DRAFT BOARD OF GOVERNORS RESOLUTION FOR THE NOMINAL CAP AND THE PROVISIONS
ON THE PROCEDURE FOR THE VERIFICATION OF COMPLIANCE WITH THE CONDITION OF THE
PERMANENCE OF THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK FOR BANK RESOLUTION
DISCLAIMER: this draft document is part of the ESM reform package agreed in principle at
the Eurogroup meeting of 4 December 2019, subject to the conclusion of national
procedures. It is made available for information purposes only. This document can be
formally adopted by the relevant ESM decision-making body only after the entry into force
of the ESM Treaty, as amended by the draft Amending Agreement.
Draft resolution for the nominal cap and the provisions on the procedure for
the verification of compliance with the condition of the permanence of the
legal framework for bank resolution
THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS,
Having regard to the purpose of the ESM, pursuant to Article 3(2) of the ESM Treaty, to
provide the backstop facility to the Single Resolution Board (“SRB”) for the Single Resolution
Fund (“SRF”) to support the application of the resolution tools and exercise of resolution
powers of the SRB as enshrined in European Union law,
Having regard to the terms of reference of the common backstop to the Single Resolution
Fund endorsed by the Euro Summit of 14 December 2018 (the “Terms of Reference”),
Having regard to Article 18a(1) of the ESM Treaty, specifying that the Board of Governors shall
determine the key financial terms and conditions of the backstop facility, the nominal cap and
any adjustments to it,
Having regard to Article 18a(8) of the ESM Treaty, specifying that the backstop facility and its
use shall be contingent upon compliance with the condition of permanence of the legal
framework for bank resolution, and that further provisions on the procedure on the
verification of compliance with the condition of permanence of the legal framework and on
the consequences for the backstop facility and its use shall be determined by the Board of
Governors,
Having regard to Article 37(4) of the ESM Treaty, specifying that any dispute between ESM
Members concerning the compliance with the condition of the permanence of the legal
framework for bank resolution laid down in Article 18a(8) of the ESM Treaty may be directly
submitted to the Court of Justice of the European Union in line with the procedure to be
determined by the Board of Governors,
Recalling that the procedure for granting and implementing the backstop facility follows
Article 18a of the ESM Treaty and the detailed guidelines on the modalities for implementing
the backstop facility to be adopted by the Board of Directors in accordance with Article 18a(4)
of the ESM Treaty,
DETERMINES, pursuant to Article 18a(1) and (8) of the ESM Treaty, the following:
1.
Nominal cap
The nominal cap in respect of the backstop facility is set at €68 billion. The nominal cap will
limit the amount available for the backstop facility, so that its maximum amount is at all times
equal to or lower than the nominal cap. The Board of Governors may, by mutual agreement,
adjust the nominal cap initially set. The Board of Governors will review the appropriateness
of the nominal cap initially set according to this paragraph well in time before the end of the
transitional period.
2.
Verification of compliance with the condition of permanence of the legal
framework
a)
Procedural provisions
(1)
Where an ESM Member considers that the condition of permanence of the
legal framework for bank resolution set out in Article 18a(9) lit. (a) of the ESM Treaty
is not complied with and the relevant change of such legal framework has been
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adopted against the will of such ESM Member, the ESM Member may exercise, as a
Contracting Party to the Intergovernmental Agreement of 21 May 2014 on the
transfer and mutualisation of contributions to the Single Resolution Fund (“IGA”), its
rights under public international law regarding a fundamental change of
circumstances, in accordance with Article 9(2) IGA, by notifying the other Contracting
Parties to the IGA of its claim. Such notification shall be made in writing within two
months from the entry into force of the relevant change of the legal framework for
bank resolution. The ESM Member shall also inform the ESM and the SRB of such
notification and of the date when such notification has been made to all Contracting
Parties to the IGA as well as of any circumstances relevant for the consequences for
the backstop facility and its use described below.
(2)
Where an ESM Member considers that the condition of permanence of the
legal framework is not complied with as the principles and rules defined in Article
18a(9) lit. (b) of the ESM Treaty have been repealed, or otherwise amended against
the will of such ESM Member in a manner which is not equivalent or that does not
lead, at least, to the same and not less stringent result than that deriving from those
principles and rules as in force as of 27 June 2019, the ESM Member may notify the
other ESM Members of such claim. The notification shall be made in writing within
two months from the entry into force of the relevant change of the legal framework
for bank resolution. The ESM Member shall also inform the ESM and the SRB of such
notification and of the date when such notification has been made to all ESM
Members as well as of any circumstances relevant for the consequences for the
backstop facility and its use described below. Any other ESM Member may, within one
month from the date when such notification has been made to all other ESM
Members, request the Court of Justice of the European Union pursuant to Article 37(4)
of the ESM Treaty to verify the compliance with the condition of the permanence of
legal framework set out in Article 18a(9) lit. (b) of the ESM Treaty.
(3)
Where an ESM Member exercises its rights both under paragraphs 1 and 2
above, it shall do so in a single notification. In that case, any request to the Court of
Justice of the European Union by an ESM Member pursuant to Article 9(2) IGA and
Article 37(4) of the ESM Treaty shall be made in one single application. The application
shall also specify that the Court of Justice of the European Union is requested to verify
the compliance with the condition of the permanence of legal framework separately
for (i) rules defined in Article 18a(9)(a) of the ESM Treaty and for (ii) principles and
rules defined in Article 18a(9)(b) of the ESM Treaty, respectively. Neither the exercise
of the rights under paragraph 2, nor a judgment of the Court of Justice of the EU
delivered in this respect shall affect performance or execution of obligations under
the IGA.
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b)
Consequences for the backstop facility
In accordance with Article 18a(8) of the ESM Treaty, a comprehensive review of the
backstop facility will be initiated in the following events (each of them a ‘Fundamental
Change Event’):
i.
no request has been submitted to the Court of Justice of the European
Union pursuant to Article 9(2) of the IGA and/or Article 37(4) of the ESM Treaty
within one month from the date when the notification under lit. a) above has
been made to all other ESM Members / Contracting Parties to the IGA, as
applicable; or,
ii.
any such request which has been submitted in the time limits
prescribed under lit. a) above has been withdrawn, or otherwise discontinued;
or
iii.
the Court of Justice of the European Union has concluded, on the basis
of a request submitted to it pursuant to Article 9(2) IGA and/or Article 37(4) of
the ESM Treaty, that there has been a fundamental change of circumstances
in the meaning of Article 9(2) IGA and/or the condition of the permanence of
the legal framework for bank resolution defined in Article 18a(9) lit. b) of the
ESM Treaty is not complied with.
Following a Fundamental Change Event, a meeting of the Board of Governors shall be
convened or a written procedure initiated to decide following a comprehensive review
on whether the backstop facility shall be continued. If the Board of Governors does
not decide following a comprehensive review by mutual agreement to continue the
backstop facility on the same or on amended terms within 90 calendar days after any
Fundamental Change Event, the backstop facility shall be terminated. The Board of
Governors may decide by mutual agreement to extend said time limit before its
expiration. The Managing Director shall notify the SRB thereof in accordance with the
backstop facility agreement. A copy of such notification shall be sent to the European
Commission and the European Central Bank.
c)
Consequences for the use of the backstop facility
For the purposes of the approval of loans and disbursements pursuant to Article
18a(5) of the ESM Treaty, point (f) of paragraph 2 of Annex IV to the ESM Treaty shall
be considered satisfied, unless
i.
a Fundamental Change Event has occurred; or
ii.
within one month from the date when a notification has been made to
all other Contracting Parties to the IGA pursuant to Article 9(2) IGA, a
Contracting Party to the IGA has submitted a request to the Court of Justice of
the European Union in accordance with Article 9(2) IGA, however, it has not
requested a suspension, within the meaning of Article 278 TFEU, of the
operation of the measure which is the object of the dispute under Article 9 IGA
or, if it has requested such suspension, the request has been rejected.
Point (f) of paragraph 2 of Annex IV to the ESM Treaty shall also be considered
satisfied, if, following any of the situations described in i. and ii. above, the Board of
Governors has decided following a comprehensive review by mutual agreement to
continue the backstop facility on the same or on amended terms.
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