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Supervision Newsletter - May 2023

Interview

"What got you here won’t get you there"

Fernando Restoy, member of the expert group that reviewed the ECB’s Supervisory Review and Evaluation Process (SREP), explains the group’s recommendations to streamline processes, redefine the scoring, focus on qualitative measures and modify the approach to calculating P2R.

Interview with Fernando Restoy

ECB Banking Supervision Market Contact Group is looking for new members

The ECB Banking Supervision Market Contact Group (BSMCG) discusses developments in the risk landscape of the European banking sector, as well as the impact of our banking supervision activities. We are currently looking for new members to further enhance the Group’s diversity.

In focus

Forbearance: banks need to gear up

The ECB found in its review of bank forbearance practices that banks should improve their early-stage client analysis and their monitoring of forborne exposures. Banks should also better ensure that they always grant the most appropriate and sustainable forbearance measures.

Article on forbearance

Sound practices for managing FX settlement risk

The ECB has identified sound risk management practices for FX settlement risk, stressing that banks should carefully craft their internal guidelines and ensure that failed trades are managed properly. The more material the risk, the more banks should involve their board.

Article on FX settlement risk

Digital transformation requires strong governance and steering

Some banks have made good progress on digitalisation. Yet bringing all elements of the digital transformation together can be difficult. ECB inspections confirm that clearly defined goals and actions help banks navigate the digital transition more effectively.

Article on digital transformation

ABoR: quick, inexpensive and confidential review of supervisory decisions

Pentti Hakkarainen, Chair of the ECB’s Administrative Board of Review (ABoR), sheds light on the Board’s role. If a bank wants an impartial review of an ECB supervisory decision, it can approach the ABoR and as a result, may be able to avoid a lengthy court procedure.

Article on ABoR

Key data

Profitability up in 2022

Banks’ return on equity increased to 7.68% in 2022 from 6.70% in 2021. It reached the highest reported value since 2015 as net interest income rose to €298 billion from €260.7 billion in 2021. The net interest margin stood at 1.36% in 2022, up from 1.21% one year earlier.

Supervisory banking statistics

Did you know...

… that you can access new data on small banks right at your fingertips? You can now drill into smaller banks’ capital, profitability, liquidity and asset quality just like you’ve been able to do for large banks. With our interactive dashboards, you can easily gain a general overview or explore more closely individual key indicators, such as banks’ net interest income or capital ratios. We have now published the time series since the second quarter of 2020 and will provide quarterly updates going forward. Should you want to analyse and interpret the new statistics on small banks, please consult the methodological note and related definitions first. The statistics are based on data reported by the banks.

Press release: ECB publishes supervisory banking statistics on less significant institutions
Upcoming events
23 May 2023
Andrea Enria at the third Annual European Financial Integration Conference organised by AFME/OMFIF
The Chair of the Supervisory Board will participate in a fireside chat with Adam Farkas, CEO of the Association of Financial Markets in Europe (AFME).
23 May 2023
Kerstin af Jochnick at the 2023 IIF European Summit
ECB representative to the Supervisory Board will participate in an exchange of views with Robert Priester, Institute of International Finance. 
26 May 2023
Andrea Enria at the Trento Festival of Economics
The Chair of the Supervisory Board will discuss European banking supervision in a fireside chat with Mariangela Pira from Sky Italia during the Trento Festival of Economics.
1 June 2023
Andrea Enria at the Annual International Conference on Policy Challenges for the Financial Sector
The Chair of the Supervisory Board will deliver a keynote speech at the event organised by the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and Federal Reserve System in Washington.
7 June 2023
Edouard Fernandez-Bollo at a joint European Commission-ECB conference
ECB representative to the Supervisory Board will participate in a panel at the joint European Commission–ECB Conference on European Financial Integration and Stability in Brussels.
9 June 2023
Andrea Enria at a roundtable organised by Algebris Investments
The Chair of the Supervisory Board will discuss, among other things, changes in the banking sector in the last ten years, the new world of normalised interest rates and climate-related risks.
13 June 2023
Andrea Enria at a conference organised by Goldman Sachs
The Chair of the Supervisory Board will participate in a fireside chat with Chris Hallam, Executive Director at Goldman Sachs, during the bank’s 27th Annual European Financial Services Conference.
20 June 2023
Andrea Enria and Elizabeth McCaul at the ECB Conference on Counterparty Credit Risk
The Chair of the Supervisory Board will deliver the introductory remarks at the ECB conference and the ECB representative to the Supervisory Board will chair the panel “Managing CCR from a practitioner’s perspective”.
Recent highlights
16 May 2023
Speech by Anneli Tuominen at IESE’s 18th Banking Sector Industry Meeting
Basel III should be implemented in a timely manner but generally, our regulatory framework is fit for purpose. The ECB also welcomes the Commission’s proposals for bank crisis management and a deposit insurance framework.
Speech: Skilfully sailing through stormy waters
9 May 2023
Blog post by Frank Elderson and Elizabeth McCaul on diversity in bank boards
Diverse boards can help to improve decision-making. The ECB will work with banks to help them set and achieve ambitious diversity targets.
The Supervision Blog: Diversity at the top makes banks better
2 and 3 May 2023
ECB’s annual Banking Supervision Research Conference
Bridging supervision and academia, the conference discussed technological innovation and cyber-attacks, capital issues, climate risks and sustainability as well as lending and provisioning.
Banking Supervision in a New Economy: Digitalisation, Climate and Financial Innovation
17 April 2023
Speech by Elizabeth McCaul at joint ECB/EUI Seminar
The failure of Silicon Valley Bank underscored that effective bank governance thrives on proper board oversight, board expertise and strategic decisions that recognise and mitigate risks.
Speech: Rising to the challenge: the role of boards in effective bank governance
4 April 2023
Interview with Anneli Tuominen in Helsingin Sanoma
The European banking sector is in good shape. With an eye on the future, the ECB is designing a cyber stress test for early 2024, to check whether banks can limit negative impacts from cyberattacks.
Interview with Helsingin Sanoma
31 March 2023
Completion of the asset quality review of Crelan, Citadele banka, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley
Following their assessment as significant, the four banks underwent an asset quality review. The results show that none of the banks faces any capital shortfalls.
Press release: ECB concludes asset quality reviews of Crelan, Citadele banka, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley
28 March 2023
Speech by Andrea Enria at the 22nd Handelsblatt Annual Conference on Banking Supervision
The ECB focuses on effective supervision and introduced a new, supervisory risk tolerance framework, which is designed to enable supervisors to better adjust to bank-specific needs.
Speech: A new stage for European banking supervision
27 March 2023
Speech by Frank Elderson to the Foreign Bankers’ Association
Despite improvements, banks’ overall risk management capabilities are still insufficient. The ECB will use all its powers to ensure banks comply with supervisory expectations.
Speech: Urgent and vitally important: 2023 as a key milestone in stepping up the management of climate and environmental risks
21 March 2023
Andrea Enria's exchange of views with European Parliament on Silicon Valley Bank's failure
There is no direct read-across of the US events to significant banks in the EU. The ECB levelled up its assessments of interest rate and credit spread risks already in 2021, following rising exposure of banks.
Opening remarks on the failure of Silicon Valley Bank and its implications for financial stability in Europe
10 March 2023
Speech by Elizabeth McCaul at CONSOB conference
Digital transformation requires a holistic approach, not only covering products and processes but also spanning banks’ entire business models and corporate culture, risk management frameworks and governance.
Speech: Supervising the future of banking: navigating the digital transformation
28 February 2023
Blog post by Edouard Fernandez-Bollo on anti-money laundering
The new EU Anti-Money Laundering Authority needs sufficient capacities, broad access to data and adequate cooperation channels with other supervisors.
The Supervision Blog: Preventing money laundering through European banks
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