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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.

Please note that the Q&As related to the supervisory benchmarking exercises have been moved to the dedicated handbook page. You can submit Q&As on this topic here.

List of Q&A's

Qualifying own funds included in consolidated own funds

Should an institution which has issued Additional Tier 1 (AT1) and Tier 2 (T2) instruments to external investors, and which is subject to consolidated supervision on the basis of the consolidated situation of its immediate parent financial holding company, apply the restrictions on the consolidated inclusion of AT1/T2 instruments issued by subsidiaries as provided for in Articles 82 and 85-88 of the CRR, where the parent holding company’s only assets are the shares in the institution?

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Not applicable

Grandfathering of own funds instruments

For application of the grandfathering rules defined in Article 484 CRR and following, does the change in debtor resulting from a merger means that a new capital instrument has been issued and that its eligibility for grandfathering or for full eligibility as an own fund instrument should be assessed at the date of the merger or should one use the initial characteristics of the bond?

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Not applicable

Commitment to buy newly issued shares and synthetic holding deduction

What would be the prudential treatment applicable to a financial instrument where a bank commits itself to buy newly issued shares of an insurance company for a given amount should certain events occur?

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Regulation (EU) No 241/2014 - RTS for Own Funds requirements for institutions

Clarification of the conditions for reduction of own funds due to Article 77 CRR and Article 28 RTS on Own funds.

Should deductions from own funds with regard to a permission to reduce own funds in accordance with Article 77 of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR) be made right after the permission from the competent authority (CA) is granted or could it be later at the time of the institution’s public announcement in accordance with Article 28 (2) of the RTS on Own Funds? In that context, how should the concept of ‘sufficient certainty’ of Article 28 (2) RTS be applied?

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Regulation (EU) No 241/2014 - RTS for Own Funds requirements for institutions

Deduction of deferred tax assets

Does the CRR recognise any form of deferred tax assets (DTAs) that do not rely on future profitability, other than those specified in Article 39(2) of the CRR?

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Not applicable

Deduction of deferred tax assets

Regarding the phasing-in percentages established in Article 478(2) of the CRR, how should the deduction amount  be calculated during the transitional period when part of the stock of DTAs existed prior to 1 January 2014?

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Not applicable

Prior permission for repurchase of CET 1 instruments for discretionary trading activity over treasury shares for a certain predetermined amount.

Should the prior permission for the repurchase of CET 1 instruments for discretionary trading activity over treasury shares be subject to Article 78(1) last subparagraph of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)? In such case, would any general prior permission to repurchase CET 1 instruments for discretionary trading activity over treasury shares purposes result in a deduction from own funds at the time when the permission is granted or would a deduction from own funds be made at the time when the relevant repurchase of CET 1 instruments takes place?

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Regulation (EU) No 241/2014 - RTS for Own Funds requirements for institutions

Deduction from CET1 of significant holdings in financial sector entities (FSE) and protection acquired to limit downside investment exposure

Will the hedge with the 3rd party as described in the example in the background result in the deduction from CET1 (as per Article 36 CRR) being reduced from €750m to €250m?

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Not applicable

Minority Interests

In relation to the calculations mentioned in Article 81 CRR, does the information relating to a subsidiary have to be calculated before or after the consolidation process of that subsidiary in the group?

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Not applicable

Instrumenty w Tier II / Tier 2 instruments and incentives to redeem or repay subordinated bonds prior to their maturity.

Original questionArtykuł 63 lit. h) Rozporządzenia Parlamentu Europejskiego i Rady (UE) nr 575/2013 z dnia 26 czerwca 2013 r., stwierdza, że aby instrumenty kapitałowe i pożyczki podporządkowane mogły zostać zakwalifikowane do kapitału Tier II „przepisy regulujące dane instrumenty lub pożyczki podporządkowane, stosownie do przypadku, nie zawierają żadnej zachęty do wykupu lub spłaty – stosownie do przypadku – kwoty głównej tych instrumentów lub pożyczek przez daną instytucję przed terminem ich zapadalności”. Równocześnie art. 20 Rozporządzenia Delegowanego Komisji (UE) Nr 241/2014 z dnia 7 stycznia 2014 r., określa formę i charakter zachęt do wcześniejszego wykupu do celów art. 63 lit h) Rozporządzenia nr 575/2013. Czy przepisy regulujące pożyczkę podporządkowaną, w których zapisano, że emitent po uzyskaniu zgody Komisji Nadzoru Finansowego, ma prawo, ale nie obowiązek dokonać wcześniejszego wykupu przedmiotowych obligacji, nie wcześniej jednak niż w terminie 5 lat po dacie emisji oraz, iż w okresie ostatnich 5 lat przed terminem wykupu obligacji, będzie sukcesywnie podnosił oprocentowanie wyemitowanych instrumentów, zawierają zachętę do wcześniejszego wykupu lub spłaty? Jeżeli tak, to czy zgodnie z zapisami art. 20 ust. 2 Rozporządzenia Delegowanego Komisji (UE) Nr 241/2014, oznacza to, że w przepisach regulujących wskazaną wyżej pożyczkę podporządkowaną zawarta jest „opcja kupna połączona ze zwiększeniem spreadu kredytowego instrumentu w przypadku nieprzeprowadzenia wezwania do sprzedaży” lub inna forma zachęt określona w Rozporządzeniu Nr 241/2014? Jeżeli tak, to czy formalny brak zgody Komisji Nadzoru Finansowego (art. 78 ust. 1 Rozporządzenia nr 575/2013) na wcześniejszy wykup wskazanych wyżej obligacji podporządkowanych jest równoznaczny z anulowaniem zachęty do wcześniejszego wykupu lub spłaty?English translation:The provisions regulating a specific subordinated loan that has been issued in 2012 state that, having received the consent of the Competent Authority, the issuer is entitled to, but not required to, redeem the bonds in question prior to their maturity date, and that, within the final five years prior to the bond redemption date, the issuer shall successively increase the interest rate for the instruments issued.Q1: Are the corresponding provisions deemed to include any incentive to redeem or repay prior to the maturity date despite the need to obtain first the consent from the Competent Authority? Said otherwise, is a formal lack of consent of the relevant Competent Authority (Article 78(1) of the CRR) for redemption of the aforementioned subordinated bonds prior to their maturity equivalent to cancelling an incentive to redeem or repay them prior to their maturity?Q2: What would be the regulatory status of the subordinated bonds in the case where the relevant Competent Authority does not give its consent for the redemption of such instruments prior to their maturity?

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Regulation (EU) No 241/2014 - RTS for Own Funds requirements for institutions

Minority Interests

How should the calculations, needed for the minority interests’ calculation under Article 81 CRR, be converted into Euros where the local currency of the subsidiary is different from the parent’s currency?

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Not applicable

Incentives to redeem of a hybrid instrument with a call for grandfathering purposes

Article 489 of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR) provides for the grandfathering treatment of hybrid instruments with a call and an incentive to redeem. A bank has issued a bond with a fixed coupon before the first call date and a floating rate coupon after the first call date. The credit spread of the fixed coupon as of the issuance date is the same as the margin of the floating rate coupon after the first call date, so there is no immediate step-up there. However, the floating rate coupon is floored at the level of the fixed rate coupon. Does this constitute an incentive to redeem ?

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Regulation (EU) No 241/2014 - RTS for Own Funds requirements for institutions

Is a tied agent of the investment firm a financial institution and should it be included in prudential consolidation

1. Should a company acting as a tied agent of the investment firm be included in prudential consolidation according to Art. 18 of CRR, if the tied agent is controlled by the same holding company as the investment firm (or by the investment firm itself)? 2. Should the company acting as a tied agent be included in the prudential consolidation a) because it is an ancillary services undertaking in accordance with Art. 4(1) point 18 of CRR, b) because it is a financial institution in accordance with Art. 4 (1) point 26 of CRR, or c) because of some other justification to require the consolidation, or d) should it not be consolidated at all in accordance with Art. 18(1) nor (8) of CRR.

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Not applicable

Calculation of the predetermined amount for market making purposes

Which amount has to be taken into account in market making operations when the nominal amount of the repurchased CET 1 instruments , e.g. shares, is 1 EUR per share but the current market price which has to be paid for the repurchase of the share is higher, for example 20 EUR. Which amount has to be taken into account to compute the predetermined maximum amount for market making purposes for which a general prior permission has been granted by the competent authority (CA) according to the second subparagraph of Article 78(1) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)?

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Regulation (EU) No 241/2014 - RTS for Own Funds requirements for institutions

Gross-up calls on Tier 2

Should gross-up cases on Tier 2 be allowed only in relation to coupon withholding tax (and not principal)?

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Regulation (EU) No 241/2014 - RTS for Own Funds requirements for institutions

Taps on callable instruments

If a tap of an instrument is priced at a lower credit spread than the initial spread of the original issue, would the reset of the margin at the first call date to the initial spread of the original issue be considered an incentive to redeem as per Article 20 of EBA RTS for Own Funds requirements for institutions?If a tap of an instrument is priced at a lower credit spread than the initial spread of the original issue, would the reset of the margin at the first call date to the initial spread of the original issue be considered an incentive to redeem as per Article 20 of EBA RTS for Own Funds requirements for institutions?

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Regulation (EU) No 241/2014 - RTS for Own Funds requirements for institutions

Clarification is sought on the treatment of defined benefit pension funds for the purposes of determining market risk RWA

Article 41(1) or Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR) and EBA Q&A 2014_1567 clarify that with respect to credit risk RWA, only the assets according to Article 41(1)(b), i.e. the assets for which the institution has an unrestricted ability to use and that have been use to reduce the CET1 deduction amount, must be captured for credit risk RWA purposes. We would like to reconfirm that the same treatment applies for market risk RWA, e.g. with respect to FX risk.

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Not applicable

Supervisory permission for reducing own funds if the institution repays share premium to its shareholders

Is supervisory permission required where an institution reduces its own funds by repaying share premium to its shareholders without simultaneously reducing, repurchasing, calling or redeeming the own funds instrument to which the share premium relates?Would the answer to this question change if the institution would first (have to) convert the share premium to reserves in order for the share premium to become repayable?

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Not applicable

General credit risk adjustment (GCRA) inclusion into Tier 2 capital

For the purpose of the inclusion into institutions' Tier 2 capital and in the event of interim profits or year-end profits that have not been approved in accordance with Article 26(2) CRR (a.k.a. "interim GCRAs"), are the general credit risk adjustments (GCRAs) required to be immediately deducted from institutions' CET1 capital?Are "interim GCRAs" eligible as a Tier 2 capital regardless either the fulfilment of Article 26(2) of CRR, or without immediate reduction from CET1 capital?

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Regulation (EU) No 183/2014 - RTS for the calculation of specific and general credit risk adjustments

Short positions in financial institution capital instruments

1. For a contract between bank A and B as set out in the background that is a forward sell (physical delivery), can Bank A deduct from its own funds the net position on FSE?2. For a contract between bank A and B as set out in the background that is cash-settled (TRS, future, options), can Bank A deduct from its own funds the net position on FSE?

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Regulation (EU) No 241/2014 - RTS for Own Funds requirements for institutions