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Q&As refer to the provisions in force on the day of their publication. The EBA does not systematically review published Q&As following the amendment of legislative acts. Users of the Q&A tool should therefore check the date of publication of the Q&A and whether the provisions referred to in the answer remain the same.

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List of Q&A's

Grandfathering of Own Funds Instruments

When an institution has launched an exchange offer, prior to December 31st 2011, that will exchange, on a one for one basis, existing Tier 1 bonds, with or without an incentive to redeem, with bonds that have similar provisions, the same coupons and call dates, but a different issuer (within the same banking group), will the newly issued bonds be considered in the same category as the former bonds (with or without an incentive to redeem)? This seems consistent with the fact that the newly issued bonds obviously do not have a coupon that is priced at fair market value on the issuance date, so assessing whether they have an incentive to redeem the day they are issued does not really make sense, but a clarification would be helpful.

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Not applicable
  • ID: 2013_220
  • Topic: Own funds
  • Date of submission:
  • Published as final Q&A: 06/06/2014

Inclusion of year-end profit in Common Equity Tier1 Capital as of the end of first quarter of the following year.

Can the year-end profit (reduced by the expected burdens and dividends), after verification by persons independent of the institution that are responsible for the auditing of the accounts of that institution, be included in Common Equity Tier1 Capital of the institution as of the end of first quarter of the following year without the prior permission of the competent authority in the situation in which the General Meeting of Shareholders approves the financial statements with the year-end profit (and approves the dividend in the amount reducing the year-end profit in the calculation) before the issuing date of the first quarter financial statements, but after the date of first quarter reporting period?

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Not applicable
  • ID: 2013_208
  • Topic: Own funds
  • Date of submission:
  • Published as final Q&A: 06/12/2013

10% limit for significant investments (for threshold exemptions determination purposes)

Could the EBA confirm that in a situation where the total amount of significant investment in a financial sector entity (the direct, indirect and synthetic holdings by the institution of the Common Equity Tier 1 instruments of that entity) exceed 10% of relevant Common Equity Tier1 items, such amount can be included in 15% threshold exemptions up to 10% of this amount and remaining surplus above 10% limit will be treated as a deduction of CET1. Example in background.

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Not applicable
  • ID: 2013_205
  • Topic: Own funds
  • Date of submission:
  • Published as final Q&A: 08/05/2014

Own funds deduction (granted subordinated loan)

According to Directive 2006/48/EC regarding own funds deduction, a subordinated loan granted by institution ‘A’ to institution ‘B’ in which institution ‘A’ has a significant investments has to be deducted from institution ‘A’s own funds (in 50% from Tier1 and in 50% from Tier2). Simultaneously a received subordinated loan is treated as component of Tier2 of institution ‘B’. In Regulation (EU) No. 575/2013 (CRR) there is no clear information regarding deducting such an instrument from own funds. In the light of the above, should a granted subordinated loan be treated as Tier2 deduction - according to the Article 66 of CRR? If not, how should such an instrument be treated?

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Not applicable
  • ID: 2013_182
  • Topic: Own funds
  • Date of submission:
  • Published as final Q&A: 26/09/2014

Eligibility of Tier 2 after contractual change if already in amortisation phase

This is a follow up question to 2013_16, where it is stated that "A material change in the terms and conditions of a pre-existing instrument shall be considered in the same way as the issuance of a new instrument, meaning that the changes shall aim at ensuring a full eligibility...". Does this principle apply only to changes that would lead to inclusion in grandfathering or also to instruments which after a contractual change (removal of call rights) would be fully eligible but already are within the last 5 years of their maturity and therefore recognized according to amortization rules?

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Not applicable
  • ID: 2013_174
  • Topic: Own funds
  • Date of submission:
  • Published as final Q&A: 24/01/2014

Treatment of existing Tier 1 and Tier 2 instruments

This question is a supplement to Question 2013_46. For Tier 1 or Tier 2 instruments with an incentive to redeem and quarterly/semi-annual/annual calls beyond the first call date, would these instruments qualify as Tier 2 capital if the issuer gave an undertaking to its regulator and the market that it would not exercise its call option for at least 5 years after the first call date? This would save the issuer the time and expense of having to modify the actual instrument documentation but would achieve a similar outcome in terms of its capital position/quality.

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Not applicable
  • ID: 2013_105
  • Topic: Own funds
  • Date of submission:
  • Published as final Q&A: 13/12/2013

Transitional provision for deferred tax assets that rely on future profitability

Article 478.2 of the CRR states "By way of derogation from paragraph 1, for the items referred in point (c) of Article 36(1) that existed prior to …, the applicable percentage for the purpose of point (c) of Article 469(1) shall fall within the following ranges" It is not clear to me what to read instead of "..." or how this date will be disclosed.

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Not applicable
  • ID: 2013_67
  • Topic: Own funds
  • Date of submission:

Grandfathering of own funds instruments

Based on the answer to question 2013_16, if a step-up Tier 2 bond’s terms were changed so that all call options were removed – before the entry in force of the Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR) – could it be considered as fully eligible in Tier 2 capital assuming that the capital instrument meets the other conditions laid down in Article 63 of the Regulation?

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Not applicable
  • ID: 2013_61
  • Topic: Own funds
  • Date of submission:
  • Published as final Q&A: 24/01/2014

Grandfathering

Article 486(3)(c) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR) states: “the amount of instruments referred to in Article 484(4) which on 31 December 2012 exceeded the limits specified in the national transposition measures for point (a) of Article 66(1) and Article 66(1a) of Directive 2006/48/EC;..” is to be deducted from the amount eligible for inclusion.” This same rule is also applied for Tier 1 grandfathering under CRR. This in effect preserves the current Tier 2 restrictions. Because that amount is at an aggregate level i.e. not by instrument, how then are the individual instruments to be treated under CRR? Each instrument may have different terms including maturity and so how should aggregated restricted amount be spread across instruments?

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Not applicable
  • ID: 2013_60
  • Topic: Own funds
  • Date of submission:
  • Published as final Q&A: 29/11/2013

Grandfathering on own funds instruments

What will be the treatment of the "phased-out" amounts which exceed the applicable percentages according to Article 486 (5)) of grandfathered Additional Tier 1 instruments which are non-eligible due to an incentive to redeem (accord. to Art 489) or a coupon pusher (accord. to Art 53 (a)), during the grandfathering period (accord. to Art. 486 (5)). Will the phased-out amounts flow into grandfathered Tier 2 amounts (subject to applicable limits) or will they lose their regulatory recognition completely (i.e. are these amounts entirely eliminated from regulatory own funds)?

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Not applicable
  • ID: 2013_56
  • Topic: Own funds
  • Date of submission:
  • Published as final Q&A: 15/11/2013

Treatment of Upper Tier 2 instruments under CRR

Can existing Upper Tier 2 instruments with a provision such as "the institution has the right to defer the payment of interest because the institution has not paid dividends on ordinary shares (Core Equity Tier 1 – CET1) and on hybrid instruments (Additional Tier 1 – AT1)" qualify as fully eligible Tier 2 instruments under Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)?

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Not applicable
  • ID: 2013_54
  • Topic: Own funds
  • Date of submission:
  • Published as final Q&A: 31/10/2013

Grandfathering of Non-Step Tier 1 instruments

A Tier 1 instrument, with no incentive to redeem, was issued prior to 31 December 2011, and, at the time of issue, was not callable for 5 years. It reaches its first call date in May 2014, and is callable quarterly thereafter. It is not called at its first call date. It does not meet all of the requirements as T1 capital under Article 52. Subject to grandfathering limits, does the instrument continue to count as Tier 1 capital? If it does not count toward Tier 1, would it count as Tier 2?

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Not applicable
  • ID: 2013_52
  • Topic: Own funds
  • Date of submission:
  • Published as final Q&A: 15/11/2013

Unrealised Gains and Losses

Under to Article 467 and 468 of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR), what is the appropriate level of aggregation with respect to unrealised gains or losses at which the percentages have to be applied respectively? Please indicate the appropriate level of application.

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Not applicable
  • ID: 2013_51
  • Topic: Own funds
  • Date of submission:

Capital instruments that were issued with an incentive to redeem but no longer contain one

In EBA Q&A Question: 2013_15 you state "The fact that the instrument is not called does not mean that the instrument may be reclassified as an instrument without an incentive to redeem". Was this meant specifically within the context of grandfathering or more broadly. For example, a T1 instrument with its first call prior to 31 December 2011 and therefore can be subject to grandfathering but also on a forward looking basis no longer contains an incentive to redeem, if this instrument has call resets every 5 years will this instrument be eligible for T2 qualification under CRR when it falls out of grandfathering. More specifically does the fact a bond was ISSUED with an incentive to redeem in the past specifically preclude it from being eligible for T2 treatment, even if following the call date and on a forward looking basis this incentive to redeem no longer exists?

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Not applicable
  • ID: 2013_50
  • Topic: Own funds
  • Date of submission:
  • Published as final Q&A: 20/06/2014

Possibility to remove a Tier 1's call options to make the securities Tier 2 compliant

Based on the answer to question 2013_16, if a step-up Tier 1 bond’s terms were changed (which had a call date in, say, 2016) so that all call options were removed, this could not prolong its grandfathering as Tier 1, if that were the sole rationale for removing the calls. However, if a removal of calls is to make the Tier 1 bonds count as eligible Tier 2 (as there is no call feature), then could they be reclassified as Tier 2?

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Not applicable
  • ID: 2013_49
  • Topic: Own funds
  • Date of submission:
  • Published as final Q&A: 06/12/2013

Treatment of Tier 1 securities with calls every 5 years (as opposed to quarterly calls)

Could a Tier 1 security with an incentive to redeem and a first call date post January 1, 2014 (say, in 2016) and which is callable every 5 years after the first call date count as Tier 2 if not called at the first call date? This question is partly based on the answer to the question 2013_15, where the EBA gives clarity on the fact that non-called Tier 1 cannot count as Tier 2 post the first call date, as they are callable every quarter on so do not comply with Tier 2 requirement - which is not the case here.

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Not applicable
  • ID: 2013_48
  • Topic: Own funds
  • Date of submission:
  • Published as final Q&A: 31/01/2014

Treatment of non-grandfathered amount of bonds

1. As of January 1, 2014, if an innovative Tier 1 security has more than 5 years to the first call date (e.g., a first call in 2020), does the non-grandfathered amount of bonds (i.e. 100%-80% = 20% in 2014) have any regulatory value? Could this be Tier 2 until 2015, given it will have at least 5 years to the first call date as per Article 63 Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)? 2. In a similar vein, can the non-grandfathered part of non-innovative Tier 1 with no incentive to redeem count as Tier 2, either pre- or post-first call date?

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Not applicable
  • ID: 2013_47
  • Topic: Own funds
  • Date of submission:
  • Published as final Q&A: 20/12/2013

Old-style Tier 1 requalifying as CRR Tier 2 capital

When an old-style Tier 1 instrument with an incentive to call passes its step-up date and ceases to be recognised as grandfathered Tier 1 capital under Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR), can it qualify as Tier 2 capital going forward if it were to meet all the requirements of Article 63 of CRR? For many existing instruments, the quarterly calls following the first call date of the Tier 1 instrument would prevent the inclusion in Tier 2 capital under CRR. If an old-style Tier 1 instrument had the Issuer's Call entirely removed from the instrument's documentation by the Issuer or Trustee, could it theoretically requalify as Tier 2 if it met all the other provisions for Tier 2 capital (Article 63 etc) after the removal of the Call provision?

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Not applicable
  • ID: 2013_46
  • Topic: Own funds
  • Date of submission:
  • Published as final Q&A: 29/11/2013

Grandfathering, cascading and phasing out limits

In the case of an issuer whose outstanding Tier 2 instruments as at December 2012 are fully CRR compliant (ie bullet Tier 2 bonds), should Article 486(4) apply? To put it simply: can an issuer still have some disqualfied parts of Tier 1 instruments (for limit reasons) cascaded into Tier 2 even if the issuer has no phased out Tier 2 amount as at December 2012 (and hence no phased out limits for Tier 2) ?

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Not applicable
  • ID: 2013_44
  • Topic: Own funds
  • Date of submission:
  • Published as final Q&A: 29/11/2013

Treatment of non-step Tier 1 hybrids post grandfathering

This query concerns “non-innovative” (i.e. non step) hybrid Tier 1 instruments that fully qualified as original own funds which are now callable every quarter, which do not meet the requirements of Article 52 but are eligible for grandfathering under Article 484 of Regulation (EU) No. 575/2013 (CRR). Once they cease to be eligible (in part or in full) as AT1 due to the grandfathering limits, is the de-recognised amount eligible as Tier 2?"

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Not applicable
  • ID: 2013_40
  • Topic: Own funds
  • Date of submission:
  • Published as final Q&A: 15/11/2013