EBA presents data on high earners in EU banks

The EBA published today a report featuring data on the remuneration of EU bank staff who received one million Euro or more in total in 2010 and 2011. The report focuses on the gathering of numerical data and provides a first analysis of remuneration structures across the EU. Overall, results show that the number of high earners is limited in most member states, but quite significant in others.

The data has been aggregated by the EBA on the basis of the figures collected at member state level. The figures also include staff remuneration paid by subsidiaries or branches of a EU-parent institution based in another member state other than that were the parent company is located. In 2011, the highest figures have been reported for the United Kingdom (2,436 high earners), Germany (170), France (162), Spain (125), Italy (96) and the Netherlands (36).

The data is categorised into different business areas. Several high earners fall into categories that include functions with responsibilities throughout the whole institution, from the executive board, to risk management, internal audit, information technology, communication, auditing, corporate finance, legal and human resources.

The EBA will publish, at the end of the year, a more detailed report on an analysis of remuneration practices in the EU; this will be based on a remuneration benchmarking exercise which will also comprise a more detailed analysis of the data presented today.

Background

Directive 2010/76/EC (CRD III) requires national competent authorities to collect information on the number of individuals per institution in pay brackets of at least EUR 1 million, including the business area involved and the main elements of the salary, bonus, long-term award and pension contribution. This information has to be sent to the European Banking Authority (EBA), who shall disclose it on an aggregate home Member State basis in a common reporting format. To facilitate the data collection, the EBA published on 27 July 2012 ‘Guidelines on the data collection exercise regarding high earners'.