meta_id 3398596

On August 2026, the European Central Bank (ECB) published an updated digital compilation of the legal framework governing banking supervision across the European Union. This publication, titled "Legal Framework for Banking Supervision Volume I," consolidates the foundational regulatory instruments that establish the Single Supervisory Mechanism (SSM) and define the ECB's supervisory responsibilities. The compilation comprises three primary legal instruments. Council Regulation (EU) No 1024/2013, adopted on October 15, 2013, confers specific supervisory tasks on the ECB concerning prudential supervision of credit institutions. Regulation (EU) No 468/2014, adopted on April 16, 2014, establishes the framework for cooperation between the ECB and national competent authorities (NCAs) within the SSM. The Statute of the European System of Central Banks and of the European Central Bank, contained in Protocol No 4, provides institutional provisions applicable when the ECB acts in its supervisory capacity. The ECB noted that this updated compilation serves as a reference tool for supervisors, legal practitioners, and members of the public seeking to understand the regulatory architecture governing banking supervision. The publication reflects the SSM's structure, which integrates ECB oversight with national supervisory authorities to ensure consistent application of prudential standards across participating Member States. The framework addresses key supervisory functions including credit institution authorisation, withdrawal of authorisations, assessment of qualifying holdings acquisitions, compliance with capital and governance requirements, and macroprudential tasks. The ECB emphasised that the digital compilation does not provide a comprehensive collection of all Union law applicable to supervisory tasks, but rather focuses on the core regulatory instruments establishing the SSM's legal foundation. The previous edition was published in April 2021. This updated version reflects any amendments or developments in banking supervision law since that time and remains available on the ECB's website.