February 2024: SUERF Policy Brief – The ECB Single Supervisory Mechanism: Any Effects on Bank Competition?

by Burkhard Raunig, Michael Sigmund

Since the introduction of the Single Supervisory Mechanism (SSM) in 2014, systemically important banks in the euro area are directly supervised by the ECB. From a static and dynamic perspective, we examine how this fundamental shift towards unified supervision under the SSM affects the competitive position of SSM banks. A clear pattern emerges. In euro area countries that were heavily affected by the sovereign debt crisis, competition for SSM banks decreased. In the other countries, the SSM either had no impact on the competitive position of SSM banks or competition increased. Our results also suggest that the effects of the SSM on competition are unlikely to be permanent.

Link:

SUERF Policy Brief, No 789 – The ECB Single Supervisory Mechanism: Any Effects on Bank Competition?