International network

The Association of Danish Mortgage Banks is member of and participates in the work in a number of international organizations and associations.

European Mortgage Federation (EMF)

The European Mortgage Federation (EMF) is the European mortgage credit organization. EMF was established in 1967 and is represented by the mortgage banks or their trade organizations from the main part of the EU-countries. To these should be added associated members and members with observer status. The Association of Danish Mortgage Banks has been a member since 1973.

EMF's secretariat is situated in Brussels and prepares information about the development within the mortgage credit sector in the countries represented in the organization. The EMF's secretariat handles tasks within capital market conditions, consumer policy and negotiations with various administrative and political institutions and committees.

European Covered Bond Council (ECBC)

EMF established European Covered Bond Council (ECBC) in November 2004 to meet the heavily increasing global distribution and interest in covered bonds. The aim is to strengthen EMF's internal work with covered bonds - including mortgage bonds - and to raise the profile of covered bonds as funding instrument. ECBC works especially with rating, capital requirements and development of statistical material. The Association of Danish Mortgage Banks is represented in ECBC's various working groups.

ECBC has 84 members including bond issuing institutions, investment and commercial banks and rating agencies.

European Banking Industry Committee (EBIC)

European Banking Industry Committee (EBIC) advises the European Commission and relates to the Commission's proposals in the financial area. The umbrella organization, of which EMF is member, was established in 2004 with starting point in the Lamfalussy-decision procedure.

EBIC has five working groups:

• Mortgage credit loans/housing loans
• Consumer credit directive
• Financial integration/follow-up on financial action plan
• Supervisory conditions
• Laundering

The Association of Danish Mortgage Banks is represented in the working groups mortgage credit loans/housing loans and supervisory conditions.

International Union for Housing Finance (IUHF)

International Union for Housing Finance (IUHF) promotes the understanding for and the development of financing of real property. IUHF, of which the Association of Danish Mortgage Banks has been a member for a number of years, was established in 1914 and has about 150 members from about 50 countries.

IUHF publishes surveys of the member countries' financing methods of real property and the quarterly magazine "Housing Finance International". IUHF's head quarter is situated in London.

The Nordic Mortgage Council (NRS)

The Nordic Mortgage Council (NRS) is a cooperation among the mortgage banks in Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark. The objective of the cooperation is to exchange experiences in the mortgage credit area in the Nordic countries.

NRS was established in 1932 and Danish mortgage credit has been a member ever since. The secretariat function is by turns among the participating countries.

Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS)

The Association of Danish Mortgage Banks is a member of the European think tank Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS) situated in Brussels. The Association of Danish Mortgage Banks thus follows the development in the financial area in EU and on a global level.