HSBC's conservative approach to investment banking has stoodit in good stead when the financial world has gone to pot, but when times were good, it was an embarrassment.
Built in France, the main structure was originally destined to be a railway station in Cairo, but the deal fell through and so the President of Haiti Florvil Hyppolite had it shipped over in 1891, and there itstood until it was destroyed by the earthquake of 2010.
However British Conservative MEP Ashley Fox said he welcomed the new agreement as itstood, saying it improved openness and transparency whilst still maintaining the "legitimate right of member states for confidentiality of certain documents".