- Question ID
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2015_2083
- Legal act
- Directive 2014/59/EU (BRRD)
- Topic
- Recovery plans
- Article
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7
- Paragraph
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1
- COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs/Recommendations
- Not applicable
- Article/Paragraph
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n.a.
- Type of submitter
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Competent authority
- Subject matter
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Interpretation of “group headed by the Union parent undertaking” in Article 7 (1)
- Question
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Should “group headed by the Union parent undertaking” in Article 7 (1) of Directive 2014/59/EU (BRRD) be interpreted as the group subject to consolidated supervision pursuant to Articles 111 and 112 of Directive 2013/36/EU (CRD IV) headed by the Union parent undertaking?
- Background on the question
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Article 7 (1) of Directive 2014/59/EU (BRRD) states that a group recovery plan is to be drawn up for the group headed by the Union parent undertaking as a whole, identifying measures as to the Union parent undertaking as well as each of its subsidiaries. Is “group headed by the Union parent undertaking” to be interpreted as the group subject to consolidated supervision pursuant to Articles 111 and 112 of Directive 2013/36/EU (CRD IV) headed by the Union parent undertaking? Such an interpretation would be consistent with the wording of Article 5 (1) of Directive 2014/59/EU (BRRD), as the individual recovery plan requirement only applies to institutions which are not part of a group subject to consolidated supervision. On the other hand, such an interpretation would exclude from group recovery plans subsidiaries that are not entities covered by consolidated supervision falling within the scope of application of BRRD (e.g. mixed-activities holding companies).
- Submission date
- Final publishing date
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- Final answer
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Since Article 1 (1) (c) of Directive 2014/59/EU (BRRD) includes mixed-activities holding companies within the scope of application of the Directive, excluding mixed-activities holding companies from the group recovery plan would run against the latter article, regardless of the fact that the draft of the group recovery plan is to be drafted by the Union parent undertaking, which is not the mixed activity holding company.
The reading of Article 7 comes out more clearly if read in conjunction with Articles 1 (1) (c) and (33) of Directive 2014/59/EU (BRRD): The wording of "the undertaking as a whole" in Article 7 (1) is meant to be read together with the reference to "the group" in that same article, so that the content of the recovery plan should cover the group as a whole, including the mixed activity holding company. The "headed by the Union parent undertaking" in Article 7 (1) refers to the level of the drafter of the plan, namely the EU parent holding company.
Disclaimer:
This question goes beyond matters of consistent and effective application of the regulatory framework. A Directorate General of the Commission (Directorate General Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union) has prepared the answer, albeit that only the Court of Justice of the European Union can provide definitive interpretations of EU legislation. This is an unofficial opinion of that Directorate General, which the European Banking Authority publishes on its behalf. The answers are not binding on the European Commission as an institution. You should be aware that the European Commission could adopt a position different from the one expressed in such Q&As, for instance in infringement proceedings or after a detailed examination of a specific case or on the basis of any new legal or factual elements that may have been brought to its attention.
- Status
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Final Q&A
- Answer prepared by
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Answer prepared by the European Commission because it is a matter of interpretation of Union law.
- Note to Q&A
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Update 26.03.2021: This Q&A has been reviewed in the light of the changes introduced to Directive 2014/59/EU (BRRD) and continues to be relevant.
Disclaimer
The Q&A refers to the provisions in force on the day of their publication. The EBA does not systematically review published Q&As following the amendment of legislative acts. Users of the Q&A tool should therefore check the date of publication of the Q&A and whether the provisions referred to in the answer remain the same.