Nicolas Véron and Harald Waiglein discuss the origins and challenges of Europe's banking union in this episode. They cover the integration of supervision, resolution, and deposit insurance, the importance of international cooperation, and the unfinished business in the framework. They also explore the regulatory treatment of sovereign exposures, maintaining confidence in the banking sector, and adopting a best practice model.
Banking union in the European Union (EU) was introduced in 2012, with supervision effectively implemented, but resolution and deposit insurance remain unfinished.
Sovereign exposures of banks in the Eurozone, heavily holding domestic sovereign debt, have been a major obstacle to completing the banking union.
Deep dives
The Origins of Banking Union in the European Union
Banking union in the European Union (EU) was not a new idea in 2012 but had been discussed for decades. However, political obstacles, such as member states' attachment to their domestic banking sectors, hindered its implementation. The urgency to avoid a collapse of the Eurozone pushed leaders to overcome these obstacles. In 2012, banking union was introduced, comprising three pillars: supervision, resolution, and deposit insurance. While supervision has been effectively implemented, resolution and deposit insurance remain unfinished.
The Three Pillars of Banking Union and their Evolution
The three pillars of banking union in the EU are supervision, resolution, and deposit insurance. In reality, supervision has been fully integrated, while resolution and deposit insurance have faced challenges. Resolution has seen the establishment of mechanisms like the single resolution mechanism, but it remains a work in progress. Deposit insurance, on the other hand, has been a contentious topic. Separating it from resolution was a political compromise, but there is growing recognition that the two should not be separate. Overall, the progress of banking union has been significant, but there is a need to address the unfinished business.
The Role of National Sovereign Exposures in the Banking Union
Sovereign exposures of banks in the Eurozone have been a major driver of the banking-sovereign loop. These exposures, where banks heavily hold domestic sovereign debt, contributed to the Eurozone's sovereign debt crisis. The issue of regulatory treatment of sovereign exposures (RTSC) remains a topic of debate and an obstacle to completing the banking union. While some argue that RTSC is necessary for addressing risk, others view it as a distraction from more pressing matters, such as establishing a fully functioning resolution framework. Recognizing the importance of addressing sovereign exposures is crucial for progress in the banking union.
Learning from the History of Banking Union
The establishment of banking union in the EU reflects a significant collective learning process from previous discussions and crises. The implementation of the single supervisory mechanism was a realization of long-discussed ideas. However, there are still political obstacles and imbalances in the discussion, emphasizing the need to address issues beyond just deposit insurance. The lessons learned should guide future reform, with a focus on resolving the issue of sovereign exposures and further strengthening supervision and resolution frameworks.
In this episode of The Sound of Economics, Rebecca Christie sits down with Nicolas Véron and Harald Waiglein to look at the status of Europe’s banking union. They discuss how the project started, how it is going and the political climate that has brought us to this stage of the project. They also point out the unfinished business including insurance, the crisis management framework and more.
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