British PM Gordon Brown and French President Nicolas Sarkozy have issued a joint¹ call for urgent global reform of financial markets.

英国首相戈登·布朗与法国总统尼古拉·萨科奇发布一项联合公告，号召全球金融市场迫切进行改革。

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The leaders say only global change will restore confidence in banking

Writing in the Wall Street Journal, they say a one-off一次性事物 tax on bank bonuses should be "considered a priority".

The two leaders say it is "simply not acceptable" for taxpayers⁴ to cover the cost of bank failures but not benefit from their successes.

The article comes as EU leaders prepare to meet for a summit in Brussels.

It also follows the announcement in a pre-Budget report by UK finance minister Alistair Darling of a one-off supertax附加税 on banker bonuses.

'Proper regulation'

The BBC's Jonny Dymond, in the Belgian capital, says the joint article at times reads like a call to arms.

In it, Mr Sarkozy and Mr Brown say the financial crisis has made them "recognise that we are now in an economy which is no longer national but global, so financial standards must also be global".

"We must ensure that through proper regulation, the financial sector⁵ operates on a level playing field globally."

They say there is an "urgent need for a new compact between global banks and the society they serve".

"A compact that ensures the benefits of good economic times flow not just to bankers but to the people they serve; that makes sure that the financial sector fosters培养，促进 economic growth."

Various proposals to reform the sector "deserve examination", they said, but a one-off tax on high bonuses paid to bankers "should be considered a priority".

"People rightly want a post-crisis banking system which puts their needs first. To achieve that, nothing less than a global change is required," the leaders wrote.

France and the UK have been at odds争执，不一致 recently over European banking.

Mr Sarkozy appeared to boast that the appointment of Frenchman Michel Barnier to oversee⁷ European banking reform was a defeat for Britain.

Mr Sarkozy and Mr Brown cancelled a meeting last week but are set to meet on Thursday on the sidelines of the EU summit.

On Wednesday, Mr Darling announced plans for a one-off supertax of 50% on banker bonuses, to be applied⁸ to payments over £25,000.

The new tax - which would be paid by banks and not individuals - is designed to discourage institutions from paying large bonuses to employees in the wake of紧紧跟随，伴随而来 the major taxpayer³ support they have received in the financial crisis.