Brussels, 30 March 2020
Joint Finance Sector Social Partners Statement on COVID-19
The European social partners in the financial services sector – UNI Europa Finance, the Banking Committee for European Social Affairs of the European Banking Federation (EBF BCESA), the European Savings and Retail Banking Group (ESBG), the European Association of Cooperative Banks (EACB), Insurance Europe, the Association of Mutual Insurers and Insurance Cooperatives in Europe (AMICE), and the European Federation of Insurance Intermediaries (BIPAR) – would like to express their sincere sympathy to everyone directly suffering because of the COVID-19 pandemic and to profoundly thank all those risking their own health to save lives. As social partners, we are fully committed to ensuring that the European banking and insurance sectors continue to assist their customers and support European economic activities to the best of our abilities during this unprecedented pandemic crisis. This requires close and intense coordination with public authorities and for the European institutions, regulatory and supervisory authorities and the financial services sector to work together to try to neutralise as much as possible and to the best of our abilities the effects of COVID-19 on the economy. Important measures have already been taken to help the banking sector in supporting the economy. As this is a rapidly evolving situation, the social partners call on the public authorities to stand ready to take further action and use the necessary flexibility at their disposal to overcome the present difficulties.
Contact:
Luka Bohacek, L.Bohacek@ebf.eu
Benedetta Venanzi, B.Venanzi@ebf.eu