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UNI Europa Regional Secretary Oliver Roethig wrote to Michel Barnier, European Commissioner for Internal Market and Services, to demand representation of non-industry stakeholders in the high-level expert group on the structure of the EU banking sector.





On behalf of UNI Europa, Roethig expressed dissatisfaction to the Commissioner, Michel Barnier, with the composition and the selection process of the high-level expert group. The members appointed essentially represent only the banking industry and no call for interest was published.



In particular, finance employees are not represented, nor their unions. This is a crucial omission because “employees in financial institutions do not only have knowledge on how regulation works and first-hand experience of problems relating to the current structure of the sector. They are also the ones who have a key role in ensuring that regulation will have the intended effect. Finally, we should not ignore that finance employees are those whose working life, if not their private life, is most directly affected by any changes.”



“As the recognised social partner with an explicit mandate by the EU to represent the interests of finance workers in the policy making process, UNI Europa should be one of those voices in the high level expert group.”



UNI Europa requests a meeting at earliest convenience, in particular to address the criteria for appointment to the expert group, lack of response for earlier letters and urging once again the appointment of a UNI Europa representative.



The high-level expert group has a mandate to “consider whether there is a need for structural reforms of the EU banking sector or not and to make any relevant proposals as appropriate, with the objective of establishing a safe, stable and efficient banking system serving the needs of citizens, the EU economy and the internal market.”