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Dublin: 12 °C Sunday 19 May, 2013

Bankers to see their bonuses capped

Finance Minister Michael Noonan called the European decision a ‘hard won breakthrough’.

Image: Man counting bonus via Shutterstock

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT agreed last night to implement caps on bankers’ bonuses.

The provisional deal hopes to ensure pay practices at Europe’s banks do not lead to excessive risk-taking.

“This overhaul of EU banking rules will make sure that banks in the future have enough capital, both in terms of quality and quantity, to withstand shocks,” said Michael Noonan after the agreement was brokered as part of the Irish Presidency.

The agreement includes:

  • Rules for the amount of capital that banks need to hold – as well as the quality of those funds;
  • A new liquidity coverage ratio;
  • A leverage ratio to limit an excessive build-up of leverage on banks’ balance sheets;
  • New, enhanced governance arrangements, aimed at improving risk management;
  • Capital buffers on top of the minimum capital requirements;
  • Limits on the size of bankers’ bonuses.

The new rules will apply to the 8,000 banks currently operating within the EU, as well as other financial institutions.

“This will ensure that taxpayers across Europe are protected into the future. I believe that the compromise package that we have reached tonight is well-balanced,” continued Noonan in a statement.

Completing banking union is an Irish Presidency priority. As Presidency we are working to reach agreement with the European Parliament on the setting up of a single European banking supervisor. We are also working on getting member state agreement on bank resolution and recovery and well as deposit guarantee schemes, important elements in completing banking union.

He will present the proposals to EU Finance Ministers in Brussels next Tuesday. They have to be approved by EU Member States before the deal is finalised. There is also further work to complete the details of the legislation.

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Comments (36 Comments)

  • if owned or bailed out by the taxpayer the bonuses should be scrapped not capped.

    Reply
    • I agree.

      This may be a very unpopular opinion, but what about banks that didn’t require bailouts etc. Why should they have their bonuses capped? Anyway, what will happen is all the high bonus earners will begin moving to hedge funds and institutions not covered by these new regulations meaning banks will struggle to fill positions with similarly talented individuals..

      Reply
    • And their knees

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    • If bankers want to move to hedge funds then no problem as no EU Gov will be bailing them out if they crash.

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    • @stephen Doherty Yes, but my point doesn’t round on the bailouts. Its about he companies ability to attract talent vs. competitors. If you were offered the exact same job in 2 different companies and one had the potential for an unlimited bonus and the other had a capped bonus. What would you chose.

      I’m wondering aloud here, can this rule be challenged by banks under the competition authority rules?

      Reply
    • I know exactly where I would like to put a few caps then reload and try a few more

      Reply
  • The provisional agreement, means bankers face an automatic cap of ONE YEARS basic salary as bonus payout or TWO YEARS basic salary if a majority of the banks shareholder agree.
    This will ensure that taxpayers across Europe are protected into the future,” said Minister for Finance, Michael Noonan, who led the negotiations.

    Is it just me or is this a parallel universe considering the ongoing BASE pay REDUCTIONS in other sectors and the fact that many banks have failed, bankrupted countries & are now nationalised !!

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  • jrbmc 28/02/13 #

    Interesting to see what the cap will be !
    2 million ?

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  • Its a big win for EU parliament after massive industry and UK resistance

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  • The stuff about bonuses is just a sop to public opinion. It completely misses the point. Bonuses were awarded for “great” performance, which was actually very short term and created ridiculous risks. How exactly is capping bonuses to 100% of salary going to change this?

    As far as I know, the privately held banks received not a single cent of bailout money anywhere in the world (I am prepared to be corrected about this). They were run much more conservatively, because the managers knew that their pension in 20 years time depended on long term wealth. They made money which lots of people would describe as obscene, but that’s a different question entirely. They never tried to socialise the losses.

    If you want to control risk then regulation will only get you so far. You need to charge for it. You want to operate a business that can cost the taxpayer? You pay the insurance premiums.

    For the bankers themselves, a saner solution would be to say that all bonuses must be paid in non-transferable, dividend-only shares. You did a good job? You can collect a bonus over 20 years. Your structure collapsed into dust after you left? No more money for you.

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  • We tried this ourselves and the banks gave the two finger salute in return. Embarrassing to have to go to Europe with it.

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  • Bonuses should be rescinded! They’re a major part of the reason why this country is in a financial quagmire (Giggity Giggity)

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  • A step in the right direction. Interesting that the UK and US oppose this.

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  • You might make the argument that if banks had of been let fail originally like they should be we wouldn’t be in this mess. What seems like a good idea today might not be so good tomorrow.

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  • Who is going to police all these new arrangements? We have heard all this manure before. The banks had a regulator, a minister for finance, watchdogs of every shape and size and still they got away with destroying our country. What’s different now? I would suggest no bonuses for at least ten years until banks prove themselves worthy of our trust.

    Reply
  • I forsee the return of the Bank Holding company and the splitting off of the investment arms of the major banks.

    Don’t worry lads your bonuses are untouchable.

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  • Closing the gate after the horse has bolted. Only this horse hasnt just bolted, hes on a lap of honour.

    Reply
  • smudge 28/02/13 #

    SCRAPE THE BONUSES,NO CAPPING

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  • What an awfully misleading title!

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  • any chance they could stick in advisors as well ?

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  • according to mr noonan, “the bankers pay is going to be capped as a percentage of the bankers salary. the only way it can be increased is through a shareholder meeting”. however all the banks have to do is to increase the bank executive salary and ergo naturally the percentage amount will increase. tis is obviously a pr stunt designed to placate the plebs

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  • wow, this is a great idea, how did we not think of this back in 2008??

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  • a good news story would be former bankers esp anglo golden circle to see prison time or in a few cases the electric chair for crimes of treason against the state

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  • They should get share,s in the bank instead of cash ,the same as the taxpayers that,s been fleeced

    Reply
  • Just before we all start celebrating…

    1. The bonuses won’t be capped for at least another year and a half (at least) due to E.U. Bureaucratic processes and

    2. The financial consensus is that the base wage of the person once getting the large bonus, will now be at least doubled (or more) to get around this latest announced political window-dressing.

    Reply
  • Great news, should see massive salary increases in the sector.

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  • When will the Bankers that obviously lied about a liquidity problem, which was in fact a solvency problem be indited for their fraud!

    Reply
    • Orion 28/02/13 #

      What bankers did this? Who are you referring to? I think its more to do with the regulator not doing anything about it early enough.

      Reply
    • @Orion, The “bailout” was initially sold as a liquidity issue. Those specifically guilty of fraud are all those present at the late night meeting which preceded the “bailout” when full disclosure of the actual solvency problem was withheld, either from the then Government or the Irish people. This so called liquidity problem was the reason given for the subsequent bank guarantee, which to prevent a run on the banks affected was extended to cover bank debts as well as any cash flow(liquidity) problems. Only after bank debts were guaranteed did the extent of the problem (that they were in fact insolvent!) become public knowledge. It’s not that long ago and I’m surprised that you can’t remember the train of events that led to this disaster.

      Reply
  • Lol….this story is pointless drivel. The real story is about private contracts that Anglo had with German and French banks. In these contracts there is no mention of us ( Irish Citizens ) , does anyone know where in Commercial Law it states that someone who is not a signature in a contract is liable for it if it goes belly up ? Because there is no mention of the Irish Citizens in these contracts which the Irish citizen is now paying for. Can anyone clarify this ?

    Reply

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