13 October 2008

Commission guidance on state aid measures for banks in crisis

The guidance indicates how the Commission intends to apply EC Treaty state aid rules to state support schemes and individual assistance for financial institutions in the current crisis. The Commission will aim to approve schemes within 24 hours.

The Commission issued a Communication on how Member States can best support financial institutions in the current financial crisis whilst respecting EU state aid rules and so avoiding excessive distortions of competition.

 

The guidance indicates how the Commission intends to apply EC Treaty state aid rules to state support schemes and individual assistance for financial institutions in the current crisis.

 

The specific conditions include:

 

• Non-discriminatory access in order to protect the functioning of the Single Market by making sure that eligibility for a support scheme is not based on nationality
• State commitments to be limited in time in such a way that it is ensured that support can be provided as long as it is necessary to cope with the current turmoil in financial markets but will be reviewed and adjusted or terminated as soon as improved market conditions so permit
• State support to be clearly defined and limited in scope to what is necessary to address the acute crisis in financial markets while excluding unjustified benefits for shareholders of financial institutions at the taxpayer's expense
• An appropriate contribution of the private sector by way of an adequate remuneration for the introduction of general support schemes (such as a guarantee scheme) and the coverage by the private sector of at least a significant part of the cost of assistance granted
• Sufficient behavioural rules for beneficiaries that prevent an abuse of state support, like for example expansion and aggressive market strategies on the back of a state guarantee
• An appropriate follow-up by structural adjustment measures for the financial sector as a whole and/or by restructuring individual financial institutions that had to rely on state intervention.

 

The Commission will aim to approve schemes that comply with this guidance as very quickly, within 24 hours, if possible.

 

Press release

Commission Communication

 

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