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28 February 2012

President Barroso responds to last week’s letter from 12 EU Leaders on EU growth


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Barroso stressed in the letter that the EU needs a stable and secure financial system but above all one that supports the real economy. The comprehensive overhaul of financial regulation and supervision that the EC has undertaken is designed to deliver on these objectives.


The letter was addressed to Prime Minister David Cameron, Prime Minister Mark Rutte, Prime Minister Mario Monti, Prime Minister Andrus Ansip, Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis, Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen, Taoiseach Enda Kenny, Prime Minister Petr Nečas, Prime Minister Iveta Radičová, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt and Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

The letter presents the following key initiatives on financial sector legislation

a) Bank resolution

The Commission is following a two-pronged approach: by reducing the probability of banking failure through stronger supervision, better corporate governance and tighter regulatory standards, and by appropriate tools and resources available for orderly and timely resolution. The Commission will be making a proposal for a new system of bank resolution.

b) EU legislation compatible with Basel III standards

Whereas Basel III applies to 'internationally-active banks', in the EU it has always applied to all banks (more than 8,300) as well as investment firms. The Commission has taken these particular circumstances into account when transposing Basel III into EU law. Nevertheless, the proposal delivers a faithful implementation of Basel III standards in EU law.

c) Regulatory capital

To qualify for inclusion in the highest quality category of regulatory capital, a capital instrument must be of extremely high quality and must absorb losses fully as they arise. The criteria agreed in Basel III are extremely strict and are transposed exactly in the Commission's proposal. This is not a matter of the origin of capital.

d) Implementation of the G20 principles on banking sector remuneration in line with existing EU legislation

Rules have already been introduced, on the basis of Commission proposals, for banks and alternative investment fund managers. Forthcoming Commission proposals will extend these rules to other parts of the financial sector.

Full letter



© European Commission


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