EAPB response to Targeted review of the General Block Exemption Regulation (State aid): extended scope for national funds to be combined with certain Union programmes (2nd consultation)

The European Association of Public Banks, EAPB, welcomes the possibility to provide feedback on the second consultation on the Draft Commission Regulation amending Regulation (EU) No 651/2014 declaring certain categories of aid compatible with the internal market in application of Articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty (GBER) . As National and Regional Promotional Banks and institutions (NPBIs) EAPB members perform a public mission of fostering economic development and social cohesion. They act based on a public mandate -defined by law- and support their competent authorities’ socio-political objectives. They thus often also play a key role in granting State aid. Many will also play an important role as Implementing partners of Invest EU.

Measures taken by Public Banks to address the economic impact of the coronavirus epidemic

EAPB answer to EIB Roadmap Climate Bank Consultation

To structure and guide this engagement, the EIB Group is proposing several key questions, which are built around four topics:
• Aligning the EIB Group’s activities with the goals and principles of the Paris Agreement;
• Increasing environmental sustainability investments and leaving no one behind;
• Leveraging private-sector finance and promoting financial innovation; and
• Measuring the long-term effect of the EIB Group’s operations.

EAPB contribution to MiFID consultation

As stated by President von der Leyen in her political guidelines for the new Commission, “our people and our business
can only thrive if the economy works for them”. To that effect, it is essential to complete the Capital Markets Union
(‘CMU’), to deepen the Economic and Monetary Union (‘EMU’) and to offer an economic environment where small and
medium-sized enterprises (‘SMEs’) can grow

EAPB comments on the amendment of the Temporary Framework for State aid measures to support the economy in the current COVID-19 outbreak

EAPB very much welcomes the Commission proposal to amend the Temporary State aid Framework. It is very important to quickly and flexibly integrate new urgent funding needs arising in Member States to allow them and their respective national and regional promotional banks (NPBs) to throw their full weight behind funding for the necessary measures to overcome the current health crisis and the economic crisis resulting from it.