News that the European Commission is planning to adopt proposals next week that will ask sovereign wealth funds to accept a code of conduct to govern their investment activities, raises the question if the U.S. government should take a look at the impact these funds may have on U.S. security.

Peter Mandelson, the European trade commissioner, said the code will outline standards of governance and transparency for such funds.

"The emphasis in their investments should be on commercial motivations, not national or strategic considerations. I think such a code is possible to draw up and would get acceptance from the wealth funds," the report quoted Mandelson as saying.

German companies, for example, are worried that China will steal their intellectual property or that Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to use such investments "as a political instrument," according to European Member of Parliament Wolf Klinz.

Continue reading Are sovereign wealth funds a threat to national security?

Are sovereign wealth funds a threat to national security? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 24 Feb 2008 11:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.