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ECB 'ready and waiting' to oversee banks

Published: 17 Jul 12 07:44 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/money/20120717-43793.html

The European Central Bank (ECB) could take on the key role of supervising the eurozone's strained banking system very quickly if necessary, a German financial daily reported on Tuesday.

"The institution is credible, it could do it and quickly," French central bank head Christian Noyer told Tuesday's edition of Germany's Handelsblatt business daily.

"All we need is a plan for overall supervision of the eurozone banks. It that was ready today, then you could put it into effect tomorrow," he said.

The new regulator would provide direct help for the banks, rather than to governments, so avoiding the problem of adding to their already large debt which has added to the pressures against member states on the financial markets.

The details of the system – expected to be operational by the end of this year – remain to be agreed but most EU states favour the ECB as taking on the new role, rather than set up a new body altogether.

At a June summit hailed as a breakthrough by EU leaders, the bloc agreed to set up a new centralised European banking regulator which would oversee bank restructuring and recapitalisation.

Noyer also told the Handelsblatt that all of Europe's banks, not just the most important, should be included, given the experience of the eurozone debt crisis.

"We do find ourselves in this position not because of the biggest, systemically important banks but because of the small- and medium-sized banks on their domestic market," he told the newspaper.

Later this week, eurozone ministers are expected to sign a deal to provide up to €100 billion direct to Spain's struggling banks in return for sector reforms and oversight.

AFP/jcw

What do you think? Leave your comment below.


Your comments about this article:

12:07 July 17, 2012 by smart2012
Omg, what is going on? Now merkel is ok with bank supervision?? Do not tell next step will be Eurobond???? ;)

One year too late and due to a deep crisis and due to wanting the chair, merkel changes strategy...

Ps: RWE cutting 5000 jobs...
19:40 July 17, 2012 by cheeba
Yummy yummy, more euro government, mmmm. I'm all excited. We need to have a european superstate because we are all too small to make it on our own. We can all see how badly south Korea is doing all alone with its own sad currency. Those poor people.
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