The European Commission has identified the Savings and Investment Union (SIU) as one of the major goals of the current legislative term. The revision of securitisation regulation is intended to be the first major step in this direction. However, additional regulatory processes have also been initiated—here is an overview.
Competitiveness of the EU Banking Sector
On 11 February 2026, the European Commission launched a targeted consultation on the competitiveness of the EU banking sector(see TSI kompakt of 11. February 2026). The aim is to gather feedback on how European banks are positioned to finance the European economy, as well as to draw conclusions on how the Single Market, Banking Union, and capital market integration can be further advanced. The EBA and ESRB published their responses on 17 April, while the ECB had already released an opinion on further capital market integration on 9 April. In parallel, the EBA has been consulting on the topic of simplification since 10 April.
It is expected that the perspectives of the supervisory authorities will feed into a report by the European Commission, which is set to outline a forward-looking agenda for the EU banking sector within the framework of the SIU in the third quarter of 2026.
Supervisory Consensus: Key Points from the EBA, ESRB, and ECB Positions
The three supervisory authorities agree on many points. The central themes of their consultation responses are:
- Competitiveness and financial stability must be ensured equally;
- Financial stability remains the primary objective of banking regulation;
- There is a clear intention to further centralise supervision;
- Strong macroprudential regulation should prevent systemic risks;
- Regulatory differences between EU member states should be reduced;
- Completion of the Banking Union and stronger financial market integration are demanded;
- Greater cooperation between European and national supervisory authorities is deemed necessary;
- Regulation should be more proportionate and simpler, particularly for smaller banks;
- The regulatory framework should be adapted to new technologies to avoid risks and competitive distortions.
Outlook: Next steps
The European Commission will evaluate the submitted responses by July 2026. The final report is expected in the third quarter of 2026. In parallel, institutions are working on concrete proposals to deepen the Capital Markets Union – such as expanding the powers of ESMA. The industry should therefore prepare for adjusted supervisory rules.