MREL : Approach taken in 2016 and next steps

Context

The Single Resolution Board (SRB) is the resolution authority for participating Member States within the Banking Union (BU). It began operating as an independent European Union (EU) agency on 1 January 2015. The SRB assumed its full legal powers for resolution planning and resolution decisions on 1 January 2016. Its primary scope covers significant and cross-border banking groups established in the BU.

The Bank Recovery and Resolution Directive (BRRD), which has been transposed in all participating Member States, requires banks to meet a minimum requirement for own funds and eligible liabilities (MREL) so as to be able to absorb losses and restore their capital position, allowing banks to continuously perform their critical economic functions during and after a crisis.

To achieve this outcome, the SRB, together with the BU national resolution authorities (NRAs), has started to develop its MREL approach in 2016. Its preliminary approach consisted of informative targets that sought to enable banks to prepare for their future MREL requirements.