EBF Board meets in Riga for 120th meeting

15 May 2015

The European Banking Federation (EBF) Board reviewed ongoing developments in the European banking sector and noted with satisfaction that European policy makers are undertaking various initiatives to support the recovery of the European economy, where banks are already at the forefront.

The Board particularly welcomed European Union initiatives such as the Investment Plan for Europe, the Capital Markets Union and the Digital Single Market.

The  Board  meeting  made  clear  that European  banks  remain  deeply  concerned  over  the EU proposal on banking structural reform (BSR) because of the unintended consequences this may have on the banks’ ability to service the economy in supporting their clients, especially in times of  market  stress.

EBF Board members however support an emerging consensus among member states to move forward with a simplified BSR framework that preserves market making activities for liquidity and risk management.

Similarly, Board members remarked on the inconsistencies of the political advances in defining a Financial Transaction Tax (FTT) in some European Member states whilst wishing to promote a single capital market.

EBF  Board  members  also  exchanged  views  on  the  current  international  discussions  on  the calculation of Risk Weighted Assets (RWA) as a key metric for funds that banks need to hold against risk exposures.

They stated their support for risk-based models for capital calculation and  agreed  to  engage further with  national  and  European  supervisors  to  support  the  use  of internal models with strengthened requirements but without the overly restrictive constraints that international policy makers are considering.

Members  exchanged  views  on  current  and  future  developments  in  regards  to  corporate governance in the banking sector and market conduct at the international and European levels.

The EBF Board took note of progress being made on the strategic themes which EBF has chosen for 2015: Financing Growth & the Single Market; Supervision & the SSM; Reputation; and Digital Banking.

Press release


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