The German Savings Banks Association ( DSVG ): More than 100,000 accounts already opened for Ukrainian war refugees
Russia’s military incursion into Ukraine has caused the largest humanitarian crisis in Europe since the Second World War with millions fleeing their country. At the same time, it has triggered various actions and reactions from the European Commission and EU regulators that heavily affect banks.
ESBG members have raised to the challenges that the crisis in Ukraine has created. On one hand, they are sharing knowledge and best practices in a coordinated way to tackle the challenges as they raise. On the other, European savings and retail banks have reaffirmed their commitment to social responsibility with direct actions and initiatives to support people in need.
DSVG (Germany): As of 27 April 2022, the German Savings Banks Association had provided Ukrainian refugees with more than 136.000 bank accounts. Refugees can easily apply online for a GiroExpress account with their ID thanks to a simplified procedure. Moreover, DSGV is providing all relevant information on bank accounts in Ukrainian and is working on extending the service to online banking, its platform for job seekers, etc. DSVG is also supporting the initiative #UnterkunftUkraine (Accommodation Ukraine) which connects volunteers with refugees looking for temporary accommodation. By the end of April, the initiative offered temporary accommodation to 24,000 people in 150 German cities, offering almost 370,000 beds, which makes #UnterkunftUkraine currently the platform with the most bed offers.
related
IASB Exposure Draft (ED) on Financial Instruments with Characteristics of Equity
On 29 November 2023, the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) proposed amendments in an Exposure Draft to tackle challenges in financial reporting for instruments with both
ESBG’s response to the EFRAG Comment Letter on Financial Instruments with Characteristics of Equity
On 29 November 2023, the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) proposed amendments in an Exposure Draft to tackle
ESBG advocates for increased clarity and streamlining of supervisory reporting requirements
On 14 March, ESBG submitted its response to the European Banking Authority (EBA) consultation on ITS amending Commission Implementation Regulation (EU) 2021/451 regarding supervisory reporting
WSBI-ESBG advocates for robust implementation of the BCBS Pillar 3 framework for climate-related financial risks
On 14 March, WSBI-ESBG submitted its response to the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS) consultation on its Pillar 3 disclosure framework for climate-related financial risks
ESBG stresses the need for consistency and clarity in its Response to the SFDR Review Consultation
ESBG submitted its response to the European Commission’s consultation on the SFDR review, aiming to enhance transparency in sustainability-related disclosures within the financial services sector
ESBG response to the EBA’s consultation on Guidelines on preventing the abuse of funds and certain crypto-assets transfers for ML/TF
The guidelines on the “travel rule” delineate the actions that Payment Service Providers (PSPs), Intermediary PSPs
ESBG responds to the SRB consultation on the future MREL policy
The European Savings and Retail Banking Group (ESBG) submitted its response to the consultation launched by the Single Resolution Board (SRB) in December 2023 on the future of the Minimum Requirement for own funds
ESBG’s response to the Commission’s consultation on the GDPR
The primary EU legislation ensuring the fundamental right to data protection is the General Data Protection Regulation
Joint statement calling for clear distinction between AI and credit scoring in AI Act
On 11 January 2024, a joint industry statement was issued by ESBG, together with the Association of Consumer Credit Information Suppliers (ACCIS)
ESBG advocates for harmonized reporting as part of the Common Data Dictionary
On 29 November, ESBG responded to the European Commission’s invitation for feedback on the Common Data Dictionary (CDD), a significant