The countercyclical capital buffer is intended to protect the banking sector against losses that could be caused by cyclical systemic risks increasing in the economy. Countercyclical capital buffers require banks to hold capital at times when credit is growing rapidly so that the buffer can be reduced if the financial cycle turns down or the economic and financial environment becomes substantially worse. Banks can use the capital buffers they have built up during the growth phase of the financial cycle to cover losses that may arise during periods of stress and to continue supplying credit to the real economy.
Eesti Pank has been given the responsibility for setting the levels for the countercyclical capital buffer in Estonia. Eesti Pank bases its assessments of the capital buffers and their levels on the principles agreed by the European Union in the Capital Requirements Directive and also considers the specific requirements of the Estonian economy and financial system.
Eesti Pank assesses the need for the countercyclical buffer and decides on the rate for it once a quarter.
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Quarter 3, 2020 Eesti Pank decided on 21 September 2020 to keep the countercyclical capital buffer rate for credit institutions at 0% of the credit risk exposures located in Estonia.
Reasoning for the buffer rate: the economic damage caused by the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic and the efforts to prevent it has caused uncertainty to increase, substantially reducing borrowing activity. In consequence Eesti Pank considers it appropriate to keep the countercyclical capital buffer rate for the banks at 0% and considers it unlikely that it will be decided to raise the buffer rate during this year. |
Decrees of the Governor of Eesti Pank
- Eesti Pank Governor’s Decree No.8 of 1 December 2015 Decree “Setting the Countercyclical Buffer”
- Eesti Pank Governor’s Decree No.9 of 1 December 2015 “Calculating the Institution-Specific Countercyclical Buffer and Recognising Countercyclical Buffer Rates from Other Countries”
Countercyclical capital buffer rates in other countries:
- The European Systemic Risk Board (ESRB) publishes countercyclical capital buffer rates in other European Union countries.
- The Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS) publishes countercyclical capital buffer rates in Basel Committee member jurisdictions.
