L_2010331EN.01012001.xml
| 15.12.2010 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | L 331/120 |
DIRECTIVE 2010/78/EU OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL
of 24 November 2010
amending Directives 98/26/EC, 2002/87/EC, 2003/6/EC, 2003/41/EC, 2003/71/EC, 2004/39/EC, 2004/109/EC, 2005/60/EC, 2006/48/EC, 2006/49/EC and 2009/65/EC in respect of the powers of the European Supervisory Authority (European Banking Authority), the European Supervisory Authority (European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority) and the European Supervisory Authority (European Securities and Markets Authority)
(Text with EEA relevance)
THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 50, Article 53(1) and Articles 62 and 114 thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,
Having regard to the opinion of the European Central Bank (1),
Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee (2),
Acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure (3),
Whereas:
| (1) | The financial crisis in 2007 and 2008 exposed important shortcomings in financial supervision, both in particular cases and in relation to the financial system as a whole. Nationally based supervisory models have lagged behind financial globalisation and the integrated and interconnected reality of European financial markets, in which many financial institutions operate across borders. The crisis exposed shortcomings in the areas of cooperation, coordination, consistent application of Union law and trust between national competent authorities. |
| (2) | In several resolutions before and during the financial crisis, the European Parliament has called for a move towards more integrated European supervision, in order to ensure a true level playing field for all actors at Union level and reflect the increasing integration of financial markets in the Union (in its resolutions of 13 April 2000 on the Commission communication on implementing the framework for financial markets: Action Plan, of 21 November 2002 on prudential supervision rules in the European Union, of 11 July 2007 on financial services policy (2005 to 2010) – White Paper, of 23 September 2008 with recommendations to the Commission on hedge funds and private equity, and of 9 October 2008 with recommendations to the Commission on Lamfalussy follow-up: future structure of supervision, and in its positions of 22 April 2009 on the amended proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the taking-up and pursuit of the business of Insurance and Reinsurance (Solvency II) and of 23 April 2009 on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on Credit Rating Agencies). |
| (3) | In November 2008, the Commission mandated a High-Level Group chaired by Jacques de Larosière to make recommendations on how to strengthen European supervisory arrangements with a view to better protecting the citizen and rebuilding trust in the financial system. In its final report presented on 25 February 2009 (the ‘de Larosière Report’), the High-Level Group recommended that the supervisory framework be strengthened to reduce the risk and severity of future financial crises. It recommended far-reaching reforms to the supervisory structure of the financial sector within the Union. The de Larosière Report also recommended that a European System of Financial Supervisors (ESFS) be created, comprising three European Supervisory Authorities (ESA) – one for each of the banking, the securities and the insurance and occupational pensions sectors – and a European Systemic Risk Council. |
| (4) | In its Communication of 4 March 2009 entitled ‘Driving European Recovery’, the Commission proposed to put forward draft legislation creating the ESFS and in its Communication of 27 May 2009 entitled ‘European Financial Supervision’, it provided more details of the possible architecture of that new supervisory framework. |
| (5) | In its conclusions following its meeting on 18 and 19 June 2009, the European Council recommended that a European System of Financial Supervisors, comprising three new ESA, be established. The system should be aimed at upgrading the quality and consistency of national supervision, strengthening oversight of cross-border groups, establishing a European single rule book applicable to all financial institutions in the internal market. It emphasised that the ESA should also have supervisory powers for credit rating agencies and invited the Commission to prepare concrete proposals on how the ESFS could play a strong role in crisis situations. |
| (6) | On 23 September 2009, the Commission adopted proposals for three regulations establishing the ESFS including the creation of the three ESA. |
| (7) | In order for the ESFS to work effectively, changes to legal acts of the Union in the field of operation of the three ESA are necessary. Such changes concern the definition of the scope of certain powers of the ESA, the integration of certain powers established in legal acts of the Union, and amendments to ensure a smooth and effective functioning of the ESA in the context of the ESFS. |
| (8) | The establishment of the three ESA should be accompanied by the development of a single rule book to ensure consistent harmonisation and uniform application and thus contribute to a more effective functioning of the internal market. |
| (9) | The regulations establishing the ESFS provide that, in the areas specifically set out in the relevant legislation, the ESA may develop draft technical standards, to be submitted to the Commission for adoption in accordance with Articles 290 and 291 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) by means of delegated or implementing acts. This Directive should identify a first set of such areas and should be without prejudice to adding further areas in the future. |
| (10) | The relevant legislation should define those areas where the ESA are empowered to develop draft technical standards and how they should be adopted. The relevant legislation should lay down the elements, conditions and specifications as detailed in Article 290 TFEU in the case of delegated acts. |
| (11) | The identification of areas for technical standards should strike an appropriate balance between building a single set of harmonised rules and avoiding unduly complicated regulation and enforcement. The only areas selected should be those in which consistent technical rules will contribute significantly and effectively to the achievement of the objectives of the relevant legislation, while ensuring that policy decisions are taken by the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission in accordance with their usual procedures. |
| (12) | Matters subject to technical standards should be genuinely technical, where their development requires the expertise of supervisory experts. The technical standards adopted as delegated acts should further develop, specify and determine the conditions for consistent harmonisation of the rules included in basic instruments adopted by the European Parliament and the Council, supplementing or amending certain non-essential elements of the legislative act. The technical standards adopted as implementing acts should set conditions for the uniform application of legally binding Union acts. Technical standards should not involve policy choices. |
| (13) | In the case of regulatory technical standards it is appropriate to introduce the procedure provided for in Articles 10 to 14 of Regulation (EU) No 1093/2010 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 November 2010 establishing a European Supervisory Authority (European Banking Authority) (4), of Regulation (EU) No 1094/2010 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 November 2010 establishing a European Supervisory Authority (European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority) (5) and of Regulation (EU) No 1095/2010 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 November 2010 establishing a European Supervisory Authority (European Securities and Markets Authority) (6), respectively. Implementing technical standards should be adopted in accordance with the procedure provided for in Article 15 of Regulation (EU) No 1093/2010, of Regulation (EU) No 1094/2010 and of Regulation (EU) No 1095/2010, respectively. The European Council endorsed the four-level ‘Lamfalussy’ approach to make the regulatory process for Union financial legislation more efficient and transparent. The Commission is empowered to adopt level-2 measures in many areas, and a large number of level-2 Commission regulations and directives are in force. In cases where the regulatory technical standards are designed to further develop, specify or determine the conditions of application of such level-2 measures, they should be adopted only once the relevant level-2 measures have been adopted and should be compatible with that level-2 measure. |
| (14) | Binding technical standards contribute to a single rulebook for financial services legislation as endorsed by the European Council in its conclusions of June 2009. To the extent that certain requirements in Union legislative acts are not fully harmonised, and in accordance with the precautionary principle on supervision, binding technical standards developing, specifying or determining the conditions of application for those requirements should not prevent Member States from requiring additional information or imposing more stringent requirements. Technical standards should therefore allow Member States to do so in specific areas, when those legislative acts provide for such discretion. |
| (15) | As set out in the regulations |
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