16/04/2020 (Agence Europe) – As expected, the European Finance Ministers adopted without discussion, during a meeting by videoconference on Thursday 16 April, a declaration calling on banks to continue to grant loans to households and companies in difficulty due to the COVID-19 pandemic and to maintain the proper functioning of the insurance sector (see EUROPE 12463/3). The statement calls for flexible application of banking prudential rules “at a time when sufficient funding to cover financial pressures is vital for the economy”. Member States are also calling on banks and insurance companies to temporarily suspend dividend payments to their shareholders so that they can use this capital to meet urgent financing needs arising from the crisis. See the Ministers’ statement: https://bit.ly/34F02o5 (MF)