April 29 (Reuters) - Ratings agency Standard & Poors said ithas downgraded 15 European banks, including Barclays Credit Suisse and Deutsche Bank, afterEuropean lawmakers agreed on a framework that preventsgovernments from having to bail out troubled banks.
The European Parliament signed off this month on new laws tomake it easier - and less costly for taxpayers - to wind downproblem banks, after long wrangling over rules for an industryblamed for triggering the worst economic slump in a generation.
S&P said extraordinary government support for these bankswould likely diminish as regulators implement the reforms,downgrading them to 'negative' from 'stable.
The banks, many of which are systemically important, alsoincluded ABN AMRO, Bank Of Ireland and ING Bank.
"We observe similar powers coming into force inLiechtenstein and Norway, and already in place in Switzerland,which are not EU members," the ratings agency added.
S&P also raised its ratings on Danske Bank andArgenta Spaarbank, while keeping 'negative' outlookson 38 banks and 'stable' outlooks on 15 banks. It maintained itsCreditWatch rating on five banks, with negative implications. (Reporting by Richa Naidu in Bangalore; Editing by DavidGregorio)