Regulatory Alerts2026-03-13
FD Column by Laura van Geest: 'Beware of Fashionable Pendulum Legislation'
AFM CEO Laura van Geest warns policymakers in Brussels and The Hague against swinging regulatory cycles that follow crises, advocating instead for stable, streamlined rules that prevent risk shifting into less regulated sectors. She highlights how post-crisis deregulation often leads to unstable legislation and procyclical financial policies, using European sustainability rules and private market valuations as examples of unintended consequences. Van Geest urges the Netherlands to adopt Sweden’s consistent regulatory approach over the US deregulation trend, particularly during Savings and Investment Union negotiations, and recommends critically reviewing existing fiscal regulations to reduce bureaucratic burden without compromising oversight.