Banking in the European Union

Latest business news and information covering the EU's banking sector.

Banco Popular plans EUR 2.5bn capital boost — 01 October 2012, 13:10 CET

Spain's fifth-biggest bank Banco Popular will raise up to 2.5 billion euros by issuing new stocks to boost its capital base rather than accepting bailout aid, it announced Monday.

EU welcomes lower-than-expected Spain bank bailout bill — 28 September 2012, 23:18 CET

The EU has welcomed an independent report on Spain's troubled banks showing they needed a less-than-expected EUR 59.3bn in fresh capital, clearing the way for their restructuring.

European banks needed extra EUR 199 bn last year: EBA — 27 September 2012, 19:15 CET

Top European banks would have needed another 199 billion euros in capital, had they been required to meet the Basel III credit regulations in late 2011, the EBA oversight body said on Thursday.

EU urges eurozone hardliners to settle ESM scope — 26 September 2012, 21:16 CET

The EU urged eurozone leaders Wednesday to forge ahead with reforms already agreed to resolve the debt crisis after three hardline member states raised the stakes with a tougher approach.

EU extends Dexia guarantee clearance to Jan 2013 — 26 September 2012, 15:44 CET

The European Commission has extended by four months its clearance for France, Belgium and Luxembourg to provide state guarantees worth 55 billion euros for failed Dexia bank.

EU's Almunia wants France, Belgium to 'speed up' Dexia deal — 25 September 2012, 13:49 CET

EU Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia has called on France and Belgium to "speed up" negotiations over public guarantees behind a restructured Dexia bank.

Merkel warns against hasty action as euro worries return — 25 September 2012, 13:49 CET

Chancellor Angela Merkel warned on Tuesday the eurozone should not rush headlong into a banking union, amid signs Germany is being sucked into the abyss and fresh worries over Greece and Spain.

Croatia ready to solve banking row with Slovenia: FM — 22 September 2012, 20:42 CET

Croatian Foreign Minister Vesna Pusic said on Saturday her country was ready to solve a bank savings row with Slovenia that threatens to stall Zagreb's accession to the European Union.

Hollande insists 'earlier the better' on banking union — 22 September 2012, 20:41 CET

French President Francois Hollande insisted Saturday that speed was key in setting up a system of European banking surveillance, despite objections from Germany.

France and Germany out of step on eurozone crisis — 21 September 2012, 21:21 CET

Differences between France and Germany on solving the eurozone crisis are increasingly evident, with Paris pushing with more urgency than Berlin for banking reform and a Spanish bailout.

Slovenia to block Croatia's EU accession over banking row — 20 September 2012, 22:57 CET

Slovenia will not ratify Croatia's EU accession planned for 2013 unless a deal is reached over a bank savings row between the two former Yugoslav states, a Slovenian official said Thursday.

Banking supervision can work only for all banks: ECB's Noyer — 20 September 2012, 11:06 CET

Setting up a single European banking supervisory body can only work if it covers all banks, not just the region's biggest, a top European Central Bank official said Thursday.

Juncker warns against rushing into banking union — 18 September 2012, 22:52 CET

The head of eurozone finance ministers, Jean-Claude Juncker, said Tuesday that the European Union must not rush into setting up Europe-wide banking supervision.

ECB bank supervision plans 'unacceptable': Sweden — 15 September 2012, 20:16 CET

Swedish Finance Minister Anders Borg on Saturday dismissed as "completely unacceptable" European Union moves to place banks across the bloc under the supervision of the European Central Bank.

EU clears aid for Cyprus bank — 13 September 2012, 15:49 CET

The European Commission has cleared, on a temporary basis, a bailout worth 1.8 billion euros for Cyprus Popular Bank, the second largest in the country.

Merkel: ECB can't supervise all European banks — 12 September 2012, 16:52 CET

The European Central Bank cannot be expected to oversee all banks in Europe, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Wednesday, after the European Commission unveiled its plans for a banking union.

Barroso calls for full EU bank supervision — 12 September 2012, 17:23 CET

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso calls for a full EU banking and budget union, key steps in anchoring the bloc's future as it fights the eurozone debt crisis.

French minister wants broad EU banking supervisor — 10 September 2012, 18:47 CET

French Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici said Monday that a European banking sector supervisor should oversee all eurozone banks by January, a position at odds with that of Germany.

EU gives temporary approval for Spanish Bankia aid — 10 September 2012, 14:44 CET

The European Commission gave temporary approval on Monday to a 4.5-billion-euro capital increase for Spain's BFA bank group, aimed at troubled Bankia.

EU bank supervision body by early 2013: Barnier — 08 September 2012, 21:36 CET

A new banking supervision scheme for the European Union is necessary and feasible by the beginning of 2013, EU financial services commissioner Michel Barnier said Saturday.

ECB sets out conditions for new bank supervisory role — 04 September 2012, 17:06 CET

The European Central Bank is willing to take on a supervisory role for the European banking system only if certain conditions are met, a top ECB official said on Tuesday.

German savings banks in favour of EU debt redemption fund — 04 September 2012, 15:52 CET

Germany's cooperative savings banks, a key pillar in the banking sector of Europe's top economy, called Tuesday for a debt redemption or "sinking" fund to pay down excess debt in the euro area.

Commission bids to reassure Schaeuble on bank supervision — 03 September 2012, 23:09 CET

The European Commission sought Monday to reassure German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble that the European Central Bank's role in a new bank supervisory system would not be too onerous.

Spain approves creation of 'bad bank' — 01 September 2012, 00:19 CET

Spain's cabinet approved a major financial reform package on Friday including the creation of a "bad bank" to buy troubled property assets and bad loans from lenders.

Single supervisor for all eurozone banks in 2014 — 31 August 2012, 13:11 CET

Commissioner Michel Barnier said Friday that eurozone banks would gradually come under the remit of a new common supervisor with a complete shift over for all 6,000 lenders in January 2014.