Speculative hedge funds will come under scrutiny in Brussels over the next few weeks.

European commissioner Michel Barnier said on Sunday that he hoped the coming weeks would see an agreement on the regulation of hedge funds and private equity in the EU.

The EU has already agreed to some new curbs on the trillion-dollar hedge fund industry, despite stiff opposition from Britain, home to 80 percent of Europe’s specialist funds.

On some days, hedge funds, which are able to deal in derivatives, account for half the trading on the markets.

In the past, hedge fund trading methods have been blamed for speculative attacks that have led to sharp drops in the markets.