The Self-Regulatory Organisations Consultative Committee (SROCC) of the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) held its first interim meeting on Thursday 14 January in London . This was followed the next day by an interim meeting of the International Council of Securities Associations (ICSA).

Revision of the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID), which came into effect in November 2007 after seven years of intense preparation, has been under debate for several months. Revisiting the directive is now a priority for the European Commission in view of widespread dissatisfaction with the structure of Europe 's equity markets.

Executive Order 2010-76 on the merger of the supervisory and licensing authorities for the banking and insurance sectors was adopted on 21 January 2010. Eagerly awaited following cross-industry work on this issue, the merger is a major reform that will create a new independent administrative authority with no legal personality, Autorité de Contrôle Prudentiel (ACP).

Further to the G-20 summit in Pittsburgh , the French government has tabled a bill on banking and financial regulation with the main aim of enhancing supervision of financial markets and firms.