Issues related to banking supervision and payment systems  I should now like to turn to the contribution of the ESCB to the maintenance of financial stability and to prudential supervision. In this regard I should like to mention the Banking Supervision Committee (BSC), which is promoting cooperation between the ECB, the national central banks and the supervisory authorities of the 15 Member States.
The main focus of activity of the BSC is the analysis of structural developments and the monitoring of potential vulnerabilities in the banking sector. The BSC also provides the forum for the exchange of relevant information between the Eurosystem and the supervisory authorities. Finally, the BSC may also act as a forum for supervisory cooperation not related to the tasks of the Eurosystem.