Finansinspektionen Regulations on Prudential Requirements and Capital Buffers (FFFS 2014:12)

Finansinspektionen issues these regulations to implement the EU Capital Requirements Regulation and Directive, establishing comprehensive prudential requirements and capital buffers for Swedish credit institutions and investment firms. The framework mandates strict rules on consolidated reporting, own funds, large exposures, liquidity, and capital buffer documentation, while recent amendments expand coverage to very large securities companies and introduce updated provisions for covered bonds, implicit government support assumptions, and leverage ratio interventions. Subsequent regulatory updates align Swedish law with the Investment Firms Regulation, refine disclosure obligations, and adjust default thresholds, with the latest amendments taking effect between 2023 and 2025 to ensure ongoing compliance with evolving EU financial standards.

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Finansinspektionen’s regulations and general guidelines regarding prudential requirements and capital buffers

In force from 2014-08-02

Summary

The regulations contain rules on consolidated situation, own funds, own fund requirements, large exposures, liquidity, reporting, disclosure of information, capital buffers and documentation of the undertakings' capital and liquidity assessment procedures.

The regulations are part of the Swedish implementation of the Basel III Agreement that is being introduced within the EU through the Capital Requirements Regulation and the Capital Requirements Directive.

Amendments

The regulatory amendments entail, among other things, amended or new rules regarding

consolidated situations

that a credit institution's exposures in the form of covered bonds can qualify for preferential treatment in accordance with the Capital Requirements Regulation

that some credit assessment may include assumptions of implicit government support until 30 June 2026.

Minor subsequent changes and editorial changes were also made.

The amendments enter into force as of 1 January 2025. Amendment 2024:16

The scope of the regulations has been expanded to include very large securities companies.

The amendments enter into force on 8 March 2023. Amendment 2023:6

The amendment entails that Chapter 3, section 4 of Finansinspektionen's regulations and general guidelines (FFFS 2014:12) regarding prudential requirements and capital buffers is repealed. The amendment is due to amendments to the Capital Requirements Regulation.

The amendments enter into force from 8 July 2022. Amendment 2022:13

Due to the entry into force of the Investment Funds Regulation (2019/2933/EU) on 26 June 2021, and the provisions in the Investment Firms Directive (2019/2034/EU) that will be implemented into Swedish law, the following amendments are being made:

A large number of provisions will no longer apply to most investment firms.

Most investment firms will be subject to provisions on exemptions for large exposures pursuant to the Investment Firms Regulation.

Requirements are introduced on reporting in accordance with the Investment Firms Regulation.

Requirements on documentation of the capital liquidity assessment process will also apply to investment firms subject to the Investment Firms Regulation, with the exception of those considered to be small and non-interconnected.

Minor subsequent amendments and editorial changes have been made.

The amendments enter into force on 7 July 2021. However, the amendments in Chapter 9, sections 9–11will be applied first on 1 January 2023. Amendment 2021:24

The regulatory amendments entail in part new or amended regulations regarding

disclosure of information

exemption for some undertakings from applying Article 413 of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 June 2013 on prudential requirements for credit institutions and investment firms and amending Regulation (EU) No 648/2012

which information a holding company must submit to Finansinspektionen in conjunction with applications for approval or exemption from the requirement on approval pursuant to the Special Supervision of Credit Institutions and Investment Firms Act (2014:968)

interventions and restrictions if the leverage ratio buffer requirement is not met.

The regulations enter into force on 28 June 2021 with regard to Chapter 1, sections 3 and 5, Chapter 6, section 1, and Chapter 8, sections 2 and 4–11, and otherwise on 29 December 2020. The provision in Chapter 9, sections 9–11 will be applied for the first time on 1 January 2023. Amendment 2020:32

The regulatory amendments introduce new regulations regarding

a notification obligation for the issuance of capital instruments

disclosure of information regarding own funds requirements and own funds

the threshold for when a default is considered to have occurred.

The amendments also grant Finansinspektionen the possibility of deciding on consolidation under certain conditions. The provisions regarding groups of connected clients are also repealed.

The regulations enter into force on 15 June 2019. Amendment 2019:6

FI is introducing an exemption from the requirements set out in Article 129(1)(c) of the Capital Requirements Regulation by means of an amendment to Finansinspektionen's regulations (FFFS 2014:12) regarding prudential requirements and capital buffers.

FI is introducing the exemption to avoid the concentration problems on the Swedish market that could arise if issuers of covered bonds were referred to only a few derivative counterparties.

EBA has published an opinion on FI's decision and finds it to be justified. The regulatory amendment enters into force on 31 March 2015. Amendment 2015:3

Documents

FFFS 2014:12

FFFS 2014:12 (consolidated version)

Changes

Number

FFFS 2024:16

Date

2025-01-01

Heading

FFFS 2024:16

Number

FFFS 2023:6

Date

2023-03-08

Heading

FFFS 2023:6

Number

FFFS 2022:13

Date

2022-07-08

Heading

FFFS 2022:13

Number

FFFS 2021:24

Date

2021-07-07

Heading

FFFS 2021:24

Number

FFFS 2020:32

Date

2020-12-29

Heading

FFFS 2020:32

Number

FFFS 2019:6

Date

2019-06-15

Heading

FFFS 2019:6

Number

FFFS 2015:3

Date

2015-03-31

Heading

FFFS 2015:3

PM

Decision memorandum FFFS 2015:3