The Single Resolution Board published operational guidance for banks’ communications during resolution and crisis scenarios. The package includes a communication-testing supplement to the board’s existing resolvability-testing guidance. Banks have until April 2028 to reflect the operational considerations in their communication plans where needed.
The SRB said the documents clarify existing expectations rather than create new requirements. They align with the European Banking Authority’s resolvability framework and the SRB’s Expectations for Banks. Independent legal analysis confirmed the guidance’s status and implementation horizon.
PLANS MUST SUPPORT CRISIS COORDINATION
The guidance covers coordination between banks and resolution authorities, governance for crisis communications and communication plans used during resolution. It also addresses how possible moratorium tools under the Bank Recovery and Resolution Directive should be considered in planning.
Banks remain responsible for communicating with their own internal and external stakeholders during a crisis. The testing supplement is intended to help institutions assess whether their systems, governance and procedures can deliver timely and consistent messages when a bank is failing or likely to fail.
IMPLEMENTATION RUNS THROUGH APRIL 2028
The final documents followed a public consultation conducted between October and December 2025. The SRB said it considered the feedback before publishing the guidance and testing supplement on 17 September 2026.
The next milestone is banks’ incorporation of the guidance into relevant communication plans by April 2028. Resolution authorities can then assess preparedness through planning and testing, with particular attention to coordination, stakeholder mapping and operational execution under crisis conditions.