Enforcement measures
Enforcement measures aim at compelling supervised banks to comply with the prudential requirements laid down in supervisory decisions or regulations. Unlike sanctions, enforcement measures aren’t intended to punish misconduct , and they only apply in the case of ongoing breaches.
What enforcement measures can the ECB take?
Periodic penalty payments
Periodic penalty payments (PPPs) are a key enforcement measure directly available to the ECB. In banking supervision, PPPs are amounts of money that a supervised bank must pay if it continues to breach its obligations under prudential regulations or ECB supervisory decisions.
The goal is to ensure timely compliance. The bank concerned must pay a daily amount – which can be as much as 5% of its average daily turnover – for every day the infringement continues, up to a maximum period of six months (after which further actions can be taken).
In accordance with Article 132 of the SSM Framework Regulation, the ECB publishes the total amounts accrued from PPPs imposed within the scope of its supervisory tasks, the type and nature of the breach and the supervised bank concerned.
Periodic penalty payments imposed by the ECB
| Date of ECB decision | Supervised entity | Total amount (in EUR) | Further information | Decision status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
29/10/2025 |
ABANCA Corporación Bancaria S.A. |
187,650 |
Publication Press release |
Appealable before the Court of Justice of the European Union |
Other enforcement measures
The ECB can also use enforcement measures available under the national implementing legislation in the Member States participating in European banking supervision.
Administrative review
ECB decisions that impose enforcement measures may be reviewed by the Administrative Board of Review at the request of the bank concerned.