Ethics and governance in the European Financial centers

Jack Blum, Chairman of TJN-USA and GFI advisor, has been called before the Senate Homeland Security Committee to testify on the Incorporation Transparency Act.

Mr. Blum, the former Head of the United Nations Experts Group on Asset Recovery and a former investigator for the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Narcotics, Terrorism, and International Operations, stressed both the economic and national security benefits of shutting down US shell corporations.

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Greg Gordon, McClatchy Newspapers, has observed that "Underscoring the role of tax havens as a Wall Street marketing tool, a Treasury Department report found that as of June 30, 2008, $164 billion in U.S. mortgage-backed securities were held in the Cayman Islands and $22 billion more were held in Luxembourg, another tax-friendly zone".

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The fourth European Union Organised Crime Threat Assessment (2009 OCTA) was just published. "The OCTA is a core product of the intelligence-led law enforcement concept and its drafting is one of Europol’s top priorities", Rob Wainwright, Director of Europol, said.

It is a general overview of crimes. I wish they assessed a country risk.