Safe Bank

The rationale behind the creation of the deposit insurance system (DIS) in the financial system’s safety net was primarily to stabilize banking systems by preventing the risk of a bank run and to counteract the effects of credit institutions’ insolvency. In theory and practice, however, issues of side effects resulting from DIS functions, including moral hazard, are raised. The article analyzes the impact of DIS factors on insolvency of banking systems on the example of 42 European countries in the years 2004–2016. Three databases constituted the empirical basis: the International Monetary Fund’s Deposit Insurance Database, the European Banking Authority’s Deposit Guarantee Schemes and the World Bank’s Global Financial Development Database. The results of the main model for the entire analyzed set of banking systems indicate that, in principle, DIS reduces insolvency risk. On the other hand, taking into account additional dichotomous criteria (Euro zone countries and others, European Union countries and others, Central and Eastern Europe countries and others) or classification criteria (countries with low, middle and high income, countries with low, medium and high levels of moral hazard), the analysis of this set indicates that DIS may contribute to an increase of banking sectors’ insolvency risk.

The purpose of this article is a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the fulfillment of financial and non-financial requirements under directive 2014/49/UE of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014 on deposit guarantee schemes by the Member States of the European Union. In addition, the article contains a reference point in the form of the characteristics of the systems in the pre-reform period at the end of 2013. The article presents a broad presentation of a select research problem. Empirical data, reports and opinions from the European Banking Authority, World Bank, European Parliament and national and foreign authorities competent to manage the deposit guarantee system were used.

In order to restore public confidence in financial market entities and protect the stability of the financial system after the global financial crisis, public authorities have been equipped with new prerogatives to prevent and counteract systemic threats caused by disorderly bankruptcies of large financial institutions, while minimizing the recourse to public funds. The power to bail-in creditors in the public interest when the bank is failing or likely to fail emerges as the furthest reaching one among them. Following the adoption of the BRR directive, however, in most crisis cases in the banking sector, resolution authorities haven’t used the bail-in tool, even though circumstances allowed for the possibility to ascribe losses to debt instruments not classified as regulatory capital. This paper studies the potential low propensity to use the bail-in mechanism with a view to structural and legal conditions related to the claims hierarchy in bankruptcy proceedings and the interplay between the pari passu and ‘no creditor worse off’ principles.

This article is the second part of the study, which aims to provide as accurate a description as possible of the public law aspects of transactions for the acquisition of a qualifying portfolio of shares in a domestic bank and to address the practical problems that arise in such transactions. This part of the study will describe the objection institution of the Polish Financial Supervision Authority, both in its material and procedural aspects. It also presents the characteristics of supervisory instruments, that can be used by the Polish Financial Supervision Authority to influence the supervised entities in order to secure the effective performance of duties related to the acquisition of qualifying portfolio of shares in a domestic bank. This part of the study also contains summary comments and conclusions. The study uses the method of dogmatic analysis and economic analysis of law. The analysis led to the conclusion that the solution adopted by the Polish legislator is an effective one, which duly protects the interests of the parties to the transaction and, at the same time, the public interest focusing on the proper and safe functioning of the banking market.

Robotic process automation (RPA) allows to transfer manual operations within computer systems to software robots (programs), which act as “virtual equivalents” of employees. It is a new approach to process improvement, where, unlike traditional automation software, robots use computer systems not in a way typical for machines, but similarly to how humans do. The article aims to present the application of RPA and to show its impact on the functioning of the bank as an organization level and its employees. The thesis put forward in the paper assumes that robotic automation significantly transform banks’ operation. A literature review and state-of-the-art industry reports has been used. The principles of operation of software robots, their advantages, and specific features that distinguish them from alternative solutions for improving processes are presented. Motives for their application which are relevant for banking have been presented, followed by a description of examples of robotization of bank typical processes. Risks and challenges related to the implementation of robots have been pointed out. The expected future competences of bank employees have been discussed, which may be crucial in relation to working in a highly automated and robotized environment. The paper presents the multifaceted impact of robotization on the functioning of the bank and its employees.

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic undoubtedly constitutes a systemic event. Although its origins are not of financial nature, it has impact on the functioning of the financial system. That is why macroprudential authorities have undertook emergency actions already at the initial stage of the crisis. The aim of this article is to present and provide preliminary evaluation of the macroprudential actions taken by the European macroprudential authorities with respect to both banking and non-banking entities within the financial sector. The crisis, caused by the COVID-19 pandemic constitutes a first important test, after the global financial crisis for the effectiveness of macroprudential policy. The overview of macroprudential actions taken in response to the pandemic suggests that capital buffers, and countercyclical buffer in particular, are crucial macroprudential policy tools.