On 11 February 2026, the European Commission issued a targeted consultation on the competitiveness of the EU banking sector.
In the Commission Communication on the Savings and Investments Union it was mentioned that the Commission would publish in 2026 a report assessing the overall situation of the banking system in the Single Market, including the evaluation of the banking sector’s competitiveness.
The consultation is seeking stakeholder feedback on the following areas which will inform the Commission’s work to achieve a Single Market in banking:
- Banking competitiveness in the EU and globally. The consultation asks questions on the competitiveness of banks themselves and driving factors, competition in the banking markets, both within the EU and globally, cross-border activity, international level playing field, the role of banks in capital markets and the importance of digitalisation in driving competitiveness.
- The Single Market and the Banking Union. The consultation seeks stakeholders’ feedback on the drivers and barriers to market integration in the banking sector, and on the current design and potential outstanding features of the banking union.
- Complexity and effectiveness of the regulatory framework. The Commission notes that banking regulation is complex for many reasons reflecting a multitude of considerations including risk sensitivity, robustness, cost efficiency, as well as the diverse nature of banks operating in the EU (cooperatives, universal banks, etc). The consultation seeks stakeholders’ views regarding the level of complexity in the EU banking regulatory and supervisory framework and its effectiveness. This includes undue sources of complexity in the prudential framework.
Next steps
The deadline for comments on the consultation is 19 April 2026.