Single Resolution Board
The Single Resolution Board (SRB) is an independent European Union agency serving as the central resolution authority within the Banking Union, responsible for coordinating the orderly resolution of failing significant banks to minimize impacts on the financial system, real economy, and public finances.[1][2] Established in January 2015 and headquartered in Brussels, the SRB forms part of the Single Resolution Mechanism (SRM) alongside national resolution authorities and the Single Resolution Fund, which is funded by contributions from banks to support resolution actions without relying on taxpayer money.[2][1] The SRB's core functions include developing resolution strategies and plans for supervised institutions, conducting resolvability assessments to ensure banks can be wound down without systemic disruption, and, in cases of failure, executing tools such as bail-in—where shareholders and creditors bear losses—to restore viability or wind down operations.[1][3] Operating across the euro area and Bulgaria, the agency emphasizes proactive planning and cross-border coordination to address the "doom loop" between banks and sovereigns exposed during the eurozone crisis.[4][5] While the SRB has not yet executed a major cross-border resolution, it has advanced preparatory work, including the adoption of its Vision 2028 strategy for enhanced crisis management capabilities and ongoing contributions to the Single Resolution Fund, which reached targeted levels to bolster the mechanism's credibility.[6] Assessments of its performance note effective planning but highlight challenges in achieving full resolvability for complex institutions and debates over the SRM's integration with national frameworks.[7][5]