The Spanish Banking Association (AEB) and CECA held the meeting ‘Strengths of the Spanish banking sector in times of global transition’ today in Frankfurt, where they presented regulatory simplification proposals for the banking sector aimed at strengthening economic growth and the competitiveness of the European Union.
At the event—which included the participation of representatives from the European Central Bank and executives from the main Spanish banking entities—the associations highlighted the Spanish commercial banking model, characterized by its efficiency, diversification, focus on households, and a lower risk profile than that of other European countries.
During the meeting, the role of Spanish banking was championed as an example of solidity and stability, as well as its contribution to the economic development of the UE. The associations emphasized the need to simplify regulation to release financing held back by discretionary capital requirements, which would allow for the expansion of credit to families and businesses.
Currently, European legislation has tripled in recent years and there are more than 20 regulators and supervisors whose mandates sometimes overlap, generating inefficiencies and administrative burdens.
Alejandra Kindelán, president of the AEB, pointed out that regulatory simplification is key for families and businesses: “Europe is going through a growth crisis. It is urgent to act to consolidate social progress, promote employment, and maintain our leadership in freedom, democracy, and human rights.”
For Antonio Romero, general manager of CECA, “simplification is not an objective in itself; it is the only way to improve European competitiveness and autonomy. In this debate, the Spanish banking sector wants to be proactive by jointly presenting a series of concrete proposals.”
The associations presented simplification proposals in several areas, including financial regulation, digital affairs, and sustainability.
Among the measures highlighted were the simplification of the macroprudential framework to avoid duplication between agencies, the improvement of accountability in the regulatory process, the incorporation of ex-post evaluation, and the necessary regulatory proportionality.
The objective is to allow the banking sector to better finance the economy, contribute to competitiveness goals, and participate actively in the response to major social challenges.
The event featured the participation of Pedro Machado, member of the Supervisory Board of the Single Supervisory Mechanism of the European Central Bank; Ramón Quintana, Director General of Systemic and International Banks at the European Central Bank; José Antonio Álvarez, Vice Chairman of Banco Santander; Matthias Bullach, Head of Accounting, Management Control and Capital at CaixaBank; Jaime Sáenz de Tejada, Global Head of Business Solutions at BBVA; Antonio Romero and Luis Teijeiro, General Manager and Deputy General Manager of CECA; and Alejandra Kindelán and María Abascal, President and General Manager of AEB.
