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MEMO/10/356
Brussels, 23 July 2010

Joint press release - Publication of the results of the
EU-wide stress-testing exercise
The Committee of European Banking Supervisors (CEBS), the European Central
Bank (ECB) and the European Commission welcome the publication of the results of
the EU-wide stress-testing exercise, which was prepared and conducted by the
CEBS and national supervisory authorities, in close cooperation with the ECB.
We support, in particular, the transparency of this exercise, given the specific market
circumstances under which banks currently operate. We therefore welcome the
publication of banks’ individual results, particularly their respective capital positions
and loss estimates under an adverse scenario, as well as detailed information on
banks’ exposures to EU/EEA central and local government debt. Such disclosures
ensure transparency regarding conditions in the EU banking sector.
The adverse scenarios used in the stress test are designed as "what-if" scenarios
reflecting severe assumptions which are therefore not very likely to materialise in
practice. Accordingly, the results of the test confirm the overall resilience of the EU
banking system to negative macroeconomic and financial shocks, and are an
important step forward in restoring market confidence.
Where the results of the exercise indicate that individual banks require additional
capital, these banks should take the necessary steps to reinforce their capital
positions through private-sector means and by resorting, if necessary, to facilities set
up by Member State governments, in full compliance with EU state-aid rules.
More information can be obtained on the CEBS website: www.c-ebs.org