Tasks

The Association of German Banks performs a great variety of tasks:

Informing its members

The association informs its members about current political and economic developments affecting the banking sector. In view of the increasing number of European directives, national laws and amendments to laws,as well as regulations, this task is steadily growing in importance.

Serving as a contact point at political level

Serving as a contact point for parliament, ministries and authorities in all banking issues is another major aspect of the association's work. Politicians and civil servants regularly call on the association's expertise to enable them to properly assess specific banking issues.

Cooperating with other associations

Cooperation with other national and international associations also plays an important role. Questions of mutual interest are discussed, solutions are worked out and channelled into the political and economic decisionmaking process.

The Zentraler Kreditausschuss (ZKA), for example, in which the five leading associations of the German banking industry are represented, deals with important issues affecting all associations.

The European Banking Federation, comprising 28 national banking associations, supports the process of European integration und safeguards the interests of its members.

Upcoming decisions of the European Commission are discussed here at association level so that the position of the banks can then be conveyed to the relevant European bodies.

Brussels office

Since 2004 the Association of German Banks has had a representative office in Brussels. It was opened in response to the intensity and speed with which the EU's banking and financial markets-related legislative plans for creating an integrated European market for financial services are handled. The Brussels office facilitates swift and efficient cooperation with the European institutions.

Informing the general public

Informing the general public about the tasks and activities of the private commercial banks is another focus of the association's work. The aim is to fill information gaps, clear up misunderstandings and promote a relationship of trust between banks and their customers. Banks in particular, with their highly specialised financial services, are especially prone to being misunderstood or misjudged.

The association is a contact point in all banking questions. In press releases, information bulletins and other publications, it provides the latest news from the world of finance and comments on various banking and economic issues. It also holds reader phoneins in cooperation with many newspapers and magazines and publishes regular consumer tips. The association offers a full range of information online as well (www.bankenverband.de). In addition, it makes a wide selection of material specially designed for use in business studies classes available to teachers and students. Finally, the association organises regular debates on sociopolitical issues in order to underline the responsibility of the private commercial banks within society.

The Ombudsman scheme (german version)

The association was the first in the German banking sector to set up an independent Ombudsman scheme. The Ombudsman looks into private customers' complaints with the aim of settling them quickly and unbureaucratically. A major advantage for the customer is that the scheme is free of charge. Any private customer of one of the Association's member banks can take advantage of this service simply by writing to the Customer Complaints Office.
A fair deal for customers
Rules of procedure

The deposit protection scheme (german version)

The association operates a deposit protection scheme which offers the customers of its member banks virtually full deposit protection. This voluntary scheme is a major stabilising factor in the German financial sector and provides an exemplary level of protection compared with systems abroad.

In addition, a subsidiary of the association known as the Entschädigungseinrichtung deutscher Banken GmbH operates a statutory deposit protection scheme.

The Deposit Protection Fund
Statut - english