Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 of the European Parliament and of the CouncilShow full title

CHAPTER 2 U.K. Common Equity Tier 1 capital

Section 1 U.K. Common equity tier 1 items and instruments

Article 26 U.K. Common Equity Tier 1 items

1. Common Equity Tier 1 items of institutions consist of the following:

(a) capital instruments, provided the conditions laid down in Article 28 or, where applicable, Article 29 are met;

(b) share premium accounts related to the instruments referred to in point (a);

(c) retained earnings;

(d) accumulated other comprehensive income;

(e) other reserves;

(f) funds for general banking risk.

The items referred to in points (c) to (f) shall be recognised as Common Equity Tier 1 only where they are available to the institution for unrestricted and immediate use to cover risks or losses as soon as these occur.

2. For the purposes of point (c) of paragraph 1, institutions may include interim or year-end profits in Common Equity Tier 1 capital before the institution has taken a formal decision confirming the final profit or loss of the institution for the year only with the prior permission of the competent authority. The competent authority shall grant permission where the following conditions are met:

(a) those profits have been verified by persons independent of the institution that are responsible for the auditing of the accounts of that institution;

(b) the institution has demonstrated to the satisfaction of the competent authority that any foreseeable charge or dividend has been deducted from the amount of those profits.

A verification of the interim or year-end profits of the institution shall provide an adequate level of assurance that those profits have been evaluated in accordance with the principles set out in the applicable accounting framework.

3. Competent authorities shall evaluate whether issuances of Common Equity Tier 1 instruments meet the criteria set out in Article 28 or, where applicable, Article 29. With respect to issuances after 31 December 2014, institutions shall classify capital instruments as Common Equity Tier 1 instruments only after permission is granted by the competent authorities, which may consult EBA.

For capital instruments, with the exception of State aid, that are approved as eligible for classification as Common Equity Tier 1 instruments by the competent authority but where, in the opinion of EBA, the compliance with the criteria in Article 28 or, where applicable, Article 29, is materially complex to ascertain, the competent authorities shall explain their reasoning to EBA.

On the basis of information from each competent authority, EBA shall establish, maintain and publish a list of all the forms of capital instruments in each Member State that qualify as Common Equity Tier 1 instruments. EBA shall establish that list and publish it by 1 February 2015 for the first time.

EBA may, after the review process set out in Article 80 and, where there is significant evidence of those instruments not meeting the criteria set out in Article 28 or, where applicable, Article 29, decide to remove non-State aid capital instruments issued after 31 December 2014 from the list and may make an announcement to that effect.

4. EBA shall develop draft regulatory technical standards to specify the meaning of foreseeable when determining whether any foreseeable charge or dividend has been deducted.

EBA shall submit those draft regulatory technical standards to the Commission by 1 February 2015.

Power is delegated to the Commission to adopt the regulatory technical standards referred to in the first subparagraph in accordance with Articles 10 to 14 of Regulation (EU) No 1093/2010.

Article 27 U.K. Capital instruments of mutuals, cooperative societies, savings institutions or similar institutions in Common Equity Tier 1 items

1. Common Equity Tier 1 items shall include any capital instrument issued by an institution under its statutory terms provided the following conditions are met:

(a) the institution is of a type that is defined under applicable national law and which competent authorities consider to qualify as any of the following:

(i)

a mutual;

(ii)

a cooperative society;

(iii)

a savings institution;

(iv)

a similar institution;

(v)

a credit institution which is wholly owned by one of the institutions referred to in points (i) to (iv) and has approval from the relevant competent authority to make use of the provisions in this Article, provided that, and for as long as, 100 % of the ordinary shares in issue in the credit institution are held directly or indirectly by an institution referred to in those points;

(b) the conditions laid down in Articles 28 or, where applicable, Article 29, are met.

Those mutuals, cooperative societies or savings institutions recognised as such under applicable national law prior to 31 December 2012 shall continue to be classified as such for the purposes of this Part, provided that they continue to meet the criteria that determined such recognition.

2. EBA shall develop draft regulatory technical standards to specify the conditions according to which competent authorities may determine that a type of undertaking recognised under applicable national law qualifies as a mutual, cooperative society, savings institution or similar institution for the purposes of this Part.

EBA shall submit those draft regulatory technical standards to the Commission by 1 February 2015.

Power is delegated to the Commission to adopt the regulatory technical standards referred to in the first subparagraph in accordance with Articles 10 to 14 of Regulation (EU) No 1093/2010.

Article 28 U.K. Common Equity Tier 1 instruments

1. Capital instruments shall qualify as Common Equity Tier 1 instruments only if all the following conditions are met:

(a) the instruments are issued directly by the institution with the prior approval of the owners of the institution or, where permitted under applicable national law, the management body of the institution;

(b) the instruments are paid up and their purchase is not funded directly or indirectly by the institution;

(c) the instruments meet all the following conditions as regards their classification:

(i)

they qualify as capital within the meaning of Article 22 of Directive 86/635/EEC;

(ii)

they are classified as equity within the meaning of the applicable accounting framework;

(iii)

they are classified as equity capital for the purposes of determining balance sheet insolvency, where applicable under national insolvency law;

(d) the instruments are clearly and separately disclosed on the balance sheet in the financial statements of the institution;

(e) the instruments are perpetual;

(f) the principal amount of the instruments may not be reduced or repaid, except in either of the following cases:

(i)

the liquidation of the institution;

(ii)

discretionary repurchases of the instruments or other discretionary means of reducing capital, where the institution has received the prior permission of the competent authority in accordance with Article 77;

(g) the provisions governing the instruments do not indicate expressly or implicitly that the principal amount of the instruments would or might be reduced or repaid other than in the liquidation of the institution, and the institution does not otherwise provide such an indication prior to or at issuance of the instruments, except in the case of instruments referred to in Article 27 where the refusal by the institution to redeem such instruments is prohibited under applicable national law;

(h) the instruments meet the following conditions as regards distributions:

(i)

there is no preferential distribution treatment regarding the order of distribution payments, including in relation to other Common Equity Tier 1 instruments, and the terms governing the instruments do not provide preferential rights to payment of distributions;

(ii)

distributions to holders of the instruments may be paid only out of distributable items;

(iii)

the conditions governing the instruments do not include a cap or other restriction on the maximum level of distributions, except in the case of the instruments referred to in Article 27;

(iv)

the level of distributions is not determined on the basis of the amount for which the instruments were purchased at issuance, except in the case of the instruments referred to in Article 27;

(v)

the conditions governing the instruments do not include any obligation for the institution to make distributions to their holders and the institution is not otherwise subject to such an obligation;

(vi)

non-payment of distributions does not constitute an event of default of the institution;

(vii)

the cancellation of distributions imposes no restrictions on the institution;

(i) compared to all the capital instruments issued by the institution, the instruments absorb the first and proportionately greatest share of losses as they occur, and each instrument absorbs losses to the same degree as all other Common Equity Tier 1 instruments;

(j) the instruments rank below all other claims in the event of insolvency or liquidation of the institution;

(k) the instruments entitle their owners to a claim on the residual assets of the institution, which, in the event of its liquidation and after the payment of all senior claims, is proportionate to the amount of such instruments issued and is not fixed or subject to a cap, except in the case of the capital instruments referred to in Article 27;

(l) the instruments are not secured, or subject to a guarantee that enhances the seniority of the claim by any of the following:

(i)

the institution or its subsidiaries;

(ii)

the parent undertaking of the institution or its subsidiaries;

(iii)

the parent financial holding company or its subsidiaries;

(iv)

the mixed activity holding company or its subsidiaries;

(v)

the mixed financial holding company and its subsidiaries;

(vi)

any undertaking that has close links with the entities referred to in points (i) to (v);

(m) the instruments are not subject to any arrangement, contractual or otherwise, that enhances the seniority of claims under the instruments in insolvency or liquidation.

The condition set out in point (j) of the first subparagraph shall be deemed to be met, notwithstanding the instruments are included in Additional Tier 1 or Tier 2 by virtue of Article 484(3), provided that they rank pari passu.

2. The conditions laid down in point (i) of paragraph 1 shall be deemed to be met notwithstanding a write down on a permanent basis of the principal amount of Additional Tier 1 or Tier 2 instruments.

The condition laid down in point (f) of paragraph 1 shall be deemed to be met notwithstanding the reduction of the principal amount of the capital instrument within a resolution procedure or as a consequence of a write down of capital instruments required by the resolution authority responsible for the institution.

The condition laid down in point (g) of paragraph 1 shall be deemed to be met notwithstanding the provisions governing the capital instrument indicating expressly or implicitly that the principal amount of the instrument would or might be reduced within a resolution procedure or as a consequence of a write down of capital instruments required by the resolution authority responsible for the institution.

3. The condition laid down in point (h)(iii) of paragraph 1 shall be deemed to be met notwithstanding the instrument paying a dividend multiple, provided that such a dividend multiple does not result in a distribution that causes a disproportionate drag on own funds.

4. For the purposes of point (h)(i) of paragraph 1, differentiated distributions shall only reflect differentiated voting rights. In this respect, higher distributions shall only apply to Common Equity Tier 1 instruments with fewer or no voting rights.

5. EBA shall develop draft regulatory technical standards to specify the following:

(a) the applicable forms and nature of indirect funding of own funds instruments;

(b) Whether and when multiple distributions would constitute a disproportionate drag on own funds;

(c) the meaning of preferential distributions.

EBA shall submit those draft regulatory technical standards to the Commission by 1 February 2015.

Power is delegated to the Commission to adopt the regulatory technical standards referred to in the first subparagraph in accordance with Articles 10 to 14 of Regulation (EU) No 1093/2010.

Article 29 U.K. Capital instruments issued by mutuals, cooperative societies, savings institutions and similar institutions

1. Capital instruments issued by mutuals, cooperative societies, savings institutions and similar institutions shall qualify as Common Equity Tier 1 instruments only if the conditions laid down in Article 28 with modifications resulting from the application of this Article are met.

2. The following conditions shall be met as regards redemption of the capital instruments:

(a) except where prohibited under applicable national law, the institution shall be able to refuse the redemption of the instruments;

(b) where the refusal by the institution of the redemption of instruments is prohibited under applicable national law, the provisions governing the instruments shall give the institution the ability to limit their redemption;

(c) refusal to redeem the instruments, or the limitation of the redemption of the instruments where applicable, may not constitute an event of default of the institution.

3. The capital instruments may include a cap or restriction on the maximum level of distributions only where that cap or restriction is set out under applicable national law or the statute of the institution.

4. Where the capital instruments provide the owner with rights to the reserves of the institution in the event of insolvency or liquidation that are limited to the nominal value of the instruments, such a limitation shall apply to the same degree to the holders of all other Common Equity Tier 1 instruments issued by that institution.

The condition laid down in the first subparagraph is without prejudice to the possibility for a mutual, cooperative society, savings institution or a similar institution to recognize within Common Equity Tier 1 instruments that do not afford voting rights to the holder and that meet all the following conditions:

(a) the claim of the holders of the non-voting instruments in the insolvency or liquidation of the institution is proportionate to the share of the total Common Equity Tier 1 instruments that those non-voting instruments represent;

(b) the instruments otherwise qualify as Common Equity Tier 1 instruments.

5. Where the capital instruments entitle their owners to a claim on the assets of the institution in the event of its insolvency or liquidation that is fixed or subject to a cap, such a limitation shall apply to the same degree to all holders of all Common Equity Tier 1 instruments issued by the institution.

6. EBA shall develop draft regulatory technical standards to specify the nature of the limitations on redemption necessary where the refusal by the institution of the redemption of own funds instruments is prohibited under applicable national law.

EBA shall submit those draft regulatory technical standards to the Commission by 1 February 2015.

Power is delegated to the Commission to adopt the regulatory technical standards referred to in the first subparagraph in accordance with Articles 10 to 14 of Regulation (EU) No 1093/2010.

Article 30 U.K. Consequences of the conditions for Common Equity Tier 1 instruments ceasing to be met

The following shall apply where, in the case of a Common Equity Tier 1 instrument, the conditions laid down in Article 28 or, where applicable, Article 29 cease to be met:

(a)

that instrument shall immediately cease to qualify as a Common Equity Tier 1 instrument;

(b)

the share premium accounts that relate to that instrument shall immediately cease to qualify as Common Equity Tier 1 items.

Article 31 U.K. Capital instruments subscribed by public authorities in emergency situations

1. In emergency situations, competent authorities may permit institutions to include in Common Equity Tier 1 capital instruments that comply at least with the conditions laid down in points (b) to (e) of Article 28(1) where all the following conditions are met:

(a) the capital instruments are issued after 1 January 2014;

(b) the capital instruments are considered State aid by the Commission;

(c) the capital instruments are issued within the context of recapitalisation measures pursuant to State aid- rules existing at the time;

(d) the capital instruments are fully subscribed and held by the State or a relevant public authority or public-owned entity;

(e) the capital instruments are able to absorb losses;

(f) except for the capital instruments referred to in Article 27, in the event of liquidation, the capital instruments entitle their owners to a claim on the residual assets of the institution after the payment of all senior claims;

(g) there are adequate exit mechanisms of the State or, where applicable, a relevant public authority or public-owned entity;

(h) the competent authority has granted its prior permission and has published its decision together with an explanation of that decision.

2. Upon reasoned request by and in cooperation with the relevant competent authority, EBA shall consider the capital instruments referred to in paragraph 1 as equivalent to Common Equity Tier 1 instruments for the purposes of this Regulation.

Section 2 U.K. Prudential filters

Article 32 U.K. Securitised assets

1. An institution shall exclude from any element of own funds any increase in its equity under the applicable accounting framework that results from securitised assets, including the following:

(a) such an increase associated with future margin income that results in a gain on sale for the institution;

(b) where the institution is the originator of a securitisation, net gains that arise from the capitalisation of future income from the securitised assets that provide credit enhancement to positions in the securitisation.

2. EBA shall develop draft regulatory technical standards to specify further the concept of a gain on sale referred to in point (a) of paragraph 1.

EBA shall submit those draft regulatory technical standards to the Commission by 1 February 2015.

Power is delegated to the Commission to adopt the regulatory technical standards referred to in the first subparagraph in accordance with Articles 10 to 14 of Regulation (EU) No 1093/2010.

Article 33 U.K. Cash flow hedges and changes in the value of own liabilities

1. Institutions shall not include the following items in any element of own funds:

(a) the fair value reserves related to gains or losses on cash flow hedges of financial instruments that are not valued at fair value, including projected cash flows;

(b) gains or losses on liabilities of the institution that are valued at fair value that result from changes in the own credit standing of the institution;

(c) all fair value gains and losses arising from the institution's own credit risk related to derivative liabilities.

2. For the purposes of point (c) of paragraph 1, institutions shall not offset the fair value gains and losses arising from the institution's own credit risk with those arising from its counterparty credit risk.

3. Without prejudice to point (b) of paragraph 1, institutions may include the amount of gains and losses on their liabilities in own funds where all the following conditions are met:

(a) the liabilities are in the form of bonds as referred to in Article 52(4) of Directive 2009/65/EC;

(b) the changes in the value of the institution's assets and liabilities are due to the same changes in the institution's own credit standing;

(c) there is a close correspondence between the value of the bonds referred to in point (a) and the value of the institution's assets;

(d) it is possible to redeem the mortgage loans by buying back the bonds financing the mortgage loans at market or nominal value.

4. EBA shall develop draft regulatory technical standards to specify what constitutes close correspondence between the value of the bonds and the value of the assets, as referred to in point (c) of paragraph 3.

EBA shall submit those draft regulatory technical standards to the Commission by 30 September 2013.

Power is delegated to the Commission to adopt the regulatory technical standards referred to in the first subparagraph in accordance with Articles 10 to 14 of Regulation (EU) No 1093/2010.

Article 34 U.K. Additional value adjustments

Institutions shall apply the requirements of Article 105 to all their assets measured at fair value when calculating the amount of their own funds and shall deduct from Common Equity Tier 1 capital the amount of any additional value adjustments necessary.

Article 35 U.K. Unrealised gains and losses measured at fair value

Except in the case of the items referred to in Article 33, institutions shall not make adjustments to remove from their own funds unrealised gains or losses on their assets or liabilities measured at fair value.

Section 3 U.K. Deductions from common equity tier 1 items, exemptions and alternatives

Sub-Section 1 U.K. Deductions from Common Equity Tier 1 items

Article 36 U.K. Deductions from Common Equity Tier 1 items

1. Institutions shall deduct the following from Common Equity Tier 1 items:

(a) losses for the current financial year;

(b) intangible assets;

(c) deferred tax assets that rely on future profitability;

(d) for institutions calculating risk-weighted exposure amounts using the Internal Ratings Based Approach (the IRB Approach), negative amounts resulting from the calculation of expected loss amounts laid down in Articles 158 and 159;

(e) defined benefit pension fund assets on the balance sheet of the institution;

(f) direct, indirect and synthetic holdings by an institution of own Common Equity Tier 1 instruments, including own Common Equity Tier 1 instruments that an institution is under an actual or contingent obligation to purchase by virtue of an existing contractual obligation;

(g) direct, indirect and synthetic holdings of the Common Equity Tier 1 instruments of financial sector entities where those entities have a reciprocal cross holding with the institution that the competent authority considers to have been designed to inflate artificially the own funds of the institution;

(h) the applicable amount of direct, indirect and synthetic holdings by the institution of Common Equity Tier 1 instruments of financial sector entities where the institution does not have a significant investment in those entities;

(i) the applicable amount of direct, indirect and synthetic holdings by the institution of the Common Equity Tier 1 instruments of financial sector entities where the institution has a significant investment in those entities;

(j) the amount of items required to be deducted from Additional Tier 1 items pursuant to Article 56 that exceeds the Additional Tier 1 capital of the institution;

(k) the exposure amount of the following items which qualify for a risk weight of 1 250 %, where the institution deducts that exposure amount from the amount of Common Equity Tier 1 items as an alternative to applying a risk weight of 1 250 %:

(i)

qualifying holdings outside the financial sector;

(ii)

securitisation positions, in accordance with Article 243(1)(b), Article 244(1)(b) and Article 258;

(iii)

free deliveries, in accordance with Article 379(3);

(iv)

positions in a basket for which an institution cannot determine the risk weight under the IRB Approach, in accordance with Article 153(8);

(v)

equity exposures under an internal models approach, in accordance with Article 155(4).

(l) any tax charge relating to Common Equity Tier 1 items foreseeable at the moment of its calculation, except where the institution suitably adjusts the amount of Common Equity Tier 1 items insofar as such tax charges reduce the amount up to which those items may be used to cover risks or losses.

2. EBA shall develop draft regulatory technical standards to specify the application of the deductions referred to in points (a), (c), (e), (f), (h), (i) and (l) of paragraph 1 of this Article and related deductions referred to in points (a), (c), (d) and (f) of Article 56 and points (a), (c) and (d) of Article 66.

EBA shall submit those draft regulatory technical standards to the Commission by 1 February 2015.

Power is delegated to the Commission to adopt the regulatory technical standards referred to in the first subparagraph in accordance with Articles 10 to 14 of Regulation (EU) No 1093/2010.

3. EBA shall develop draft regulatory technical standards to specify the types of capital instruments of financial institutions and, in consultation with the European Supervisory Authority (European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority) (EIOPA) established by Regulation (EU) No 1094/2010 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 November 2010(1), of third country insurance and reinsurance undertakings, and of undertakings excluded from the scope of Directive 2009/138/EC in accordance with Article 4 of that Directive that shall be deducted from the following elements of own funds:

(a) Common Equity Tier 1 items;

(b) Additional Tier 1 items;

(c) Tier 2 items.

EBA shall submit those draft regulatory technical standards to the Commission by 1 February 2015.

Power is delegated to the Commission to adopt the regulatory technical standards referred to in the first subparagraph in accordance with Articles 10 to 14 of Regulation (EU) No 1093/2010.

Article 37 U.K. Deduction of intangible assets

Institutions shall determine the amount of intangible assets to be deducted in accordance with the following:

(a)

the amount to be deducted shall be reduced by the amount of associated deferred tax liabilities that would be extinguished if the intangible assets became impaired or were derecognised under the applicable accounting framework;

(b)

the amount to be deducted shall include goodwill included in the valuation of significant investments of the institution.

Article 38 U.K. Deduction of deferred tax assets that rely on future profitability

1. Institutions shall determine the amount of deferred tax assets that rely on future profitability that require deduction in accordance with this Article.

2. Except where the conditions laid down in paragraph 3 are met, the amount of deferred tax assets that rely on future profitability shall be calculated without reducing it by the amount of the associated deferred tax liabilities of the institution.

3. The amount of deferred tax assets that rely on future profitability may be reduced by the amount of the associated deferred tax liabilities of the institution, provided the following conditions are met:

(a) the entity has a legally enforceable right under applicable national law to set off those current tax assets against current tax liabilities;

(b) the deferred tax assets and the deferred tax liabilities relate to taxes levied by the same taxation authority and on the same taxable entity.

4. Associated deferred tax liabilities of the institution used for the purposes of paragraph 3 may not include deferred tax liabilities that reduce the amount of intangible assets or defined benefit pension fund assets required to be deducted.

5. The amount of associated deferred tax liabilities referred to in paragraph 4 shall be allocated between the following:

(a) deferred tax assets that rely on future profitability and arise from temporary differences that are not deducted in accordance with Article 48(1);

(b) all other deferred tax assets that rely on future profitability.

Institutions shall allocate the associated deferred tax liabilities according to the proportion of deferred tax assets that rely on future profitability that the items referred to in points (a) and (b) represent.

Article 39 U.K. Tax overpayments, tax loss carry backs and deferred tax assets that do not rely on future profitability

1. The following items shall not be deducted from own funds and shall be subject to a risk weight in accordance with Chapter 2 or 3 of Title II of Part Three, as applicable:

(a) overpayments of tax by the institution for the current year;

(b) current year tax losses of the institution carried back to previous years that give rise to a claim on, or a receivable from, a central government, regional government or local tax authority.

2. Deferred tax assets that do not rely on future profitability shall be limited to deferred tax assets arising from temporary differences, where all the following conditions are met:

(a) they are automatically and mandatorily replaced without delay with a tax credit in the event that the institution reports a loss when the annual financial statements of the institution are formally approved, or in the event of liquidation or insolvency of the institution;

(b) an institution shall be able under the applicable national tax law to offset a tax credit referred to in point (a) against any tax liability of the institution or any other undertaking included in the same consolidation as the institution for tax purposes under that law or any other undertaking subject to the supervision on a consolidated basis in accordance with Chapter 2 of Title II of Part One;

(c) where the amount of tax credits referred to in point (b) exceeds the tax liabilities referred to in that point, any such excess is replaced without delay with a direct claim on the central government of the Member State in which the institution is incorporated.

Institutions shall apply a risk weight of 100 % to deferred tax assets where the conditions laid down in points (a), (b) and c) are met.

Article 40 U.K. Deduction of negative amounts resulting from the calculation of expected loss amounts

The amount to be deducted in accordance with point (d) of Article 36(1) shall not be reduced by a rise in the level of deferred tax assets that rely on future profitability, or other additional tax effects, that could occur if provisions were to rise to the level of expected losses referred to in Section 3 of Chapter 3 of Title I.

Article 41 U.K. Deduction of defined benefit pension fund assets

1. For the purposes of point (e) of Article 36(1), the amount of defined benefit pension fund assets to be deducted shall be reduced by the following:

(a) the amount of any associated deferred tax liability which could be extinguished if the assets became impaired or were derecognised under the applicable accounting framework;

(b) the amount of assets in the defined benefit pension fund which the institution has an unrestricted ability to use, provided the institution has received the prior permission of the competent authority. Those assets used to reduce the amount to be deducted shall receive a risk weight in accordance with Chapter 2 or 3 of Title II of Part Three, as applicable.

2. EBA shall develop draft regulatory technical standards to specify the criteria according to which a competent authority shall permit an institution to reduce the amount of assets in the defined benefit pension fund as specified in point (b) of paragraph 1.

EBA shall submit those draft regulatory technical standards to the Commission by 1 February 2015.

Power is delegated to the Commission to adopt the regulatory technical standards referred to in the first subparagraph in accordance with Articles 10 to 14 of Regulation (EU) No 1093/2010.

Article 42 U.K. Deduction of holdings of own Common Equity Tier 1 instruments

For the purposes of point (f) of Article 36(1), institutions shall calculate holdings of own Common Equity Tier 1 instruments on the basis of gross long positions subject to the following exceptions:

(a)

institutions may calculate the amount of holdings of own Common Equity Tier 1 instruments on the basis of the net long position provided that both the following conditions are met:

(i)

the long and short positions are in the same underlying exposure and the short positions involve no counterparty risk;

(ii)

either both the long and the short positions are held in the trading book or both are held in the non-trading book;

(b)

institutions shall determine the amount to be deducted for direct, indirect and synthetic holdings of index securities by calculating the underlying exposure to own Common Equity Tier 1 instruments included in those indices;

(c)

institutions may net gross long positions in own Common Equity Tier 1 instruments resulting from holdings of index securities against short positions in own Common Equity Tier 1 instruments resulting from short positions in the underlying indices, including where those short positions involve counterparty risk, provided that both the following conditions are met:

(i)

the long and short positions are in the same underlying indices;

(ii)

either both the long and the short positions are held in the trading book or both are held in the non-trading book.

Article 43 U.K. Significant investment in a financial sector entity

For the purposes of deduction, a significant investment of an institution in a financial sector entity shall arise where any of the following conditions is met:

(a)

the institution owns more than 10 % of the Common Equity Tier 1 instruments issued by that entity;

(b)

the institution has close links with that entity and owns Common Equity Tier 1 instruments issued by that entity;

(c)

the institution owns Common Equity Tier 1 instruments issued by that entity and the entity is not included in consolidation pursuant to Chapter 2 of Title II of Part One but is included in the same accounting consolidation as the institution for the purposes of financial reporting under the applicable accounting framework.

Article 44 U.K. Deduction of holdings of Common Equity Tier 1 instruments of financial sector entities and where an institution has a reciprocal cross holding designed artificially to inflate own funds

Institutions shall make the deductions referred to in points (g), (h) and (i) of Article 36(1) in accordance with the following:

(a)

holdings of Common Equity Tier 1 instruments and other capital instruments of financial sector entities shall be calculated on the basis of the gross long positions;

(b)

Tier 1 own-fund insurance items shall be treated as holdings of Common Equity Tier 1 instruments for the purposes of deduction.

Article 45 U.K. Deduction of holdings of Common Equity Tier 1 instruments of financial sector entities

Institutions shall make the deductions required by points (h) and (i) of Article 36(1) in accordance with the following provisions:

(a)

they may calculate direct, indirect and synthetic holdings of Common Equity Tier 1 instruments of the financial sector entities on the basis of the net long position in the same underlying exposure provided that both the following conditions are met:

(i)

the maturity of the short position matches the maturity of the long position or has a residual maturity of at least one year;

(ii)

either both the long position and the short position are held in the trading book or both are held in the non-trading book;

(b)

they shall determine the amount to be deducted for direct, indirect and synthetic holdings of index securities by calculating the underlying exposure to the capital instruments of the financial sector entities in those indices.

Article 46 U.K. Deduction of holdings of Common Equity Tier 1 instruments where an institution does not have a significant investment in a financial sector entity

1. For the purposes of point (h) of Article 36(1), institutions shall calculate the applicable amount to be deducted by multiplying the amount referred to in point (a) of this paragraph by the factor derived from the calculation referred to in point (b) of this paragraph:

(a) the aggregate amount by which the direct, indirect and synthetic holdings by the institution of the Common Equity Tier 1, Additional Tier 1 and Tier 2 instruments of financial sector entities in which the institution does not have a significant investment exceeds 10 % of the aggregate amount of Common Equity Tier 1 items of the institution calculated after applying the following to Common Equity Tier 1 items:

(i)

Articles 32 to 35;

(ii)

the deductions referred to in points (a) to (g), points (k)(ii) to (v) and point (l) of Article 36(1), excluding the amount to be deducted for deferred tax assets that rely on future profitability and arise from temporary differences;

(iii)

Articles 44 and 45;

(b) the amount of direct, indirect and synthetic holdings by the institution of the Common Equity Tier 1 instruments of those financial sector entities in which the institution does not have a significant investment divided by the aggregate amount of direct, indirect and synthetic holdings by the institution of the own funds instruments of those financial sector entities.

2. Institutions shall exclude underwriting positions held for five working days or fewer from the amount referred to in point (a) of paragraph 1 and from the calculation of the factor referred to in point (b) of paragraph 1.

3. The amount to be deducted pursuant to paragraph 1 shall be apportioned across all Common Equity Tier 1 instruments held. Institutions shall determine the portion of holdings of Common Equity Tier 1 instruments that is deducted pursuant to paragraph 1 by multiplying the amount specified in point (a) of this paragraph by the proportion specified in point (b) of this paragraph:

(a) the amount of holdings required to be deducted pursuant to paragraph 1;

(b) the proportion of the aggregate amount of direct, indirect and synthetic holdings by the institution of the Common Equity Tier 1 instruments of financial sector entities in which the institution does not have a significant investment represented by each Common Equity Tier 1 instrument held.

4. The amount of holdings referred to in point (h) of Article 36(1) that is equal to or less than 10 % of the Common Equity Tier 1 items of the institution after applying the provisions laid down in points (a)(i) to (iii) of paragraph 1 shall not be deducted and shall be subject to the applicable risk weights in accordance with Chapter 2 or 3 of Title II of Part Three and the requirements laid down in Title IV of Part Three, as applicable.

5. Institutions shall determine the portion of holdings of own funds instruments that is risk weighted by dividing the amount specified in point (a) by the amount specified in point (b):

(a) the amount of holdings required to be risk weighted pursuant to paragraph 4;

(b) the amount specified in point (i) divided by the amount specified in point (ii):

(i)

the total amount of the Common Equity Tier 1 instruments;

(ii)

the aggregate amount of direct, indirect and synthetic holdings by the institution of the Common Equity Tier 1 instruments of financial sector entities in which the institution does not have a significant investment.

Article 47 U.K. Deduction of holdings of Common Equity Tier 1 instruments where an institution has a significant investment in a financial sector entity

For the purposes of point (i) of Article 36(1), the applicable amount to be deducted from Common Equity Tier 1 items shall exclude underwriting positions held for five working days or fewer and shall be determined in accordance with Articles 44 and 45 and Sub-section 2.

Sub-Section 2 U.K. Exemptions from and alternatives to deduction from Common Equity Tier 1 items

Article 48 U.K. Threshold exemptions from deduction from Common Equity Tier 1 items

1. In making the deductions required pursuant to points (c) and (i) of Article 36(1), institutions are not required to deduct the amounts of the items listed in points (a) and (b) of this paragraph which in aggregate are equal to or less than the threshold amount referred to in paragraph 2:

(a) deferred tax assets that are dependent on future profitability and arise from temporary differences, and in aggregate are equal to or less than 10 % of the Common Equity Tier 1 items of the institution calculated after applying the following:

(i)

Articles 32 to 35;

(ii)

points (a) to (h), points (k)(ii) to (v) and point (l) of Article 36(1), excluding deferred tax assets that rely on future profitability and arise from temporary differences.

(b) where an institution has a significant investment in a financial sector entity, the direct, indirect and synthetic holdings of that institution of the Common Equity Tier 1 instruments of those entities that in aggregate are equal to or less than 10 % of the Common Equity Tier 1 items of the institution calculated after applying the following:

(i)

Article 32 to 35;

(ii)

points (a) to (h), points (k)(ii) to (v) and point (l), of Article 36(1) excluding deferred tax assets that rely on future profitability and arise from temporary differences.

2. For the purposes of paragraph 1, the threshold amount shall be equal to the amount referred to in point (a) of this paragraph multiplied by the percentage referred to in point (b) of this paragraph:

(a) the residual amount of Common Equity Tier 1 items after applying the adjustments and deductions in Articles 32 to 36 in full and without applying the threshold exemptions specified in this Article;

(b) 17,65 %.

3. For the purposes of paragraph 1, an institution shall determine the portion of deferred tax assets in the total amount of items that is not required to be deducted by dividing the amount specified in point (a) of this paragraph by the amount specified in point (b) of this paragraph:

(a) the amount of deferred tax assets that are dependent on future profitability and arise from temporary differences, and in aggregate are equal to or less than 10 % of the Common Equity Tier 1 items of the institution;

(b) the sum of the following:

(i)

the amount referred to in point (a);

(ii)

the amount of direct, indirect and synthetic holdings by the institution of the own funds instruments of financial sector entities in which the institution has a significant investment, and in aggregate are equal to or less than 10 % of the Common Equity Tier 1 items of the institution.

The proportion of significant investments in the total amount of items that is not required to be deducted is equal to one minus the proportion referred to in the first subparagraph.

4. The amounts of the items that are not deducted pursuant to paragraph 1 shall be risk weighted at 250 %.

Article 49 U.K. Requirement for deduction where consolidation, supplementary supervision or institutional protection schemes are applied

1. For the purposes of calculating own funds on an individual basis, a sub-consolidated basis and a consolidated basis, where the competent authorities require or permit institutions to apply method 1, 2 or 3 of Annex I to Directive 2002/87/EC, the competent authorities may permit institutions not to deduct the holdings of own funds instruments of a financial sector entity in which the parent institution, parent financial holding company or parent mixed financial holding company or institution has a significant investment, provided that the conditions laid down in points (a) to (e) of this paragraph are met:

(a) the financial sector entity is an insurance undertaking, a re-insurance undertaking or an insurance holding company;

(b) that insurance undertaking, re-insurance undertaking or insurance holding company is included in the same supplementary supervision under Directive 2002/87/EC as the parent institution, parent financial holding company or parent mixed financial holding company or institution that has the holding;

(c) the institution has received the prior permission of the competent authorities;

(d) prior to granting the permission referred to in point (c), and on a continuing basis, the competent authorities are satisfied that the level of integrated management, risk management and internal control regarding the entities that would be included in the scope of consolidation under method 1, 2 or 3 is adequate;

(e) the holdings in the entity belong to one of the following:

(i)

the parent credit institution;

(ii)

the parent financial holding company;

(iii)

the parent mixed financial holding company;

(iv)

the institution;

(v)

a subsidiary of one of the entities referred to in points (i) to (iv) that is included in the scope of consolidation pursuant to Chapter 2 of Title II of Part One.

The method chosen shall be applied in a consistent manner over time.

2. For the purposes of calculating own funds on an individual basis and a sub-consolidated basis, institutions subject to supervision on a consolidated basis in accordance with Chapter 2 of Title II of Part One shall not deduct holdings of own funds instruments issued by financial sector entities included in the scope of consolidated supervision, unless the competent authorities determine those deductions to be required for specific purposes, in particular structural separation of banking activities and resolution planning.

Applying the approach referred to in the first subparagraph shall not entail disproportionate adverse effects on the whole or parts of the financial system in other Member States or in the Union as a whole forming or creating an obstacle to the functioning of the internal market.

3. Competent authorities may, for the purposes of calculating own funds on an individual or sub-consolidated basis permit institutions not to deduct holdings of own funds instruments in the following cases:

(a) where an institution has a holding in another institution and the conditions referred to in points (i) to (v) are met:

(i)

the institutions fall within the same institutional protection scheme referred to in Article 113(7);

(ii)

the competent authorities have granted the permission referred to in Article 113(7);

(iii)

the conditions laid down in Article 113(7) are satisfied;

(iv)

the institutional protection scheme draws up a consolidated balance sheet referred to in point (e) of Article 113(7) or, where it is not required to draw up consolidated accounts, an extended aggregated calculation that is, to the satisfaction of the competent authorities, equivalent to the provisions of Directive 86/635/EEC, which incorporates certain adaptations of the provisions of Directive 83/349/EEC or of Regulation (EC) No 1606/2002, governing the consolidated accounts of groups of credit institutions. The equivalence of that extended aggregated calculation shall be verified by an external auditor and in particular that the multiple use of elements eligible for the calculation of own funds as well as any inappropriate creation of own funds between the members of the institutional protection scheme is eliminated in the calculation. The consolidated balance sheet or the extended aggregated calculation shall be reported to the competent authorities no less frequently than the frequency laid down in Article 99;

(v)

the institutions included in an institutional protection scheme meet together on a consolidated or extended aggregated basis the requirements laid down in Article 92 and carry out reporting of compliance with those requirements in accordance with Article 99. Within an institutional protection scheme the deduction of the interest owned by co-operative members or legal entities, which are not members of the institutional protection scheme, is not required, provided that the multiple use of elements eligible for the calculation of own funds as well as any inappropriate creation of own funds between the members of the institutional protection scheme and the minority shareholder, when it is an institution, is eliminated.

(b) where a regional credit institution has a holding in its central or another regional credit institution and the conditions laid down in points (a)(i) to (v) are met.

4. The holdings in respect of which deduction is not made in accordance with paragraph 1, 2 or 3 shall qualify as exposures and shall be risk weighted in accordance with Chapter 2 or 3 of Title II of Part Three, as applicable.

5. Where an institution applies methods 1 or 2 of Annex I to Directive 2002/87/EC, the institution shall disclose the supplementary own funds requirement and capital adequacy ratio of the financial conglomerate as calculated in accordance with Article 6 of and Annex I to that Directive.

6. EBA, EIOPA and the European Supervisory Authority (European Securities and Markets Authority) (ESMA) established by Regulation (EU) No 1095/2010 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 November 2010(2) shall, through the Joint Committee, develop draft regulatory technical standards to specify for the purposes of this Article the conditions of application of the calculation methods listed in Annex I, Part II of Directive 2002/87/EC for the purposes of the alternatives to deduction referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article.

EBA, EIOPA and ESMA shall submit those draft regulatory technical standards to the Commission by 1 February 2015.

Power is delegated to the Commission to adopt the regulatory technical standards referred to in the first subparagraph in accordance with Articles 10 to 14 of Regulation (EU) No 1093/2010, of Regulation (EU) No 1094/2010 and of Regulation (EU) No 1095/2010 respectively.

Section 4 U.K. Common equity tier 1 capital

Article 50 U.K. Common Equity Tier 1 capital

The Common Equity Tier 1 capital of an institution shall consist of Common Equity Tier 1 items after the application of the adjustments required by Articles 32 to 35, the deductions pursuant to Article 36 and the exemptions and alternatives laid down in Articles 48, 49 and 79.

(1)

OJ L 331, 15.12.2010, p. 48.

(2)

OJ L 331, 15.12.2010, p. 84.