The three new European Supervisory Authorities of the bank, capital, insurance and the pension insurance market have begun work since the beginning of the year

On 1 January, 2011, the three new European Supervisory Authorities – the European Banking Authority (EBA), European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) и European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) officially began work.  The new Authorities are successors respectively of the Committee of European Banking Supervisors, Committee of European Securities Regulators and the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Committee. On 10, 11 and 12 January, 2011 the first meetings were held of the three Boards of Supervisors – the main decision-making structure in the EBA, ESMA and EIOPA. As Chairpersons were elected respectively Andrea Enria (EBA), Steven Maijoor (ESMA) and Gabriel Bernardino (EIOPA). The election of the three Chairpersons has to be confirmed also by the European Parliament. The first six-person Management Boards of EBA, ESMA and EIOPA were also appointed. The task of the new Authorities is to contribute to improvement of the functioning of European financial market, coordinating the activities of the national supervisory authorities, propose standards and guidelines and monitor for their application.
Within this context, the national supervisory authorities preserve their powers and will continue to exercise daily supervision over the individual; financial institutions. In case of established inconsistencies in the European regulations, settlement of disputes between the national supervisory authorities, as well as in crisis situation at European Union level, EBA, ESMA and EIOPA will be able to issue legally binding decisions to the national supervisory authorities and individual financial institutions.
Representatives of Bulgaria in the Board Supervisors of the new Authorities are Rumen Simeonov, Deputy Governor of the Bulgarian National Bank in charge of Banking Supervision Department (EBA) and Stoyan Mavrodiev, Chairman of the Financial Supervision (ESMA and EIOPA).
At its meeting on 12 January, 2011, the Board of Supervisors of the European Banking Authority adopted a work program for conducting an EU-wide stress test of the system in the first half of 2011, and the results will be published towards the middle of the year. This activity will be carried out jointly with the national supervisory authorities, the European Systemic Risk Board, the European Central Bank and the European Commission.