial list of specific measures is set forth in the attached Action Plan, including high priority actions to be completed prior to March 31, 2009. 

In consultation with other economies and existing bodies, drawing upon the recommendations of such eminent independent experts as they may appoint, we request our Finance Ministers to formulate additional recommendations, including in the following specific areas:   

11.  In view of the role of the G-20 in financial systems reform, we will meet again by April 30, 2009, to review the implementation of the principles and decisions agreed today.

Commitment to an Open Global Economy

12.  We recognize that these reforms will only be successful if grounded in a commitment to free market principles, including the rule of law, respect for private property, open trade and investment, competitive markets, and efficient, effectively regulated financial systems.  These principles are essential to economic growth and prosperity and have lifted millions out of poverty, and have significantly raised the global standard of living.  Recognizing the necessity to improve financial sector regulation, we must avoid over-regulation that would hamper economic growth and exacerbate the contraction of capital flows, including to developing countries.

13.  We underscore the critical importance of rejecting protectionism and not turning inward in times of financial uncertainty.  In this regard, within the next 12 months, we will refrain from raising new barriers to investment or to trade in goods and services, imposing new export restrictions, or implementing World Trade Organization (WTO) inconsistent measures to stimulate exports.  Further, we shall strive to reach agreement this year on modalities that leads to a successful conclusion to the WTO’s Doha Development Agenda with an ambitious and balanced outcome.  We instruct our Trade Ministers to achieve this objective and stand ready to assist directly, as necessary.  We also agree that our countries have the largest stake in the global trading system and therefore each must make the positive contributions necessary to achieve such an outcome.  

14.  We are mindful of the impact of the current crisis on developing countries, particularly the most vulnerable.  We reaffirm the importance of the Millennium Development Goals, the development assistance commitments we have made, and urge both developed and emerging economies to undertake commitments consistent with their capacities and roles in the global economy.  In this regard, we reaffirm the development principles agreed at the 2002 United Nations Conference on Financing for Development in Monterrey, Mexico, which emphasized country ownership and mobilizing all sources of financing for development.

15.  We remain committed to addressing other critical challenges such as energy security and climate change, food security, the rule of law, and the fight against terrorism, poverty and disease.

16.  As we move forward, we are confident that through continued partnership, cooperation, and multilateralism, we will overcome the challenges before us and restore stability and prosperity to the world economy. 

Action Plan to Implement Principles for Reform

This Action Plan sets forth a comprehensive work plan to implement the five agreed principles for reform.  Our finance ministers will work to ensure that the taskings set forth in this Action Plan are fully and vigorously implemented. They are responsible for the development and implementation of these recommendations drawing on the ongoing work of relevant bodies, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF), an expanded Financial Stability Forum (FSF), and standard setting bodies. 

Strengthening Transparency and Accountability

Immediate Actions by March 31, 2009

Medium-term actions

Enhancing Sound Regulation

Regulatory Regimes

            Immediate Actions by March 31, 2009

            Medium-term actions

Prudential Oversight

            Immediate Actions by March 31, 2009

            Medium-term actions

Risk Management

            Immediate Actions by March 31, 2009

            Medium -term actions

Promoting Integrity in Financial Markets

            Immediate Actions by March 31, 2009

            Medium -term actions

Reinforcing International Cooperation

            Immediate Actions by March 31, 2009

            Medium -term actions

Reforming International Financial Institutions

            Immediate Actions by March 31, 2009

            Medium -term actions

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