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* The European Banking Authority released a report identifying potential barriers to cross-border provision of banking and payment services in the EU, and has called on the European Commission to facilitate the scaling up of cross-border activities in the EU. The EBA also proposed several changes to EU laws aimed at strengthening depositor protection, improving depositor information, enhancing financial stability and reinforcing the operational effectiveness of deposit guarantee schemes.
* EU finance ministers are set to order the European Commission to make recommendations on a new independent enforcement body that will crack down on money laundering activity by monitoring financial institutions' compliance with the bloc's rules, the Financial Times reported, citing a draft statement to be endorsed when the ministers meet in December.
* U.K.-based European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is looking to sell its entire 10% stake in Borsa Istanbul AS as soon as possible, driven by concerns over the direction of the exchange following the appointment of former Türkiye Halk Bankasi AS executive Hakan Atilla as the bourse's new CEO, insiders told Reuters. The EBRD previously said it opposed the Turkish government's appointment of Atilla, who was jailed in the U.S. in 2018 after being convicted for helping Iran evade U.S. sanctions.
UK AND IRELAND
* Lloyds Banking Group PLC reported third-quarter statutory loss after tax of £238 million, compared to a restated profit of £1.42 billion in the year-ago period. The result included an additional £1.80 billion provision for payment protection insurance, reflecting a significant increase in PPI information requests in the run up to the Aug. 29 deadline for filing of claims. Meanwhile, the group said COO Juan Colombás plans to retire in July 2020.
* Bank of Ireland Group PLC said it is trading in line with expectations, with its net interest margin for the first nine months standing at 2.15% and third-quarter operating expenses falling roughly 3% on a yearly basis.
* British banknote printing firm De La Rue PLC said it expects adjusted operating profit for full year 2019-2020 to be "significantly lower than market expectations," but did not give a reason. The company also said it expects adjusted operating profit for the half year ended Sept. 28 to be in the low-to-mid single digit millions,...