The Austrian Financial Market Authority (FMA) welcomes the 21 recommendations for increasing efficiency in banking regulation proposed by the European Banking Authority (EBA). The proposed measures contribute towards reducing complexity and freeing up resources that are required for new challenges such as digital resilience, new business models, prevention of money laundering and consumer protection.
EBA’s proposed measures strengthen the internal market and the Banking Union and are based on the standards that have been established since the financial crisis. They support financial market stability by creating more efficient structures and clear rules. At the same time, they also make risk-based simplifications possible for small and non-complex institutions.
“Since the Financial Crisis, regulation and supervision have been comprehensively strengthened, and in so doing have created solid foundations for the stability of the financial market,” explained FMA Executive Director Helmut Ettl, who is also the Vice-Chairperson of the EBA. “The time has now come to refine the rule book, to reduce complexity and remove inefficiency.”
The key priorities of EBA’s recommendations:
- Reduction of Implementing Technical Standards and Guidelines (Level 2/3), that supplement legal regulations in the EU.
- Simplification and coordination of reporting requirements, which according to could result in up to a 25% cost-saving.
- A exhaustive analysis of the rule book with the objective to holistically simplify the numerous capital buffers, rules on liquidity, distributions and other areas.
- This especially applies for the more systematic application of simplified rules for small and non-complex institutions – which is particularly relevant for Austria.
“The FMA has always supported proportionality, as it reflects the developed structure of the Austrian financial market”, remarked FMA Executive Director Mariana Kühnel. “In this regard we will examine the possibilities for simplification of reporting requirements and capital and buffer requirements.”
The European Banking Authority (EBA)’s detailed recommendations (as well as EBA’s full 2026 Work Programme can be found on the EBA website via the following link: EBA Press Release
Journalists may address further enquiries to
Boris Gröndahl (FMA Media Spokesperson)
Telephone: +43/(1)249/59-6010
Mobile: +43 676 8824 9995
E-Mail: [email protected]