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The subprime crisis has been marked by a growing awareness of the role of sovereign wealth funds. Reflecting the imbalances of industrialized nations, their investment strategies are diversifying and their assets could reach 12 trillion dollars in 2015.
Their relative opacity makes the perception of their strategy ambiguous, between long-term shareholding and control over strategic sectors. Various initiatives to promote the transparency of sovereign wealth funds were therefore initiated in 2008 at several levels: international financial institutions, the European Commission, States.
The Senate’s Finance Committee has endeavoured to take part in the debate on the place of sovereign wealth funds and thus organised two round tables on 15 May 2008.
This information report takes stock of recent initiatives and outlines a possible path for cooperation, consisting of consolidating a clear and limited regime for the protection of sectors under national sovereignty, harmonising codes of conduct as far as possible, and promoting the reciprocal opening of markets.
