Our action would become even more effective with the attribution of the power to remove a bank’s directors when necessary and on the basis of convincing evidence, as is envisaged in the draft law for the transposition of the European Capital Requirements Directive. Italy’s large banks, as well as granting loans, often hold equity interests in non-financial firms.
Such shareholdings must not distort lending decisions or delay the emergence of borrowers’ difficulties. The risks associated with these relationships, in the same way as for those deriving from dealings with counterparties closely related to banks, must be carefully monitored by the latter’s governing bodies.