On 17 October 2025, the Single Resolution Board (SRB) issued a consultation on operational guidance for banks’ communication in resolution, as well as a communication testing supplement to its operational guidance for resolvability testing for banks.
Background
Per Article 8(9)(n) of the Single Resolution Mechanism Regulation, a communication plan needs to be prepared in the context of resolution planning. In this regard, the SRB sets out, in its Expectations for Banks (EfB), the capabilities it expects banks to develop to ensure resolvability. Communication is one of the seven resolvability dimensions in which capabilities are categorised.
The EfB sets out the following two principles with respect to communication:
- Banks are expected to have developed a comprehensive communication plan, informing relevant stakeholders of the implications of resolution, with the aim of limiting contagion and avoiding uncertainty.
- Banks are expected to have in place governance arrangements to ensure effective execution of the communication plan, in close coordination with the SRB and national resolution authorities.
Banks are to make every effort to comply with the European Banking Authority guidelines on improving resolvability for institutions and resolution authorities, which also includes communication as a key resolvability area.
Communication
The draft SRB operational guidance on banks’ communication builds on, and further clarifies, the expectations on communication, as laid out in the EfB. It covers four key areas:
- Coordination between the bank and the resolution authorities.
- Moratorium tool and implications for communication.
- Banks’ communication plans for resolution.
- Banks’ communication governance.
The communication testing supplement contains guidance for specific testing.
Next steps
The deadline for comments on the consultation is 12 December 2025.