Relationship

Sveriges Riksbank acquired shares in the BIS in 1930, albeit not as a founding institution of the BIS. Currently the Riksbank holds 17,244 shares, corresponding to approximately 3.2 per cent of the total number of issued shares and 2.9 per cent of the voting rights. The Riksbank governor has been elected member of the BIS Board of Directors with few interruptions since 1937.

At the bi-monthly meetings of governors at the BIS headquarter in Basle, where gatherings are arranged in various forms, the Riksbank governor participates inter alia in the meetings of the BIS Board of Directors, the Governors of the Group of Ten countries and the Global Economy Meeting.

In addition, the Riksbank participates in around 25 committees and working groups within the BIS field of activities. The most important committees report to the G10 Governors – although they have to some extent also come to involve some central banks outside of the G10.

Priority issues

The G10 cooperation
The G10 is at the core of many BIS activities and is a very important platform for the Riksbank in its international work. The G10 fora provide opportunities to cooperate with major participants in the global economy and to contribute to the creation of standards for the financial sector.

Financial sector standards

The Riksbank welcomes the development towards increased financial integration between countries. A common regulatory framework which promotes a sound development of the financial sector and international financial integration contributes to financial stability. For the banking sector, new capital adequacy rules (Basel II) constitute an important step by linking more closely the capital requirement to the actual risk-taking in the banks’ activities.

Analysis of new trends in financial markets

In conjunction with the emergence of new financial instruments or new categories of financial institutions, it is vital to assess the consequences for the risk exposure and its distribution in the financial system. For instance, the Committee on the Global Financial System (CGFS) has analysed various derivative instruments and hedge funds.

BIS financial management
As a shareholder in the BIS, the Riksbank has a vested interest in an efficient and profitable management of the financial resources entrusted to the BIS.