The Single Supervisory Mechanism (SSM)

Overview

The current focus of preparations is rightly on getting ready for the start of the new supervisory regime. But if the SSM is ultimately to be a success, preparations need to begin now to tackle the strategic challenges that will become increasingly important in the medium‑term.

We believe that data and analytics (the technological solutions and mathematical techniques that support supervisors in analysing data) should be priorities for strategic investment. They could be the differentiating factors that determine whether or not the SSM delivers on the aspirations that have been set for it: to enhance the quality of supervision and policy making, to identify and implement best practice, and to be ambitious and innovative. Operating on the basis of the status quo could quickly become unsustainable.

This paper is intended to stimulate a debate as to where the ECB in particular might go in tackling these issues over the next few years. It is produced on the basis of Deloitte’s experience helping many banks with a wide range of data challenges, and assisting banking authorities to develop their supervisory capabilities.

Responsibility for establishing the new benchmark for data and analytics standards naturally lies with the ECB and national supervisory authorities, but responsibility for delivering the new standards will be borne jointly by banks and supervisors. It is therefore crucial that banks in the SSM engage with supervisors in the process of developing the route map for data and analytics.

While we discuss these in the paper with reference to the SSM, the precepts are also relevant to supervisors in other countries (not least because of the prospect of convergence in this area) and to firms that face demands for data from supervisors.