Financial Supervision Authority 2023 Annual Report

Session: Fifteenth Riigikogu, Third Session, Plenary Session

Date: 2024-06-13 14:14

Total Speeches: 31

Membership: 15

Agenda Duration: 55m

AI Summaries: 31/31 Speeches (100.0%)

Analysis: Structured Analysis

Politicians Speaking Time

Politicians

Analysis

Summary

The 2023 annual report of the Financial Supervisory Authority (Finantsinspektsioon) was the subject of the second item on the agenda. The first address was delivered by Kilvar Kessler, Chairman of the Management Board of the Financial Supervisory Authority, whose presentation covered both the current state of the sector, the challenges and risks of 2023, and future prospects. Key points included the overall strength of the financial sector (bank revenues, credit quality, and deposit growth), while emphasizing the continued impact of geopolitical and economic risks, the role of sanctions in financial supervision, and the increase in crisis-related cyber risks. Furthermore, consumer protection and the expansion of supervision were discussed—including the plan to take over the supervision of basic payment services from the Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority, and preparations began for the transition of supervision over the crypto-asset market and debt collection agencies. Innovation and technology in the financial sector were also addressed, along with the need to increase resources and competence to cover new areas of supervision. In summary, the discussion was aimed at mitigating risks, maintaining consumer confidence, and balancing regulation and supervision in changing circumstances. Other topics included: the Financial Ombudsman, and the policy regarding fines and their impact on market functioning.

Decisions Made 1
Collective Decision

No decisions were made. (The collegial discussion and the part concerning questions and conduct were left for deliberation between the Board and the Riigikogu without specific decision-making actions.)

Most Active Speaker
Andre Hanimägi
Andre Hanimägi

Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmed

Andre Hanimägi, a Member of the Riigikogu representing the Social Democratic faction (left-wing position). He demonstrated the most active engagement in speeches and questions during this session, concentrating on the discussion surrounding the regulation of savings and loan associations and the topic of the financial ombudsman, alongside addressing questions about the impact of general consumer protection and the legal framework governing the financial sector.

Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
14:14:20
AI Summary

The Riigikogu proceeds to the second item on the agenda—the Financial Supervision Authority's 2023 annual report—during which Chairman of the Management Board Kilvar Kessler will deliver a presentation of up to 20 minutes. This will be followed by a question period and statements from the parliamentary factions, concluding with Kessler being invited to the Riigikogu podium.

Finantsinspektsiooni juhatuse esimees Kilvar Kessler
14:15:11
AI Summary

Kilvar Kessler stated that 2023 was better for the Estonian financial sector than ever before, but due to geopolitical risks and the transfer of new areas of supervision—namely the crypto market, debt collection, and consumer protection—the workload is increasing, requiring more resources and balanced regulation to protect depositors and ensure the integrity of the financial market.

Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
14:30:01
AI Summary

Vice-Chairman Jüri Ratas thanks the Chairman of the Board, states that there are questions, and asks Urve Tiidus to answer them.

Urve Tiidus
Urve Tiidus
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioon
14:30:05
AI Summary

Urve Tiidus is asking the Financial Supervision Authority what proportion of the complainants are linked to the crypto market and what the agency is currently doing about those matters.

Finantsinspektsiooni juhatuse esimees Kilvar Kessler
14:30:37
AI Summary

Kilvar Kessler stated that supervision of the crypto asset market is primarily carried out through the Money Laundering Data Bureau. Although the Financial Supervision Authority also receives complaints, these are forwarded to the police in accordance with the law, either as criminal complaints or as background information. Furthermore, if we have sufficiently precise data, we publish warning notices on the Financial Supervision Authority's website—of which there are already over a thousand—to inform people about scams and pyramid schemes.

Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
14:31:48
AI Summary

Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas invites Urmas Kruuse to take the floor.

Urmas Kruuse
Urmas Kruuse
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioon
14:31:51
AI Summary

Urmas Kruuse noted that the debate on crypto topics in the Riigikogu occasionally became quite heated, and he posed a question aimed at the average person: how does one determine if they are dealing with a drawn-out pyramid scheme or a scheme designed to conceal income and generate profit?

Finantsinspektsiooni juhatuse esimees Kilvar Kessler
14:32:28
AI Summary

Kilvar Kessler, Chairman of the Management Board of the Financial Supervision Authority, stated that the Inspectorate does not provide advice on investment decisions. He recommended starting with lower-risk investments and issued a warning due to the volatility of crypto assets, the lack of underlying assets, and information asymmetry. He added that one must think very carefully before making a crypto investment, as it could potentially be a scam, concluding that the phrase "measure ten times, cut once" is merely a proverb and not financial advice.

Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
14:33:28
AI Summary

Andre Hanimägi is called upon to speak.

Andre Hanimägi
Andre Hanimägi
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmed
14:33:31
AI Summary

Andre Hanimägi noted that the Financial Supervision Authority's workload will continuously increase in the coming weeks, and the agency itself is expanding. He pointed to the importance of the financial ombudsman position and finally asked about the current stance regarding the supervision of savings and loan associations (or credit unions).

Finantsinspektsiooni juhatuse esimees Kilvar Kessler
14:34:31
AI Summary

Kilvar Kessler, Chairman of the Management Board of the Financial Supervision Authority, said that the credit union market is divided into two segments: large ones, which must be placed under banking regulation and, if necessary, converted into cooperative banks, and small community-based credit unions, for whom public financial supervision is unnecessary because they possess sufficient community control; the inspectorate is ready to perform the new tasks and is known throughout the euro area for its competence in IT risks, which helps mitigate the challenges arising from the market’s increasing digitalization.

Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
14:39:05
AI Summary

Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas called upon Kristina Šmigun-Vähi.

Kristina Šmigun-Vähi
Kristina Šmigun-Vähi
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioon
14:39:10
AI Summary

Kristina Šmigun-Vähi stated that while opening accounts is advertised in Estonia as a quick and simple process, the reality is complicated by bureaucracy, leading many people to abandon investing.

Finantsinspektsiooni juhatuse esimees Kilvar Kessler
14:40:00
AI Summary

Kilvar Kessler emphasizes that the Estonian financial system is secure and transparent, and we have successfully exited the MONEYVAL review. However, decisions regarding the opening of bank accounts for companies depend on risk assessment and control systems, and the creation of a financial ombudsman is being considered. Furthermore, advertising must be consistent with reality.

Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
14:44:34
AI Summary

Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas asks Helmen Kütt to speak.

Helmen Kütt
Helmen Kütt
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioon
14:44:37
AI Summary

Helmen Kütt thanked the presiding officer and the Chairman of the Management Board of the Financial Supervision Authority, and asked whether the Financial Supervision Authority has a role in counseling or advising, in addition to imposing penalties, and whether people can turn to them for sound advice so as to avoid finding themselves in a situation where a fine is necessary.

Finantsinspektsiooni juhatuse esimees Kilvar Kessler
14:45:14
AI Summary

Kilvar Kessler explains that the Financial Supervision Authority has established a financial innovation center, which warmly welcomes those presenting fintech ideas, offers them advice in plain language, and organizes information days for professional market participants to standardize information, avoid conflicts of interest, and ensure adequate risk control.

Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
14:47:24
AI Summary

Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas invited Annely Akkermann to speak.

Annely Akkermann
Annely Akkermann
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioon
14:47:26
AI Summary

Annely Akkermann discussed the issue of fines, stressing how minuscule one million euros is compared to the volume of supervised assets and inherent risks. She also questioned whether the law permits the confiscation of fraudulently obtained income and the imposition of an additional fine to ensure that fraud is not profitable, and whether current regulations are robust enough given the recent 500 million euro crypto fraud case.

Finantsinspektsiooni juhatuse esimees Kilvar Kessler
14:48:37
AI Summary

Kilvar Kessler stressed that in financial supervision, penalties and the speed of proceedings must be effective, and Estonia's practice of taking a year and a half to complete a single procedural step is neither normal nor does it deter fraudsters. Therefore, administrative fines should be increased, procedures simplified, and administrative proceedings implemented, while simultaneously taking constitutional rights into account.

Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
14:51:23
AI Summary

Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas invites Andres Sutt to speak.

Andres Sutt
14:51:25
AI Summary

The presenter asks, from a supervisory perspective, what the permissible risk appetite for banks is when opening bank accounts in light of financial innovations, and where the current balance lies between mitigating risks and promoting innovation.

Finantsinspektsiooni juhatuse esimees Kilvar Kessler
14:52:22
AI Summary

Kilvar Kessler noted that Estonia has two main types of banks—universal banks and monoline banks—and supervision must take into account the owners' risk appetite and investments. However, the international context and correspondent banking relationships influence the work, and communication between the client and the bank should be less mechanical and more collaborative, a trend also being demonstrated in other countries, such as Sweden.

Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
14:55:40
AI Summary

Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas invited Priit Sibul to speak.

14:55:42
AI Summary

The speaker asks whether Russia’s full-scale war in Ukraine or other activities have brought to light new trends or problems in their field that should be addressed.

Finantsinspektsiooni juhatuse esimees Kilvar Kessler
14:56:10
AI Summary

Kilvar Kessler, Chairman of the Management Board of the Financial Supervisory Authority, stated that four blocks of risks were identified at the start of the war—financial sanctions, cyber risk, liquidity, and credit risk—and although these risks were cautiously anticipated, they have not materialized; banks have managed risk management well, there have been no losses due to financial sanctions in Estonia, and if the quality of credit portfolios declines, bank owners will increase the buffer, but the level of cyberattacks has subsequently increased.

Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
14:59:33
AI Summary

Jüri Ratas thanked Kilvar Kessler, Chairman of the Management Board of the Financial Supervisory Authority, for his presentation and answers, declared the questioning period concluded, opened the discussions, and invited Andre Hanimägi to take the floor.

Andre Hanimägi
Andre Hanimägi
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmed
14:59:53
AI Summary

Andre Hanimägi emphasized the importance of consumer protection, praised the consumer-centric approach, and confirmed that the Social Democrats are working toward the creation of the Financial Supervision Authority and a financial ombudsman. This initiative aims to address issues concerning unsecured consumer loans, default interest and late fees, and the cost of credit rates, as well as to increase trust in financial services.

Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
15:04:51
AI Summary

The Deputy Speaker thanks [the previous speaker] and invites Maris Lauri, the representative of the Reform Party Faction, to the Riigikogu podium.

Maris Lauri
Maris Lauri
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioon
15:05:05
AI Summary

Maris Lauri emphasized that the financial system is the circulatory system that must be kept running smoothly, and that necessary supervision and regulation solutions must be adopted and implemented in the autumn. These include, for example, the supervision of credit and savings unions, the creation of a positive credit register, the transposition of the DORA regulation, and a solution for a social account or basic payment service. She also mentioned considering the creation of a financial ombudsman, and stressed the need for cooperation to avoid excessive rigidity and ensure a rapid response when errors occur.

Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
15:09:31
AI Summary

Riigikogu Vice-Chairman Jüri Ratas concluded the session, thanking the Financial Supervisory Authority for its 2023 review. He announced that the discussion of the second agenda item had been concluded, and that the third and fourth agenda items could not be discussed due to the absence of participants. He then thanked the members of the Riigikogu for their 14 years of service in the Riigikogu.