Bundesverband der Deutschen Volksbanken und Raiffeisenbanken

The National Association of German Cooperative Banks
Native name
Bundesverband der Deutschen Volksbanken und Raiffeisenbanken
Founded1972 (1972)
HeadquartersBerlin (Bonn until 2001)
Key people
Gerhard Hofmann and Andreas Martin, co-Chairs
Marija Kolak, President
Websitewww.bvr.de
BVR headquarters in Berlin

The National Association of German Cooperative Banks (German: Bundesverband der Deutschen Volksbanken und Raiffeisenbanken, BVR) is the umbrella association for the German Cooperative Financial Group. Its origins go back to 1864 as Allgemeiner Verband der auf Selbsthilfe beruhenden Deutschen Erwerbs- und Wirtschaftsgenossenschaften. As of 2015 it had 1,021 members, which represents all the cooperative banks in Germany, including local cooperative banks, PSD banks, Sparda banks, Church banks and Cooperative financial institutions, managing around 1.200 trillion euros.[1]

The BVR represents the interests of the German Cooperative Financial Institutions at both national and international levels and coordinates and develops the joint strategy within the Network. The BVR advises and supports its members on legal, taxation, and business management issues.

The Cooperative Financial Group's institutional protection scheme is Germany's oldest deposit guarantee scheme for banks and is run by the BVR. The BVR informs its member banks on economic and political developments and publishes the “Bank-Information” newsletter. European affairs are dealt with by a representation in Brussels. The BVR is member of the European Association of Co-operative Banks (EACB).[2]

  1. ^ "Press - Facts and figures - BVR - National Association of German Cooperative Banks".
  2. ^ European Commission