Instruments and Decisions

Clarification

According to the regulation “On macroprudential capital buffers” approved with the decision no.41, date 05.06.2019 of the Supervisory Council of the Bank of Albania  (herein, regulation ‘41/2019’), the Bank of Albania (BoA) determines and announces the macroprudential capital buffer (SHMAK). Those are: capital conservation buffer (KONS), article 10; countercyclical capital buffer (KUNC), articles 11 to 13; capital buffers for systemic banks (SIST) applied to systemic banks (BARS), article 14; and the systemic risk buffer (STRUK), article 15. According to article 6, the macroprudential capital buffer is raised in instruments of core equity tier one capital, it is expressed in percent of risk weighted exposures of the bank, and the aggregated value of the macroprudential capital buffers represent the combined buffer requirement (SHKOMAK).

For KONS, regulation 41/2019 stipulates in article 10, paragraph (1), table 2, the value that should be met and held from each of the banks for 2023 is 2.0%.

For KUNC, regulation ‘41/2019’ stipulates in its article 12, paragraph (3), that BoA announces the applied rate (AKUNC) for Albania for the first time within June 2019, and subsequently does it every three months. For banks that have relevant credit exposures (EPSHK) in foreign jurisdictions, the determination of AKUNC for each such jurisdictions is done according to article 13. When there is not a different determination by BoA, the application date for KUNC in the foreign jurisdiction will be that which is determined by the responsible authority of that jurisdiction. The KUNC that is specific for a bank (SPEKUNC), will be capped by the values shown in article 11, paragraph (7), table 3. For calculating SPEKUNC, the KUNC rates applied in countries of European Union and of European Economic Area, can be found in the internet site of ESRB; while the rates applied for relevant credit exposures in countries not listed in the ESRB website, can be found in the BIS website.

For BARS and SIST, the regulation stipulates in its article 14, paragraph (6), that BARS will be determined for the first time within June 2019 and, later on, once a year during the first quarter (paragraph (5)). Subject to bank’s systemic importance mark, the values of SIST will be in accordance to the table in paragraph (7), or up to 1.5% for year 2023. According to paragraph (9), BoA announces the list of BARS and respective SIST values.

For STRUK, the regulation stipulates in article 15, paragraph (7), that BoA will determine STRUK for the first time after June 2019, without fixing a specific deadline. Until currently, BoA has not announced any rate for STRUK.

In line with article 16 of the regulation 41/2019, the determination of the macroprudential capital buffer, is done through a decision of the Governor of the Bank of Albania. According to article 17, in order to announce the macroprudential capital buffers, the said decision of the Governor of BoA is published in BoA website and is officially notified to banks in writing.

The decision of the Bank of Albania

Accordingly, the Governor of BoA has reached the decision no. 4036, date 01 October 2024 “For the determination of countercyclical capital buffers” (decision ‘4036/2024’).

Values of macroprudential capital buffers that should be met by banks and related deadlines

According to the Governor’s decisions listed at the end of this page, the combined macroprudential capital buffer to be met by banks and related deadlines are as follows:

Nr.

SHMAK

Bank

Date of observation

                 BARS

Not BARS

1

SIST

 According to the Governor’s decision 1481/2024 (but capped at 3.0%)

Not applicable

From 1 January 2025

2

KONS

2.5%

2.5%

 Ongoing

3

SPEKUNC

 According to the Governor’s decision 4036/2024 and according to banks’ calculations (but capped at 3.0%) According to the Governor’s decision 4036/2024 and according to banks’ calculations (but capped at 3.0%) From 30 September 2025

4 = 1+2+3

SHKOMAK

 KONS (2.5%) + SIST (0.5% or 1.0% or 1.5% or 2.0% or 3.0%) + SPEKUNC KONS (2.5%) + SPEKUNC

 

 

A visual presentation of the applying macro-prudential capital buffers is provided in this graph.

According to regulation ‘41/2019’, if the combined buffer requirement value is not met then the bank is subject to limits on payment distributions as stipulated in article 8, and other measures as stipulated in article 9.