Deposit Guarantee Schemes Directive

I refer to the vote in the European Parliament ECON Committee on Tuesday 24 May 2011 regarding the Commission proposal for a new directive on Deposit Guarantee Schemes. I also refer to our meeting in Oslo 4 March 2011 and my letter of 11 March 2011.

I am very pleased that the ECON Committee has proposed a new Article 5, paragraph 3a, which will allow the continuation of the coverage level of the Norwegian Deposit Guarantee Scheme. Article 5, paragraph 3a of the ECON Committee proposal has the following wording:

“With regard to deposits with credit institutions or branches of foreign credit institutions in the Member States which had already been made before 31 December 2010 and with regard to deposits of depositors whose principal place of residence is in a Member State which, before 1 January 2008, had a statutory deposit guarantee scheme with a fixed coverage level between EUR 100 000 and EUR 300 000 for deposits, the States concerned may decide, by way of derogation from paragraph 1, that the fixed coverage level which has been in force hitherto shall remain in force unaltered for depositors whose principal place of residence is in this Member State. In that case, the target cover and the risk-dependent contributions of the credit institutions shall be adjusted accordingly.”

I recall from our meeting in Oslo your assurance that the Commission will take a constructive and pragmatic role in the development of this issue. Please allow me to reiterate that the possibility to maintain the coverage level of the Norwegian Deposit Guarantee Scheme is a very important issue for Norway, and I hope that, with your participation, the ECON Committees proposal for a new Article 5, paragraph 3a, will be part of the final directive on Deposit Guarantee Schemes.

Yours sincerely,

Sigbjørn Johnsen