The purpose of the data collected under Regulation (EU) No 1011/2012 of the European Central Bank (ECB/2012/24)2 is to provide the European System of Central Banks (ESCB) with comprehensive statistical information on the exposure of economic sectors and group data reporting agents in the Member States whose currency is the euro to specific classes of securities at a very disaggregated level. This information facilitates the in-depth analysis of the monetary policy transmission mechanism and the evaluation of the Eurosystem's risk exposures in its monetary policy operations. It also allows for in-depth analysis of financial stability, including the identification and monitoring of risks to it.

Within the framework of Council Regulation (EU) No 1024/20133, Regulation (EU) No 806/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council4 and of Council Regulation (EU) No 1096/20105, the data obtained are also used for prudential supervision and resolution purposes and are provided to the European Systemic Risk Board.

The concept of group data reporting agents has been introduced and defined in Regulation (EU) No 1011/2012 (ECB/2012/24) by Regulation (EU) 2016/1384 of the European Central Bank (ECB/2016/22)6. The Governing Council of the European Central Bank (ECB) will identify group data reporting agents for the purpose of the data collection under Regulation (EU) No 1011/2012 (ECB/2012/24) taking into account several criteria, including the relevance of the group data reporting agent for the stability and functioning of the financial system in the euro area and/or individual Member States. It needs to be specified for greater legal clarity that all significant supervised entities that are directly supervised by the ECB in accordance with Council Regulation (EU) No 1024/2013, are to be regarded as being of relevance for the stability and functioning of the financial system, and consequently they can also be identified as group data reporting agents.

Subject to the decision of the relevant national central bank (NCB), after the entry into force of Regulation (EU) 2016/1384 group data reporting agents can report data reported pursuant to Article 3a of Regulation (EU) No 1011/2012 (ECB/2012/24) (hereinafter ‘group data’) directly to the ECB. This will allow a more efficient use of the available information technology infrastructure of the ESCB Securities Holdings Statistics Database and avoid the need to set up separate national data processing systems at each NCB.

If an NCB decides not to collect group data, it should inform the ECB, in which case the ECB should take over the task of collecting the data directly from the group data reporting agents. The ECB and the NCB concerned should make the necessary arrangements between them.

Therefore, Regulation (EU) No 1011/2012 (ECB/2012/24) should be amended accordingly,