Supervisory practices
The ECB directly supervises the biggest banks in Europe, working closely with the national supervisory authorities under the Single Supervisory Mechanism (SSM).
The main aims are to
- ensure the safety and soundness of the European banking system
- increase financial integration and stability
- ensure consistent supervision
Each year a number of high-level priorities are identified to guide ECB Banking Supervision. The aim is to ensure that directly supervised banks address key risks effectively.
Ongoing supervision of the significant banks is carried out by Joint Supervisory Teams (JSTs). These teams are formed of staff of the ECB and the relevant national supervisors. Find out more about their tasks and composition.
Use the ECB’s online form to report a suspected breach of EU banking supervision law. This guarantees that the report is submitted directly and without delay to those responsible for assessing the possible breach.