EFSF
The EFSF shareholders are the euro area Members (excluding Latvia, Lithuania and Croatia, which joined when the permanent support mechanism ESM was already in place).
Overview
The European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) was created as a temporary crisis resolution mechanism by the euro area Member States in June 2010. The EFSF has provided financial assistance to Ireland, Portugal and Greece. The assistance was financed by the EFSF through the issuance of EFSF bonds and other debt instruments on capital markets. The EFSF does not provide any further financial assistance, as this task is now performed solely by the ESM. Nevertheless, the EFSF continues to operate in order to:
EFSF Shareholders
The EFSF shareholders are the euro area Members (excluding Latvia, Lithuania and Croatia, which joined when the permanent support mechanism ESM was already in place). The infographic below shows the number of shares and subscription amounts for each shareholder.
Shares and capital per EFSF Member
| ESM Members Sort descending | Number of shares | Capital as of 31 December 2015 (in €) |
|---|---|---|
| Austria | 79,125,435 | 791,254.35 |
| Belgium | 98,844,650 | 988,446.50 |
| Cyprus | 5,578,757 | 55,787.57 |
| Estonia | 7,294,357 | 72,943.57 |
| Finland | 51,097,174 | 510,971.74 |
| France | 579,522,400 | 5,795,224.00 |
| Germany | 771,706,294 | 7,717,062.94 |
| Greece | 80,070,849 | 800,708.49 |
| Ireland | 45,261,689 | 452,616.89 |
| Italy | 509,243,918 | 5,092,439.18 |
| Luxembourg | 7,119,129 | 71,191.29 |
| Malta | 2,575,437 | 25,754.37 |
| Netherlands | 162,521,534 | 1,625,215.34 |
| Portugal | 71,329,846 | 713,298.46 |
| Slovakia | 28,256,464 | 282,564.64 |
| Slovenia | 13,398,796 | 133,987.96 |
| Spain | 338,392,963 | 3,383,929.63 |
| Total | 2,851,339.692 | 28,513,396.920 |
Note: Ireland, the Portuguese Republic, the Hellenic Republic and the Republic of Cyprus have become Stepping-Out Guarantors.
EFSF GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE
The mission of both the EFSF and ESM is to safeguard financial stability in Europe by providing financial assistance to countries of the euro area. The two institutions have a different governance structure but share the same staff and offices located in Luxembourg.
EFSF General Meeting of Shareholders
The General Meeting of shareholders represents the 17 euro area countries when the EFSF was set up in 2010. It may order, carry out and ratify acts relating to the EFSF operations. It approves the financial statements, and determines the appropriation and distribution of net profits. It also grants discharge and appoints the members of the EFSF Board of Directors and the external auditor. The Annual General Meeting is held in the City of Luxembourg.
Board of Directors
The Board of Directors comprises a member for each one of the EFSF Shareholders. Each EFSF Shareholder proposes for nomination to the Board of Directors its representative in the Eurogroup Working Group (or such person's alternate as representative on such group). The European Commission and ECB may participate as observers.
The Board performs all EFSF acts of administration. The Board decides on the disbursement of loans under existing loan facilities, and is also responsible for drawing up the balance sheet, and the profit and loss accounts of the EFSF.
The conduct of the daily management and affairs is delegated to Pierre Gramegna, the CEO of the EFSF.
EFSF Board of Directors meeting documents library
Heiko Thoms
Peter Paluš
EFSF Audit Committee
The EFSF Audit Committee is a sub-committee of the Board of Directors.
The Audit Committee consist of five members appointed from among the Directors and assists the Board of Directors in the discharge of its responsibilities in the areas of financial reporting, internal control and risk management. The Committee monitors the financial reporting process, and the effectiveness of the EFSF internal control, internal audit and risk management systems. It also reviews the statutory audit of the annual and consolidated accounts, and recommends the external auditor to the Board of Directors.
EFSF Annual Accounts
The EFSF Annual Accounts, which are accompanied by the EFSF Management Report, comprise the following financial statements:
Background: For reasons of transparency and the protection of third parties, companies registered in Luxembourg are required to lodge the annual accounts with the Luxembourg Trade and Companies Register (Registre de Commerce et des Sociétés - RCS) and to mention the lodging of the accounts (statement of submission) in the Luxembourg Official Journal.