20/02/2014 (Agence Europe) - Barnier criticises US rules which affect European banks. At a conference on financial services organised on Thursday 20 February by Forum Europe, EU Internal Market Commissioner Michel Barnier said he was “concerned” about the newly introduced final rules on Foreign Banking Organisations (FBOs) adopted by the Federal Reserve Board in the United States. He said that, despite positive changes, the reform would introduce substantial new costs for European banks due to the liquidity rules, and warned that, if equivalent rules cannot be introduced, then the EU would have to introduce identical rules for US banks. The European Banking Federation has also expressed concern. (MB/transl.fl)