•  As a first and important step, further harmonization of national schemes along the lines suggested by the Commission in the draft Directive is called for. The Nordic dimension [Slide 4] The cross-border character of the Nordic banking sector has a long tradition and has become more and more pronounced. It calls for a corresponding structure for its supervisory framework.
•  The Nordic banking sector is dominated by a small number of international banks, which are large relative to their home-country GDP. The assets of the six largest banking groups (Nordea, Swedbank, SEB, Handelsbanken, Danske Bank and DnB) comprise roughly 94 percent of the total assets of all 53 publicly-listed Nordic banks and equal over 180 percent of the combined Nordic GDP.