Supervision of the financial system in the European Union

1 Abstract This master thesis deals with the arrangement of the supervision of the financial system in the European Union. Its content and structure is strongly tied with two principal supervisory pillars - European System of Financial Supervision (ESFS) and Single Supervisory Mechanism (SSM). The first chapter starts with the historical background of the European financial supervision and proceeds to the recent global Great recession which motivated the reforms that led to the current state of the supervisory structure. The operation of the ESFS and SSM is thoroughly explained in chapters two and three respectively, moreover I cover their interaction with national supervisory authorities and special emphasis is put on the role of the Czech National Bank. Several controversial issues are also reflected in the course of the thesis, ie. rather regulatory than supervisory role of the European supervisory authorities which contradicts the initially declared intentions, their low operability or quite illusory legislative demand of extensive independence of national representatives when they stand for their respective home authorities in the European institutions. The emphasis on the Czech Republic is evident from the sub-chapter regarding the potential entry into the close cooperation with the Single Supervisory..