The Financial Services Authority (FSA) of the United Kingdom yesterday published its business plan setting out its priorities for 2011/12, and the implications for the FSA’s budget. The document outlines the FSA’s priorities and specific initiatives for the year ahead, which reflect the continuing challenges facing the financial services industry.

This year’s business plan has been created against a backdrop of considerable change, with the UK government last year announcing plans for changes to the structure of financial services regulation in the UK. The FSA will restructure into the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and the existing FSA legal entity will become the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). This change will occur at the end of 2012 or early 2013. Until then the FSA will continue to deliver on its statutory objectives and implement the major initiatives that are already underway.

Hector Sants, FSA chief executive, said, “The 2011/12 business year for the FSA will be a difficult one. We have to ensure that we are operating effectively as a supervisor as well as taking forward the key policy initiatives. The principal ones are progressing the domestic consumer protection strategy, implementing a number of key EU directives and influencing the continuing international regulatory reform agenda. All this has to be done at the same time as taking forward the preparations for a new regulatory structure. The regulatory reform agenda remains on track to ensure the new structure will be ready in 2012. We will be seeking to deliver this agenda with a capped headcount.”

Read more: http://www.fsa.gov.uk/pages/Library/Communication/PR/2011/033.shtml