This Technical Note discusses the findings and recommendations of the Financial Sector Assessment Program for the Netherlands regarding auditor oversight, collective investment fund management, and regulatory issues. The legal regime and the day-to-day supervision activities conducted by the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets and the Dutch central bank are extensive and consistent with international expectations. The approach to the supervision of the small but growing crowd-funding sector strikes a fair balance between enhancing innovation and protecting investors. The Dutch regime for audits and auditor oversight also complies with the expectations of the International Organization of Securities Commissions and appears to work well in practice.

In the wake of the financial crises of the late 1990s, there was a surge of interest in the systematic assessment of financial sectors, with a view to identifying vulnerabilities and evaluating the sector's developmental needs. Consequently, there has been an increased demand from financial sector authorities in many countries for information on key issues and sound practices in the assessment of financial systems and the appropriate design of policy responses. In response, Financial Sector Assessmsnet presents a general analytical framework and broad guidance on approaches, methodologies and key techniques for assessing the stability and development needs of financial systems. It synthesizes current global sound practices in financial sector assessment.

This Technical Note discusses the findings and recommendations in the Financial Sector Assessment Program for the Netherlands on the macroprudential policy framework. The authorities have strengthened the institutional arrangement for macroprudential policy by enhancing the Netherlands Bank’s legal mandate and establishing the Financial Stability Committee, but there is room for improvement. The authorities’ analysis of systemic vulnerabilities is sophisticated and timely. The authorities have been using the range of macroprudential instruments at their disposal, but further tightening will be necessary to contain a potential buildup of systemic risk in the financial system.

Macroprudential policy in the Netherlands has centered on the residential real estate (RRE) market given the importance of this market for households, banks, and insurers. RRE represents nearly 50 percent of total household assets, and housing loans account for about 85 percent of total household liabilities, more than half of Dutch banks’ domestic loan portfolio, and 15 percent of insurers’ assets. Authorities have therefore actively used RRE-related macroprudential tools, such as banks’ capital risk weighting of residential mortgage loans, limits on loan-to-value (LTV) and debt service-to-income (DSTI) ratios for mortgages, or mortgage interest deductibility from taxes (MID).

This paper evaluates the risks and vulnerabilities of the German financial system and reviews both the German regulatory and supervisory framework and implementation of the common European framework insofar as it is relevant for Germany. The country is home to two global systemically important financial institutions, Deutsche Bank AG and Allianz SE. The system is also very heterogeneous, with a range of business models and a large number of smaller banks and insurers. The regulatory landscape has changed profoundly with strengthened solvency and liquidity regulations for banks (the EU Capital Requirements Regulation and Directive IV), and the introduction of macroprudential tools.

This analysis is conducted against a backdrop of a gradual domestic recovery, but still uncertain international context and remaining domestic vulnerabilities. Household debt is high and negative equity among young borrowers is prevalent. A substantial portion of households have a loan-to-value ratio above 100 percent. While bank capitalization has improved since the crisis, balance sheets have contracted, profitability is low, and banks remain significantly reliant on wholesale funding. Financial institutions also face challenges from the continuing low interest rate environment and slow credit growth.

This report summarizes the findings of the Financial Sector Assessment Program (FSAP) Update for Spain. Although there is a core of strong banks that are well managed and appear resilient to further shocks, vulnerabilities remain. Substantial progress has been made in reforming the former savings banks, and the most vulnerable institutions have either been resolved or are being restructured. Recent measures address the most problematic part of banks’ portfolios. Moving ahead, a further restructuring and recapitalization of some of the remaining weaker banks may be needed as a result of deteriorating economic conditions.