The legal status of SKOK Credit Unions in the European Union banking regulations and Polish banking system

The SKOK Credit Unions, despite the fact that they are executing bank activities, don't have the legal status of banks. They aren't also credit institutions in the understanding of the Polish Banking Law Act, though in terms of the EU banking directives they are included in this group. Undoubtedly they are financial institutions, in the broad sense, both on the ground of European and Polish law, because they are providing banking (financial) services on the financial market. The SKOK Credit Unions have the other legal status from the institutions operating on the financial market. The National Credit Union is the only institution entitled to supervise the credit union sector and the TUW-SKOK Mutual Benefit Insurance Company operating the deposit insurance system. The safety net of SKOK credit institutions is based on these institutions in maintaining stable functioning of this special part of the domestic financial market.