EBA Report Examines Implementation of Liquidity Coverage Ratio in EU
EBA published the second report on monitoring of the implementation of the liquidity coverage ratio (LCR) in EU. The report presents observations and main conclusions reached in the area of the use of certain liquidity mechanisms amid pandemic. It also presents the new implementation issues observed since the last assessment report and summarizes the effects of EBA guidance provided in the first report, which was published in July 2019. EBA plans to continue to monitor LCR implementation and extend monitoring to the net stable funding ratio or NSFR.
The report discusses:
- Liquidity issues during a crisis period, in the COVID-19 context. The report focuses on the use of liquidity buffers, guidance on unwinding mechanism waivers, recourse to central bank support, and additional outflows from derivatives. The report provides a policy discussion on the management of liquidity buffers under stress and builds on the regulatory expectation that the liquidity buffer in the LCR is designed to be used to meet net outflows under stress. This is to avoid contagion risk and ensure liquidity injection into the economy and financial system. The report argues that the use of liquidity buffers should not be penalized by the reaction of external or internal agents. These discussions build on the observations raised by some supervisors on the reluctance of banks to use their buffers during the COVID-19 episodes.
- New implementation issues. The report identifies certain issues for which guidance is provided to ensure a common understanding. The observed issues are with respect to the treatment of fiduciary deposits, LCR optimization risks, concentration of outflows beyond 30 days, Article 26 LCR DR on outflows with interdependent inflows, and Deposit Guarantee Scheme conditions for a 3% outflow rate in retail deposits. Based on both policy and legal views, the report provides guidance to banks and supervisors on how the conditions required for the mentioned treatment should be read and shows how competent authorities might still grant, within the Pillar 1 requirement, the application of this inflow cap waiver in a partial manner if they wish to ensure a minimum LCR buffer is held.
- Impact of previous guidance. EBA has noticed that its previous guidance has positively influenced the behaviors of banks, which shows the usefulness of this guidance. The report reviews the application of the guidance to identify excess operational deposits included in the first report and identifies that some competent authorities have used different ways of communication of the guidance. Some supervisors have also confirmed that they have observed that banks treat excess operational deposits in accordance with the EBA guidance. Competent authorities confirmed the EBA guidance to identify retail deposits excluded from outflows was being applied in practice.
In this report, EBA highlights that it will continue working on monitoring the implementation of the LCR in EU and will subsequently extend it to NSFR. Some topics are already work in progress. For instance, EBA has started to work on a common understanding for a methodology to assess the required below 3% run-off evidence for the application of a 3% outflow rate in stable retail deposits (Article 24(5) of the LCR DR). EBA will work on the notifications to be received in application of Article 26(2) of the LCR DR on outflows with interdependent inflows in the context of the guidance included. EBA will also monitor the application of the guidance on unwinding waivers. Other important topics are LCR by currencies subject to separate reporting (significant currencies) and HQLA diversification in LCR, as already announced in the first report.
Related Links
Keywords: Europe, EU, Banking, LCR, COVID-19, Deposit Guarantee Scheme, Basel, NSFR, EBA
Featured Experts
María Cañamero
Skilled market researcher; growth strategist; successful go-to-market campaign developer
Nicolas Degruson
Works with financial institutions, regulatory experts, business analysts, product managers, and software engineers to drive regulatory solutions across the globe.
Patrycja Oleksza
Applies proficiency and knowledge to regulatory capital and reporting analysis and coordinates business and product strategies in the banking technology area
Previous Article
EU Papers Examine NPL Resolution Strategy After PandemicRelated Articles
BIS and Central Banks Experiment with GenAI to Assess Climate Risks
A recent report from the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) Innovation Hub details Project Gaia, a collaboration between the BIS Innovation Hub Eurosystem Center and certain central banks in Europe
Nearly 25% G-SIBs Commit to Adopting TNFD Nature-Related Disclosures
Nature-related risks are increasing in severity and frequency, affecting businesses, capital providers, financial systems, and economies.
Singapore to Mandate Climate Disclosures from FY2025
Singapore recently took a significant step toward turning climate ambition into action, with the introduction of mandatory climate-related disclosures for listed and large non-listed companies
SEC Finalizes Climate-Related Disclosures Rule
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has finalized the long-awaited rule that mandates climate-related disclosures for domestic and foreign publicly listed companies in the U.S.
EBA Proposes Standards Related to Standardized Credit Risk Approach
The European Banking Authority (EBA) has been taking significant steps toward implementing the Basel III framework and strengthening the regulatory framework for credit institutions in the EU
US Regulators Release Stress Test Scenarios for Banks
The U.S. regulators recently released baseline and severely adverse scenarios, along with other details, for stress testing the banks in 2024. The relevant U.S. banking regulators are the Federal Reserve Bank (FED), the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC).
Asian Governments Aim for Interoperability in AI Governance Frameworks
The regulatory landscape for artificial intelligence (AI), including the generative kind, is evolving rapidly, with governments and regulators aiming to address the challenges and opportunities presented by this transformative technology.
EBA Proposes Operational Risk Standards Under Final Basel III Package
The European Union (EU) has been working on the final elements of Basel III standards, with endorsement of the Banking Package and the publication of the European Banking Authority (EBA) roadmap on Basel III implementation in December 2023.
EFRAG Proposes XBRL Taxonomy and Standard for Listed SMEs Under ESRS
The European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG), which plays a crucial role in shaping corporate reporting standards in European Union (EU), is seeking comments, until May 21, 2024, on the Exposure Draft ESRS for listed SMEs.
ECB to Expand Climate Change Work in 2024-2025
Banking regulators worldwide are increasingly focusing on addressing, monitoring, and supervising the institutions' exposure to climate and environmental risks.