Decision (EU) 2018/1148 of the European Central Bank
of 10 August 2018
on the eligibility of marketable debt instruments issued or fully guaranteed by the Hellenic Republic and repealing Decision (EU) 2016/1041 (ECB/2018/21)
THE GOVERNING COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN CENTRAL BANK,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular the first indent of Article 127(2) thereof,
Having regard to the Statute of the European System of Central Banks and of the European Central Bank, and in particular the first indent of Article 3.1, Article 12.1, Article 18 and the second indent of Article 34.1 thereof,
Whereas:
Pursuant to Article 18.1 of the Statute of the European System of Central Banks and of the European Central Bank, the European Central Bank (ECB) and the national central banks of Member States whose currency is the euro may conduct credit operations with credit institutions and other market participants, with lending being based on adequate collateral.
The standard criteria and minimum requirements for credit quality thresholds determining the eligibility of marketable assets as collateral for the purposes of Eurosystem monetary policy operations are laid down in Guideline (EU) 2015/510 (ECB/2014/60) and in particular in Article 59 and in Part Four, Title II thereof.
Pursuant to Article 1(4) of Guideline (EU) 2015/510 (ECB/2014/60), the Governing Council may, at any time, change the tools, instruments, requirements, criteria and procedures for the implementation of Eurosystem monetary policy operations. Pursuant to Article 59(6) of Guideline (EU) 2015/510 (ECB/2014/60), the Eurosystem reserves the right to determine whether an issue, issuer, debtor or guarantor fulfils the Eurosystem's credit quality requirements on the basis of any information that the Eurosystem may consider relevant for ensuring adequate risk protection of the Eurosystem.
By way of derogation from the Eurosystem's credit quality requirements for marketable assets, Article 8(2) of Guideline ECB/2014/31 provides that the Eurosystem's credit quality thresholds do not apply to marketable debt instruments issued or fully guaranteed by the central governments of euro area Member States under a European Union/International Monetary Fund programme, unless the Governing Council decides that the respective Member State does not comply with the conditionality of the financial support and/or the macroeconomic programme.
On 19 August 2015, following the expiry of the preceding European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) programme of financial support for Greece, the Board of Governors of the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) approved the current three-year financial assistance programme for Greece.
Currently, Article 1(3) of Guideline ECB/2014/31 provides that, for the purposes of Article 6(1) and Article 8 of that Guideline, the Hellenic Republic should be considered a euro area Member State compliant with a European Union/International Monetary Fund programme. Moreover, Article 8(3) of that Guideline provides that marketable debt instruments issued or fully guaranteed by the Hellenic Republic are subject to the specific haircuts set out in Annex I to that Guideline.
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: