Assessing the European Investors Working Group (EIWG)

The European Investors Working Group (EIWG) is an organization that emerged to provided non-governmental input from the investing community to European financial regulatory bodies. The EIWG was created in 2009 and consists mostly of corporate executives, and attorneys in European organizations and companies. The EIWG's first two sessions took place on June 30, 2009 and September 18, 2009. This article will discuss the EIWG in terms of their identity within the Chartered Financial Analyst Program, their independent objectives and its path toward those goals.

Who the European Investors Working Group is

The European Investors Working Group was established by a similar and larger group called the 'CFA Program' that is an organization that tests and documents Chartered Financial Analysts (CFA) The CFA Institute also administers Investment Performance Measurement Certifications (CIPM). In addition to investment credentialing, the CFA Institute primarily advocates for the investment community, maintains standards within its industry and is globally recognized financial credential. The following is a list of objectives the CFA initiated the EIWG to carry out.

• Investor advocacy in regulatory process

• Regulatory reform analysis

• Corporate governance

• European Union Market amalgamation

• Marketplace ethics

Organizations with different objectives share the EIWG acronym and should not be confused for one another. Such organizations include the Environmental Infrastructure Working Group, The Effective Interventions Working Group and the Extractives Industry Working Group. The European Investors Working Group (EIWG) is subject to the same European Union lobbying rules as other interest groups seeking to influence European regulatory policy. Whether or not that influence is used for the good of the public, economy or investment community is debatable, but it is clear the EIWG discussed in this article represents the investment community and the CFA Institute.

What the European Investors Working Group do

By collaborating and analyzing market and economic conditions pertaining to investments, the European Investors Working Group (EIWG), can benefit the investment community by acquiring and sharing important information regarding investment management and regulation. This enables the EIWG to more thoroughly approach the issue of market regulation with investors and their interests in mind. The EIWG can do this through the following methods:

• Formal assessments of pending financial legislation

• Contacts in the corporate world

• Surveying CFA members globally

• Tapping existing institutional knowledge resources

• Appeals to Government officials and authorities

• Investment groups and investor advocacy

Whether or nor the European Investors Working Group (EIWG) will be able to carry out its intended goals effectively will be revealed with time. Since the organization is relatively new, it is unclear as to how well the group will perform individually. As a part of the CFA Institute, the EIWG serves as an advisory council of sorts; informing members of the investment world and the CFA Program of relevant financial issues and concerns.

Summary

The European Investors Working Group can be viewed as a specialized investment and financial regulatory advisory group within a larger organization and community of executives, financial analysts, and professionals affected by financial regulations and investment legislation. The EIWG is a new group at the time of this article (9.09), and has not had a significant amount of time to analyze, report and impact its industry. The EIWG's role as advocate for investors, investment groups and investment firms is well placed. Moreover, the EIWG serves an important representational and informational purpose to its members and affiliated groups and organizations.

A group like the EIWG, can utilize the influence of the CFA Institute which is known World Wide for the quality of its credentialing. Such sway can have both positive and negative impacts on governmental authorities if the advice they provide is faulty, overly biased or inaccurate. Both the EIWG and the CFA Program can be likened to investment lobbyists, however, the CFA Programs status as a non-profit organization helps it and groups such as the EIWG retain at least a semblance of objectivity to the public and regulatory figures and organizations.