3 April update: FAQs on ECB supervisory measures in reaction to the coronavirus

03 April 2020

Relief measures regarding asset quality deterioration and non-performing loans; operational aspects of supervision; capital and liquidity requirements; other.

The questions

You announced flexibility when implementing the ECB Guidance on non-performing loans (NPLs). Are you considering forbearance for NPLs? Are you looking at other ways to mitigate the deterioration of asset quality, for example with regard to IFRS9?

Will you also revise your expectations for the stock of NPLs?

You announced that JSTs would discuss with individual banks a more flexible approach to supervisory processes, timelines and deadlines. Can you be more specific?

Banks will be allowed to operate below the P2G level and to frontload the rules on the composition of P2R originally scheduled to come into force in 2021 with CRD V. Concretely, how much capital relief will this provide?

How does allowing banks to operate below the P2G help the economy in the current situation?

You said banks can fully use their capital buffers, including the capital conservation buffer (CCB). Does this mean you expect banks’ capital losses to reach levels that will deplete the CCB buffer? What are the implications if that happens?

You allow banks to go below the liquidity coverage ratio (LCR) requirement. What does this imply?

You will allow banks to temporarily operate below P2G, the CCB and the LCR requirement. What does “temporarily” mean? And, concretely, how much of the P2G and the CCB can be used?

You have asked the banks to refrain from paying out dividends until October 2020. How should banks apply this exactly to the dividends for financial years 2019 and 2020?

The answers are in the Full article