FRANKFURT -- German banks on Friday strongly rejected proposals to create a joint deposit guarantee scheme in the European Union.

They said the proposal was one-sided in the current economic environment, and that European legislators should instead push plans for a joint deposit-guarantee schemes directive, to prevent capital flight from economically weaker countries.

The German banking sector said in a press statement that the European Commission's proposal would result in deposit protection systems set up by German banks and saving institutions being used to rescue other European lenders that run into financial problems.

"Given economic data, extensive benefits for the German banking sector from other European nations" banks are unlikely," said the German BVR bank lobby group, which is currently representing all German banks.

It added that the situation in certain states' banking industries means the German sector would open itself up to greater risks if such a collective agreement were to be enforced. That wouldn't be in the interest of German banks' customers, it said.

Instead of creating a joint deposit guarantee scheme, "it would be more conducive to push ahead with the EU's deposit-guarantee schemes directive and approve it in a timely manner," German banks said.

They said the proposed EU deposit-guarantee schemes directive, which has already been discussed intensively, would ensure that uniform deposit-scheme standards are created Europe-wide, and would prevent capital flight from weaker countries.

The bank lobby group's statement comes a day after European Central Bank President Mario Draghi urged Europe's political leaders to quickly come up with a longer-term vision for the euro zone including a "banking union" to protect depositors and prevent failed banks from threatening the financial system.