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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.

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List of Q&A's

COREP CR IRB - Calculation of column 10 - obligor PD with or without CRM technique

When calculating the weighted average PD on column 010, should we consider the PD assigned to the obligor only, or should we take into account the change in PD related to CRM technique (PD substitution on covered exposure)?

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Regulation (EU) No 680/2014 - ITS on supervisory reporting of institutions (repealed)
  • ID: 2013_564
  • Topic: Supervisory reporting - COREP (incl. IP Losses)
  • Date of submission:
  • Published as final Q&A: 27/06/2014

Calculation of retail exposures under Article 123(c) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)

Does expression from point (c) of the first subparagraph of Article 123 of Regulation (EU) 575/2013 (CRR) “the total amount owed to the institution and parent undertakings and its subsidiaries” refer to exposure value as of Article 111 1. net exposure value (after deduction specific credit risk adjustments and additional adjustments) of an asset and of an off-balance sheet? Should the exposure value (the sum of current replacement cost and potential future credit exposure) of derivative instruments be included in calculation of total amount owed to the institution, laid down in point (c) of Article 123? Should the total amount owed to the institution and parent undertakings and its subsidiaries as of Article 123 (c) include: - An off-balance sheet item = 50 000 EUR? - Credit risk adjustments = -10 000 EUR? - Value of derivative instrument? If so, should both current replacement cost and potential future credit exposure be included?

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Not applicable
  • ID: 2014_707
  • Topic: Credit risk
  • Date of submission:
  • Published as final Q&A: 27/06/2014

Retail exposure class and risk weight for exposure value of derivative instruments

Should the credit risk exposures and counterparty credit risk exposures for the same customer be classified as retail exposures if the criteria from Article 123 points (a) to (c) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR) are met and they are classified neither as exposures in default nor as exposures secured by mortgages on immovable property? Are there any restrictions in assigning derivative instrument to the retail exposures class and to use one of the preferential risk weights of 75% except criteria from Article 123?

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Not applicable
  • ID: 2014_704
  • Topic: Credit risk
  • Date of submission:
  • Published as final Q&A: 27/06/2014

Outflows from credit and liquidity facilities

Please confirm the interpretation that a general working capital facility made available to a client meets the condition detailed in Article 424(3)(c) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR) if the client can use the facility in situations where the client is unable to obtain its funding requirements in the financial markets provided that the facility has not been expressly and solely provided for this purpose.

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Not applicable
  • ID: 2013_563
  • Topic: Liquidity risk
  • Date of submission:
  • Published as final Q&A: 27/06/2014

Supervisory Reporting requirements of branches in host countries

What supervisory reporting requirements apply for branches of credit institutions authorised in another member state or a third country in their host country? (for example a branch of a German bank in Austria).

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Regulation (EU) No 680/2014 - ITS on supervisory reporting of institutions (repealed)
  • ID: 2013_484
  • Topic: Supervisory reporting - Other
  • Date of submission:
  • Published as final Q&A: 27/06/2014

Liquidity-sub group

In Article 8 (1) of Regulation (EU) No. 575/2013 (CRR), it is stated, that institutions may fulfill the liquidity requirements on a liquidity-sub-group level, if the subsidiaries are located in the Union resp. Article 8 (3) deals with liquidity sub-Groups in several member states. Is it also possible to build-up a liquidity sub-group, if one of the subsidiaries is not located in the Union, but the country is member of the EWR (esp. EFTA member like Liechtenstein, Iceland and Norway)?

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Not applicable
  • ID: 2013_437
  • Topic: Liquidity risk
  • Date of submission:
  • Published as final Q&A: 27/06/2014

Bestimmung der Forderungsklasse für börslich gehandelte Optionen, Warrants und Futures / Determination of the exposure class for exchange-traded options, warrants and futures

Warrants, wie auch Options und Futures beinhalten sowohl ein Adress-Ausfallsrisiko, als auch ein ein individuelles Risiko (über die Entwicklung des Basiswertes bzw. dessen Emittenten). Nach welchen Kriterien soll CRR zufolge die Bestimmung der Forderungsklasse erfolgen? EN TRANSLATION: Warrants, like options and futures, entail both a counterparty credit risk and an individual risk (through the development of the underlying and its issuer). On the basis of what criteria, according to CRR, is the exposure class to be determined?

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Not applicable
  • ID: 2013_546
  • Topic: Credit risk
  • Date of submission:
  • Published as final Q&A: 20/06/2014

Definition of liquidity facility

Would it be acceptable from a regulatory point of view to use only the swingline portion of a facility (i.e. a loan to an entity to cover possible shortfalls from other debt commitments) as "liquidity facility"?

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Not applicable
  • ID: 2013_506
  • Topic: Liquidity risk
  • Date of submission:
  • Published as final Q&A: 20/06/2014

Calculation of outstanding Tier 2 capital, following pre-payment of amounts that have been amortised or phased-out

This question, background information and proposed answer are posed on behalf of an institution we supervise. In accordance with Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR), subordinated debt with defined maturity is gradually deducted from Tier 2 in each of the last five years. Amortization shall occur on the basis of the number of days that have passed in the last five years (Article 64). The institution considers the possibility to repay subordinated debt in the portion corresponding to the amortized amount, assuming that this will have no impact on the basis for the calculation on the amount classified as Tier 2. Is this interpretation correct?

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Not applicable
  • ID: 2013_314
  • Topic: Own funds
  • Date of submission:
  • Published as final Q&A: 20/06/2014

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

First time application of country-by-country reporting – interaction between Article 89 paragraphs (1) and (2)

How should the provisions of Article 89 of Directive 2013/36/EU (CRD), and in particular paragraphs (1) and (2) be applied. In addition, what are the implications for institutions whose financial year is not aligned with the calendar year? How do the provisions in paragraphs (1) and (2) interact with the requirement in paragraph (4) according to which the published information shall be audited in accordance with Directive 2006/43/EC.

  • Legal act: Directive 2013/36/EU (CRD)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Not applicable
  • ID: 2014_1250
  • Topic: Other issues
  • Date of submission:
  • Published as final Q&A: 06/06/2014

What is ‘turnover’ for the purposes of Country-by-Country reporting?

Could the EBA clarify what would be considered ‘turnover’ for the purposes of country-by-country reporting in Article 89(1) of Directive 2013/36/EU (CRD)?

  • Legal act: Directive 2013/36/EU (CRD)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Not applicable
  • ID: 2014_1249
  • Topic: Other issues
  • Date of submission:
  • Published as final Q&A: 06/06/2014

Definition of ‘establishment’ for the purposes of Country-by-Country reporting – scope of consolidation

What would be considered an ‘establishment’ for the purposes of country-by-country reporting in Article 89(1) of Directive 2013/36/EU (CRD)? For the purposes of consolidation, should the prudential or the accounting scope of consolidation be applied?

  • Legal act: Directive 2013/36/EU (CRD)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Not applicable
  • ID: 2014_1248
  • Topic: Other issues
  • Date of submission:
  • Published as final Q&A: 06/06/2014

Treatment as own funds under Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)

Confirmation is sought that instruments that initially qualified for transitional treatment in a higher own funds category according to CRR transition rules in Articles 484ff, but for which documentation had to be altered to a lower own funds category as instructed by a court ruling following a litigation, are to be reported as fully compliant with that lower own funds category. More background information on the instruments will be made available directly to EBA.

  • 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
  • ID: 2014_1071
  • Topic: Own funds
  • Date of submission:
  • Published as final Q&A: 06/06/2014

Lower maximum penalties for natural persons

Articles 66 (2) d) and Art. 67 (2) f) of Directive 2013/36/EU (CRD) provides that for certain breaches stipulated in Articles 66 (1) and 67 (1) Member States shall ensure that administrative penalties that can be applied include at least up to 5 million euro in the case of natural person. May Member States, considering the circumstances of particular Member State, provide directly in their national law lower maximum amount of the penalty (e.g. "up to 1 million euro") for natural persons in the case of the breaches set in Articles 66 (1) and 67 (1)?

  • Legal act: Directive 2013/36/EU (CRD)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Not applicable
  • ID: 2014_859
  • Topic: Other issues
  • Date of submission:
  • Published as final Q&A: 06/06/2014

Definition of counterparty for the purpose of applying on-balance sheet netting

1) What is the definition of a counterparty in the context of using on-balance sheet netting (OBSN) of mutual claims between the bank and the counterparty as eligible credit risk mitigation form? 2) In other words, to be eligible for OBSN should the netting of loans and deposits always be with one legal entity or can they be across legally connected entities (for example parent-subsidiaries)?

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Not applicable
  • ID: 2013_538
  • Topic: Credit risk
  • Date of submission:
  • Published as final Q&A: 06/06/2014

Interpretation of Article 325b of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)

1. Are the conditions set out in Article 325b (2) CRR conditions that have to be simultaneously met with respect to every single institution and undertaking (parent and subsidiaries) no matter whether it holds positions that shall actually be offset on a consolidated basis? 2. Analogously, are the conditions set out in Article 325b (3) CRR conditions that have to be simultaneously met with respect to every single undertaking in a third country no matter whether it holds positions that shall actually be offset on a consolidated basis?

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Not applicable
  • ID: 2013_429
  • Topic: Market risk
  • Date of submission:
  • Published as final Q&A: 06/06/2014

Scope of "undertaking" in Article 325 (1) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)

Does the term “undertaking” in Article 325 (1) of CRR refer to financial sector entities as well as other legal business entities outside the financial sector? If not, to which does it refer?

  • Legal act: Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (CRR)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Not applicable
  • ID: 2013_428
  • Topic: Market risk
  • Date of submission:
  • Published as final Q&A: 06/06/2014

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

Capital buffers

According to Directive 2013/36/EU (CRD), Title VII, Chapter 4, institutions shall hold capital to cover combined buffer requirement (CombB, in % of a given institution’s total risk exposure). The CombB (as in Art 128 para 6 CRD) will consist of conservation buffer (CB), possibly extended by countercyclical capital buffer (CCB), SII buffer and systemic risk buffer (SRB) applicable to institutions on consolidated, subconsolidated or individual level as set by competent or designated authorities. The CRD also sets some rules and conditions on combinations of the individual types of capital buffers (additivity versus higher of) and rules for combinations arising from application of capital buffers on different levels (parent versus subsidiary), especially in Articles 131 and 133 CRD IV. However, given this variety of potential application of capital buffers, many capital buffer combinations may emerge where the rules for setting the resulting CombB of an institution may not be 100% clear as the CRD wording can give different interpretations. The rule in Art 131 (16, 17) can a) either mean that the decision of the home regulator as regards CombB of the group effectively introduces a floor of CombB in subsidiaries, or b) just emphasize that buffers imposed on the group should not be taken as a reason for reducing buffers imposed individually on the group’s subsidiaries and sub-groups. Which interpretation of capital buffer combinations on different levels is correct?

  • Legal act: Directive 2013/36/EU (CRD)
  • COM Delegated or Implementing Acts/RTS/ITS/GLs: Not applicable
  • ID: 2013_173
  • Topic: Other issues
  • Date of submission:
  • Published as final Q&A: 06/06/2014