The new €100 and €200 banknotes enter circulation today:
🔐They incorporate new security features
💶They are the same height as the €50 banknotes
✔️They are easier to handle and process
Tips from @BancoDeEspana to verify their authenticity: https://t.co/fKeZE6sdPs pic.twitter.com/rmoZxc2pYJ

— AEB (@Aebanca) May 28, 2019

La entrada Test tweet se publicó primero en Asociación Española de Banca.

Given the particular significance of bank finance for Europe’s economy the EBF Board called on national and European policymakers for proper calibration when it comes to the finalisation of the wide range of regulatory measures still currently under discussion in the European Union. This is necessary so that banks can continue their financing commitment and support growth and jobs.

Says Frédéric Oudéa, President, EBF Board:

“We need to make sure that the international competitiveness of the European banking sector is not damaged. It is up to policymakers now to finalise the regulatory agenda and strike the right balance, avoiding undue impact on the financing of households and companies while ensuring the development of a safe, sustainable and competitive European financial services industry that benefits all our economies .”

Future of electronic payments in Europe

Customers expect banks to protect their personal data. Data protection is at the core of trust in financial institutions. While European banks fully embrace innovation in their services and value competition in the market, the Board of the EBF warns that an inappropriate changes of proposed technical standards for electronic payments would put at risk the integrity of customer data, jeopardises the level playing field in European payment services and places a disproportionate burden on banks in the implementation of unnecessary technical solutions.

The Board calls on the European Commission to adopt – without amendments – the delegated act proposed by the European Banking Authority (EBA) for electronic payment services under the second European Payment Services Directive, known as PSD2. Deviating from the EBA recommendations would clearly go against the objectives of enhancing consumer protection and improving security of payment services across the European Union.

View the full EBF information note

La entrada EBF Board Communiqué May 2017 se publicó primero en Asociación Española de Banca.

Wim Mijs, Chief Executive Officer of the EBF, says:

“The Single Market is still key, but we see that on many issues national regulatory constraints unfortunately are still part of reality in the EU, particularly when it concerns financial services. Consumers have less choice as a result of this. The European Commission is trying to identify these problems and fix them. We support this objective wholeheartedly.”

View the full EBF information note

La entrada EBF supports EU Consumer Financial Services Plan se publicó primero en Asociación Española de Banca.

With PSD2, the European Union aims to establish the harmonized legal framework needed for creating an innovative and competitive pan-European market for online payment services. PSD2 is due to be implemented in January 2018, with the technical standards due to enter into force later in the year.

Wim Mijs, Chief Executive Officer of the EBF, says:

“There is a revolution coming in online payments and PSD2 is at the heart of this transformation. Europe can no longer ignore the need for common solutions. The new EBA standards offer a reasonable compromise. They bring strong customer authentication, stimulate the development of e-commerce, and provide a sound basis for a safe and open payments ecosystem in Europe.”

View the full EBF information note

La entrada European banks support innovation under PSD2 se publicó primero en Asociación Española de Banca.

The Board took note of the EU Banking Reform package presented earlier this week by the European Commission and underlined that this shows that the EU is now close to completing its implementation of the G20 global reform agenda. The package appears to provide banks with a regulatory framework conducive to growth in the EU.

Addressing the upcoming talks in the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS), the Board called on the committee to respect the G20 mandate for additional capital requirements, which should not have a significant impact in any region, including Europe. EBF members also invited the committee to respect the global level playing field in banking by considering the variety of banking models in Europe.

Says Frédéric Oudéa, President, EBF Board:

“The European project relies on the capacity of our institutions to bring prosperity and security to the peoples of Europe. While ‘Basel IV’ rules and the future of the European economy might seem like two different and separate issues, the reality is that the revision of the current framework for banks’ capital requirements could have very important consequences for Europe. No agreement is better than an agreement that deeply penalizes the European economy.”

View the full EBF information note

La entrada EBF asks Basel Committee to respect G20 mandate se publicó primero en Asociación Española de Banca.

The package includes, among others, a revision of the EU Capital Requirement Regulation and Directive, known as CRR and CRD=IV. It also includes proposals for the Net Stable Funding Ratio, the Leverage Ratio and an update of the EU Bank Recovery and Resolution Directive with the standard for Total Loss Absorbing Capacity. These are the final elements the EU needs to introduce in order to complete the G20 global post-crisis reform agenda.

Wim Mijs, Chief Executive Officer of the EBF, says:

“This package is about implementing global standards and about re-calibrating provisions where evidence has established that the earlier regulatory response was heavy-handed. It is not about de-regulation but about better regulation, reducing complexity and linking finance to growth as part of a stable framework“.

View the full EBF information note

La entrada EBF Takes Note of EU Plans to Revise Regulatory Framework se publicó primero en Asociación Española de Banca.

Although, at the outset, this type of test had an additional objective, perhaps more relevant than the previous one: to give the market confidence in the situation of the sector and of each institution. On the one hand, to combat a crisis of confidence fuelled by systemic risks and contagion between institutions. On the other, to genuinely make their future viability or solvency known. Solvency and resilience: these are the two key aspects of the analyses carried out by the EBA on Friday.

However, it is true that, unlike the same analyses carried out in 2014, in this case it was not so much an exercise to assess the existence of institutions with low capital levels as an instrument to support the ECB’s supervisory task. Remember how, two years ago, the result of the tests was an additional factor of financial instability that led institutions to pay an extra cost over their fundamental valuation when seeking capital. To give you a sense of some figures: if the 2014 tests identified a capital need of up to 25,000 million over the following nine months, European banks raised 54,000 million in new capital and issued CoCos for a further 39,000 million.

Read the full article by the AEB spokesperson in CincoDías

La entrada A strong financial sector se publicó primero en Asociación Española de Banca.

The EBA test is a regular, technical check of the resilience of the European banking sector. The exercise tested 51 European banks and covered approximately 70% of all banking assets in the EU.

The results clearly demonstrate that the recapitalisation effort European banks have made in recent years is bearing fruit. Even after the Comprehensive Assessment at the end of 2014, European banks have continued to strengthen their balance sheets. The EBA stress test makes clear that the EU banking sector as a whole is able to withstand a severe economic downturn like the one simulated by the EBA.

“This test has demonstrated that the European banking sector is resilient. Our banks continue to make significant efforts to shore up their balance sheets. Compared to five years ago, the ratio of highest-quality capital of European banks is now more than twice” said Wim Mijs, Chief Executive at the EBF.

View the full EBF information note

La entrada EBA stress test shows resilience of the EU banking sector se publicó primero en Asociación Española de Banca.

In recent years, European banks have been able to respond to and comply with the new regulatory framework by increasing their capital ratios, improving their liquidity position and reducing their leverage.

The EBF wishes to reassure customers and businesses in all EU member states that their banking services will continue as normal, and that it remains committed to cross-border cooperation in Europe.

View the full EBF information note

La entrada EBF Executive Committee meets on the impact of the UK referendum se publicó primero en Asociación Española de Banca.

“A significant amount of contingency planning has already been undertaken by the European banking industry. Banks will now assess what the result means in the long term. Our industry will now be working towards an orderly transition to minimise impact on the market in the UK and the EU, as well on the wider European economy.

As representatives of the European banking sector we can assure customers and businesses that their banking services will continue as normal. Our sector remains committed to cross‐ border cooperation in Europe.”

View the full EBF information note

La entrada Statement on outcome of UK referendum on EU membership se publicó primero en Asociación Española de Banca.