Finance Sweden in the EU
Most of the regulations that Swedish banks must adhere to are set at the EU level. To effectively monitor and influence forthcoming regulations, Finance Sweden maintains a strong presence in Brussels, both through its own EU office and by actively participating in the European Banking Federation (EBF).
- Our primary role is to engage with key stakeholders in the industry, such as decision-makers from various EU institutions and member states. The more we learn before decisions are finalised, the greater our opportunity to contribute to ensuring that the final regulations are as beneficial as possible, says Jesper Carlsson, head of Finance Sweden's Brussels office, where Mindy Parkkinen also works with EU contacts.
Linus Adolphson, oversees the association's international affairs. He was the former head of the Brussels office, but is now based in Stockholm.
A large part of Finance Sweden’s EU activities takes place through the European Banking Federation (EBF), which serves as the unified voice for banks across Europe and is based in Brussels.
Within specialised committees, experts from all national banking associations convene to establish joint positions on regulatory proposals from the EU. These committees address a wide range of topics, including taxation, accounting, capital requirements, and banking infrastructure.
One such committee is the Retail & Housing Committee, chaired by Jessie Cargill-Ek, Senior Legal Adviser at Finance Sweden.
- The national markets still differ in many ways, and my responsibility as chair is to make sure all viewpoints are heard. For Sweden, teaming up with other countries with similar views helps us have a real say in the issues that matter most to us, she says.
Similarly, Finance Sweden is involved in the European Mortgage Federation (EMF) and Leaseurope, focusing on matters concerning mortgage and finance companies respectively. The association also participates in the European Payments Council (EPC), as well as several international organisations, such as the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the Institute for International Finance (IIF).