The two-day event, titled "From Birth to Maturity: Ten Years of Banking Union," took place on 16-17 May 2024 at Villa Schifanoia in Florence. Esteemed experts, including banking officials, academics, and industry leaders, gathered to reflect on the BU’s evolution and discuss its future.
“Creating a single market in financial services is critical so that European economies and societies can address the challenges of climate, digitalisation, and economic competitiveness. Regulatory structures on the European level, such as the Banking Union, are important in this context, but also have to adjust to changing circumstances” said FBF Director Thorsten Beck, emphasising the urgency of discussing these topics.
The conference commenced with an opening speech by Vitor Constancio, former Vice-President of the European Central Bank, setting the stage for a deep dive into the Banking Union's progress and challenges. High-profile discussions covered critical issues such as the Eurozone banking framework, featuring insights from experts like Elke Koenig, Lorenzo Bini Smaghi, and Huw van Steenis.
A notable retrospective session, led by Claire Jones, saw Ignazio Angeloni and Jonathan Faull reflecting on the Banking Union's achievements and persisting issues. The event also facilitated a comparative analysis of European and American banking supervision, with contributions from Daniel Gros, Andrea Enria, Randall Kroszner, Michala Marcussen, and Nicolas Veron.
Day two focused on emerging challenges in digital banking, with Cecilia Skingsley and James Freis discussing the impacts of digital transformation. The benefits of the Banking Union for clients were also explored, with insights from Silke Wettach and Julia Symon. Additionally, Martin J. Gruenberg, from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, gave a lecture on lessons learned from the U.S. regional bank failures of 2023 (full speech). The conference concluded with an interactive forward-looking panel on the BU’s future priorities, featuring Elena Carletti, Stefan Ingves, and Ljiljana Čortan.
Looking Forward
The Florence School of Banking and Finance’s annual conference provided a comprehensive review of the Banking Union’s first decade, celebrating its successes while critically examining its shortcomings. As the BU enters its next phase, the insights and discussions from this conference will undoubtedly contribute to shaping a more robust and cohesive European banking landscape. The FBF remains committed to fostering such high-level discussions, ensuring that the Banking Union continues to evolve and meet future challenges.