WASHINGTON (March 12, 2007)— The North American Securities Administrators Association, Inc., (NASAA) today announced plans to host a public symposium to examine how strong investor protections and shareholder rights enable U.S. capital markets to maintain their competitive advantages in an era of increasing international market competitiveness.
NASAA is the oldest international organization devoted to investor protection. Its membership consists of the securities administrators in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Canada, and Mexico.
The Symposium, “Protecting Investors and the Integrity of Financial Markets,” is scheduled for Thursday, March 22 from 12 noon to 3 p.m. in the Holeman Lounge of the National Press Club, 529 14th Street NW, in Washington, DC.
“Investor confidence is the cornerstone of the success of our capital markets. A key component of investor confidence is a regulatory framework that provides strong investor protection,” said NASAA President and Alabama Securities Commission Director Joseph P. Borg. “Some on Wall Street and in Washington are calling for weakening this framework in an attempt to do away with laws and regulations that require accountability and punish wrongdoing. With record profits on Wall Street and the echoes of Enron still reverberating, rolling back a system of regulation that has vigorously protected U.S. investors for decades could have profound and costly consequences if it went too far.”
The Symposium will take place against a backdrop of a series of conflicting industry, government and academic reports on the competitiveness of U.S. capital markets and the regulatory structure that protects investors.
The Symposium will feature a panel of legal, regulatory, academic, and industry experts who will respond to recent suggestions that U.S. capital markets are losing their competitive edge because of burdensome regulations and regulators who are aggressively protecting investors – those same investors who are at the core of our market strength.
Registration Information
The Symposium is free and open to the public on a first come, first serve basis. Onsite registration begins at noon, followed by a light luncheon. The program begins at 12:30 p.m. To reserve a seat, please contact Lonnie Martin, at 202-737-0900 or lm@nasaa.org, by March 19.
For more information:
Bob Webster, Director of Communications
202-737-0900
