Baselagen

Baselagen is a term used in certain European languages, notably Swedish and Norwegian, meaning the Basel Act. It is not a single, universal statute; rather, it is a label applied to national laws that address Basel-related frameworks in either financial regulation or international treaty compliance. In banking and finance contexts, baselagen typically denotes legislation that implements Basel principles for capital adequacy, risk management, governance, and supervisory reporting, as established by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision. In other contexts, the same name may refer to laws that implement provisions of the Basel Convention on hazardous wastes, through domestic environmental regulation.

The content and scope of a baselagen vary by jurisdiction. Common elements include definitions of key terms; the scope of covered entities; requirements for capital buffers or environmental compliance; powers and duties of the competent regulatory or supervisory authority; reporting, auditing, and disclosure obligations; penalties for non-compliance; and transitional or phasing provisions.

Historically, Basel II/III and related Basel instruments originated with international accords; in many countries, baselagen were enacted in the late 20th and early 21st centuries to align national law with these international standards. The term is not universally used, and some jurisdictions may refer to the same statute by different names.

See also: Basel Committee on Banking Supervision; Basel Convention; Basel II; Basel III.