BaFin to Keep Countercyclical Capital Buffer at 0% Until End of 2021
Developments at a meeting of the Financial Stability Committee of BaFin indicate that the Committee does not intend to increase the countercyclical capital buffer (CCyB) from 0% until the end of 2021. BaFin had reduced the buffer from 0.25% to 0% in April 2020 to ease the challenging situation stemming from the pandemic.
Another development at the meting involves the Committee's support of the recommendations of the responsible supervisory authorities to the financial sector to suspend or severely limit the distribution of profits and share buybacks. In addition, the national CCyB methodology will be reviewed this year, using the experiences of past years at the national, European, and international levels. Among other things, the Committee will deal with a more flexible use of the buffer and weigh whether higher buffers should be built up in the future in good economic times to be able to release them in a crisis.
Related Link: Press Release (in German)
Keywords: Europe, Germany, Banking, CCyB, Regulatory Capital, Basel, COVID-19, BaFin
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