Directive 2014/49/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014 on deposit guarantee schemes (recast) (Text with EEA relevance)

• Published date: 02 July 2014
• Official Gazette Publication: Gazzetta ufficiale dell’Unione europea, L 173, 12 giugno 2014,Journal officiel de l’Union européenne, L 173, 12 juin 2014,Diario Oficial de la Unión Europea, L 173, 12 de junio de 2014

2014L0049 — EN — 02.07.2014 — 000.002

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This document is meant purely as a documentation tool and the institutions do not assume any liability for its contents

►B DIRECTIVE 2014/49/EU OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 16 April 2014 on deposit guarantee schemes (recast) (Text with EEA relevance) (OJ L 173, 12.6.2014, p.149)

Corrected by:

C1	Corrigendum, OJ L 212, 18.7.2014, p. 47 (2014/49/EU)
►C2	Corrigendum, OJ L 309, 30.10.2014, p. 37 (2014/49/EU)

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▼B

DIRECTIVE 2014/49/EU OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

of 16 April 2014

on deposit guarantee schemes

(recast)

(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 53(1) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

After transmission of the draft legislative act to the national parliaments,

Having regard to the opinion of the European Central Bank ( 1 ),

Acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure ( 2 ),

Whereas:

(1) Directive 94/19/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council ( 3 ) has been substantially amended ( 4 ). Since further amendments are to be made, that Directive should be recast in the interests of clarity.

(2) In order to make it easier to take up and pursue the business of credit institutions, it is necessary to eliminate certain differences between the laws of the Member States as regards the rules on deposit guarantee schemes (DGSs) to which those credit institutions are subject.

(3) This Directive constitutes an essential instrument for the achievement of the internal market from the point of view of both the freedom of establishment and the freedom to provide financial services in the field of credit institutions, while increasing the stability of the banking system and the protection of depositors. In view of the costs of the failure of a credit institution to the economy as a whole and its adverse impact on financial stability and the confidence of depositors, it is desirable not only to make provision for reimbursing depositors but also to allow Member States sufficient flexibility to enable DGSs to carry out measures to reduce the likelihood of future claims against DGSs. Those measures should always comply with the State aid rules.

(4) In order to take account of the growing integration in the internal market, it should be possible to merge the DGSs of different Member States or to create separate cross-border schemes on a voluntary basis. Member States should ensure sufficient stability and a balanced composition of the new and the existing DGSs. Adverse effects on financial stability should be avoided, for example where only credit institutions with a high-risk profile are transferred to a cross-border DGS.

(5) Directive 94/19/EC requires the Commission, if appropriate, to put forward proposals to amend that Directive. This Directive encompasses the harmonisation of the funding mechanisms of DGSs, the introduction of risk-based contributions and the harmonisation of the scope of products and depositors covered.

(6) Directive 94/19/EC is based on the principle of minimum harmonisation. Consequently, a variety of DGSs with very distinct features currently exist in the Union. As a result of the common requirements laid down in this Directive, a uniform level of protection should be provided for depositors throughout the Union while ensuring the same level of stability of DGSs. At the same time, those common requirements are of the utmost importance in order to eliminate market distortions. This Directive therefore contributes to the completion of the internal market.

(7) As a result of this Directive, depositors will benefit from significantly improved access to DGSs, thanks to a broadened and clarified scope of coverage, faster repayment periods, improved information and robust funding requirements. This will improve consumer confidence in financial stability throughout the internal market.

(8) Member States should ensure that their DGSs have sound governance practices in place and that they produce an annual report on their activities.

(9) In the event of closure of an insolvent credit institution, the depositors at any branches situated in a Member State other than that in which the credit institution has its head office should be protected by the same DGS as the credit institution’s other depositors.

(10) This Directive should not prevent Member States from including within its scope credit institutions as defined in point (1) of Article 4(1) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council ( 5 ) which fall outside the scope of Directive 2013/36/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council ( 6 ) pursuant to Article 2(5) of that Directive. Member States should be able to decide that, for the purpose of this Directive, the central body and all credit institutions affiliated to that central body are treated as a single credit institution.

(11) In principle, this Directive requires every credit institution to join a DGS. A Member State admitting branches of a credit institution having its head office in a third country should decide how to apply this Directive to such branches and should take account of the need to protect depositors and maintain the integrity of the financial system. Depositors at such branches should be fully aware of the guarantee arrangements which affect them.

(12) It should be recognised that there are institutional protection schemes (IPS) which protect the credit institution itself and which, in particular, ensure its liquidity and solvency. Where such a scheme is separate from a DGS, its additional safeguard role should be taken into account when determining the contributions of its members to the DGS. The harmonised level of coverage provided for in this Directive should not affect schemes protecting the credit institution itself unless they repay depositors.

(13) Each credit institution should be part of a DGS recognised under this Directive, thereby ensuring a high level of consumer protection and a level playing field between credit institutions, and preventing regulatory arbitrage. A DGS should be able to provide that protection at any time.

(14) The key task of a DGS is to protect depositors against the consequences of the insolvency of a credit institution. DGSs should be able to provide that protection in various ways. DGSs should primarily be used to repay depositors pursuant to this Directive (the ‘paybox’ function).

(15) DGSs should also assist in the financing of the resolution of credit institutions in accordance with Directive 2014/59/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council ( 7 ).

(16) It should also be possible, where permitted under national law, for a DGS to go beyond a pure reimbursement function and to use the available financial means in order to prevent the failure of a credit institution with a view to avoiding the costs of reimbursing depositors and other adverse impacts. Those measures should, however, be carried out within a clearly defined framework and should in any event comply with State aid rules. DGSs should, inter alia, have appropriate systems and procedures in place for selecting and implementing such measures and monitoring affiliated risks. Implementing such measures should be subject to the imposition of conditions on the credit institution involving at least more stringent risk-monitoring and greater verification rights for the DGSs. The costs of the measures taken to prevent the failure of a credit institution should not exceed the costs of fulfilling the statutory or contractual mandates of the respective DGS with regard to protecting covered deposits at the credit institution or the institution itself.

(17) DGSs should also be able to take the form of an IPS. The competent authorities should be able to recognise IPS as DGSs if they fulfil all criteria laid down in this Directive.

(18) This Directive should not apply to contractual schemes or IPS that are not officially recognised as DGSs, except as regards the limited requirements on advertising and information of depositors in the case of the exclusion or withdrawal of a credit institution. In any event, contractual schemes and IPS are subject to State aid rules.

(19) In the recent financial crisis, uncoordinated increases in coverage across the Union have in some cases led to depositors transferring money to credit institutions in countries where deposit guarantees were higher. Such uncoordinated increases have drained liquidity from credit institutions in times of stress. In times of stability it is possible that different coverage leads to depositors choosing the highest deposit protection rather than the deposit product best suited to them. It is possible that such different coverage results in competitive distortions in the internal market. It is therefore necessary to ensure a harmonised level of deposit protection by all recognised DGSs, regardless of where the deposits are located in the Union. However, for a limited time, it should be possible to cover certain deposits relating to the personal situation of depositors at a higher level.

(20) The same coverage level should apply to all depositors regardless of whether a Member State’s currency is the euro. Member States whose currency is not the euro should have the possibility to round off the amounts resulting from the conversion without compromising the equivalent protection of depositors.

(2

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