In Brussels, as part of the hearings for candidates for the new European Commission, MEPs questioned Maria Luís Albuquerque, who is set to take on the portfolio of Commissioner for Financial Services and the Savings and Investment Union. PiS MEP Marlena Maląg took the floor during the exchange of views.
Marlena Maląg, Vice Chair of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON), asked how the Commission intends to address the regulatory framework to ensure that banking systems in European Union countries outside the eurozone have access to operating conditions similar to those applied in the European banking market—such as those within the eurozone—in order to maintain a level playing field. “Adopting the single currency is a complex issue that cannot be reduced to a matter of banking systems, so there is no reason for banks in countries outside the eurozone to be discriminated against,” — noted the PiS MEP, emphasizing that this issue has not yet been “sufficiently agreed upon.”
Maria Luis Albuquerque pointed out that while the banking union includes banks from the eurozone, the existing framework and legislative process apply to all 27 member states. She said that while the rules for banks in the eurozone are slightly different, the entire body of legislation—all directives and regulations—is applied equally across all 27 member states. “They may have different supervisory models, but the same conditions should be ensured for everyone,” she emphasized. The Commissioner-designate assured that she would make every effort to ensure that there is no discrimination against banks, entities, or citizens, regardless of where they are located.
