State aid to banks in crisis

6.1.2020

Priority question for written answer P-000021/2020
to the Commission
Rule 138
Eero Heinäluoma (S&D)

In 2013, in the midst of the financial crisis, the Commission adopted its Banking Communication setting out its approach to State aid control in the banking sector in the specific context of the financial crisis.

Avoiding taxpayer bailouts of failing banks was the underlying idea behind the recovery of the banking sector and resolution reforms. Various stakeholders have pointed out that the way the 2013 Communication was interpreted and implemented by the Member States is at odds with this idea.

The following questions therefore arise:

Can the Commission state the exact number of cases in which State aid has been granted to banks in difficulty based on this Communication, as well as the total amount of State aid granted up until today?

Is the Commission of the opinion that the requirements for the application of Article 107(3) b of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union to State aid in the financial sector as stated in paragraph 6 of the Communication are still being fulfilled?

If the Commission deems that these requirements are still being fulfilled and given the current economic context, will it review the Banking Communication and align it with the underlying principle that taxpayers should not pick up the bill for failing banks?