PRA Updates the Policy on Approach to Systemic Risk Buffer
PRA published the final Statement of Policy on the PRA approach to the implementation of the systemic risk buffer (SRB), as proposed in the consultation paper CP29/18. As part of this update, PRA also updated the policy statement PS32/18, which is relevant to ring-fenced bodies within the meaning of section 142A of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 and large building societies that hold more than GBP 25 billion in deposits (where one or more of the account holders is a small business) and shares (excluding deferred shares)—jointly known as the "SRB institutions." The effective date for these changes is December 13, 2018.
In CP29/18, PRA had proposed to do the following:
- Remove the statement that PRA’s approach to reviewing the Statement of Policy every two years is mandated by the SRB regulations
- Replace references to CP25/16 with the corresponding PRA Statement of Policy on its methodologies for setting Pillar 2 capital, following publication of the final policy
- Include references to Supervisory Statement 45/15 titled ‘The UK leverage ratio framework," which was recently updated with respect to the application of an additional leverage ratio buffer (ALRB) rate to SRB institutions
PRA had received no responses to the consultation. Therefore, PRA has made no changes to the draft policy consulted on in the consultation paper. However, PRA changed footnote 11 in the Statement of Policy to update references to the Delegated Regulation (EU) No 1222/2014. The Statement of Policy was also updated to simplify the formatting and aid readability, including sequential numbering of footnotes, the updating of hyperlinks to reflect the location of materials on the BoE website, and to make hyperlinks more easily identifiable. SRB is intended to increase the capacity of the UK domestic systemically important ring-fenced bodies and building societies to absorb stresses, thus increasing their resilience relative to the system and promoting the safety and soundness of the PRA-regulated firms. SRB is a firm-specific buffer that is based on a firm’s worldwide risk-weighted exposures and each firm will be required to ensure that it is met solely with the common equity tier 1 capital.
In line with the recommendations of the Independent Commission on Banking, the UK legislation implementing the SRB Regulations requires the Financial Policy Committee (FPC) to establish a framework for an SRB that applies to large building societies and ring-fenced bodies. The SRB Regulations require PRA to apply that framework from January 01, 2019. FPC published "The Financial Policy Committee’s framework for the systemic risk buffer" (the SRB framework) in May 2016. Alongside the FPC framework, this Statement of Policy will form BoE's broader framework for SRB. PRA will review this Statement of Policy at least every two years.
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Effective Date: December 13, 2018
Keywords: Europe, UK, Banking, Systemic Risk Buffer, SRB Regulation, Ring Fencing, PS32/18, CRR/CRD, PRA
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