(Approval)

The European Parliament,

–  having regard to the proposal of the European Central Bank of 22 January 2014 for the appointment of the Vice-Chair of the Supervisory Board of the European Central Bank (N7-0003/2014),

–  having regard to Article 26(3) of Council Regulation (EU) No 1024/2013 of 15 October 2013 conferring specific tasks on the European Central Bank concerning policies relating to the prudential supervision of credit institutions(1),

–  having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement between the European Parliament and the European Central Bank on the practical modalities of the exercise of democratic accountability and oversight over the exercise of the tasks conferred on the ECB within the framework of the Single Supervisory Mechanism(2),

–  having regard to its Rules of Procedure,

–  having regard to the report of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (A7-0086/2014),

A.  whereas Article 26(3) of Regulation (EU) No 1024/2013 provides that the European Central Bank (ECB) is to submit to Parliament its proposal for the appointment of the Vice-Chair of its Supervisory Board and that the Vice-Chair is to be chosen from among the members of the Executive Board of the ECB;

B.  whereas Article 26(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1024/2013 provides that appointments to the Supervisory Board in accordance with that Regulation are to respect the principles of gender balance, experience and qualification;

C.  whereas, on 21 January 2014, the European Council appointed Sabine Lautenschläger as member of the Executive Board of the ECB in accordance with Article 283(2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union;

D.  whereas, by letter of 22 January 2014, the ECB submitted to Parliament a proposal for the appointment of Sabine Lautenschläger as the Vice-Chair of the Supervisory Board of the ECB for a term of office of five years;

E.  whereas Parliament’s Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs then proceeded to evaluate the credentials of the proposed candidate, in particular in view of the requirements laid down in Article 26(2) and (3) of Regulation (EU) No 1024/2013; whereas in carrying out that evaluation, the Committee received a curriculum vitae from the proposed candidate as well as her replies to a written questionnaire;

F.  whereas the Committee held a hearing with the proposed candidate on 3 February 2014, at which she made an opening statement and then responded to questions from the members of the Committee;

1.  Approves the ECB's proposal for the appointment of Sabine Lautenschläger as Vice-Chair of the Supervisory Board of the ECB;

2.  Instructs its President to forward this decision to the European Central Bank, the Council and the governments of the Member States.

(1) OJ L 287, 29.10.2013, p. 63. (2) OJ L 320, 30.11.2013, p. 1.