2025-09-03
The Executive Board of the National Bank of Serbia issued this Decision to establish the detailed terms and conditions for the sale of shares, assets, and liabilities of a bank under resolution. It mandates a transparent, efficient, and non-discriminatory bidding process aimed at maximizing sale prices while preserving financial system stability. The regulation also outlines procedures for direct sales in urgent cases and supersedes the previous Decision No 30/2025, with the new rules applying from October 1, 2025.
RS Official Gazette, No 63/2025 Pursuant to Article 128n, paragraph 6 of the Law on Banks (RS Official Gazette, Nos 107/2005, 91/2010, 14/2015 and 19/2025) and Article 15a, paragraph 1 of the Law on the National Bank of Serbia (RS Official Gazette, Nos 72/2003, 55/2004, 85/2005 – other law, 44/2010, 76/2012, 106/2012, 14/2015, 40/2015 – CC decision, 44/2018 and 19/2025), the Executive Board of the National Bank of Serbia issues the following D E C I S I O N ON DETAILED TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR THE SALE OF SHARES, ASSETS AND LIABILITIES OF A BANK UNDER RESOLUTION
2 3. Based on the assessment of the situation in the financial market, and taking into account the need to preserve financial system stability and the circumstances of the specific case which dictate the time available for the procedure, the NBS shall send an invitation to potential bidders to submit bids for the sale of shares, assets or liabilities of a bank that is to undergo resolution. The invitation from paragraph 1 of this Section shall contain:
3 2) documents and data in accordance with the conditions stated in the invitation, if any. 5. Upon receiving the statement of interest, the NBS shall immediately verify whether adequate documents have also been submitted with the statement, in accordance with the invitation from Section 3 hereof, including the signed confidentiality agreement. Based on the receipt of the statement(s) from paragraph 1 of this Section, the NBS shall make a list of qualified potential bidders. The NBS shall ensure that all qualified potential bidders have access to the relevant information about the bank’s financial position, including the results of an independent valuation from Article 128i of the Law on Banks, if available. 6. A qualified potential bidder shall submit a bid for the acquisition of shares, assets or liabilities of a bank under resolution within the deadline and in the manner specified in the invitation from Section 3 hereof. The bid referred to in paragraph 1 of this Section shall contain in particular the offered price of shares, assets or liabilities that are the subject of the sale, specifications as to whether the bidder from that paragraph (hereinafter: bidder) is interested in acquiring all shares and/or all or a part of assets and liabilities of the bank under resolution, as well as any conditions pertaining to the acquisition. 7. The NBS shall open bids and determine their timeliness and completeness in accordance with the invitation referred to in Section 3 hereof. Bid opening may be attended by bidders and their legal representatives, as well as other representatives or proxies who shall present a special authorisation in order to attend the bid opening. The NBS shall notify the bidders in writing about the bids that are untimely or contain other deficiencies by no later than the next business day after the day of bid opening. If it determines that there are no timely and complete bids, the NBS shall determine that the sale has been unsuccessful, of which all bidders shall be informed no later than the next business day after the day of bid opening.
4 8. After the bid opening, the NBS shall evaluate the bids based on the bid ranking criteria referred to in the invitation from Section 3 hereof, within the deadline defined in that invitation. Where only one bid was submitted, the bid shall not be evaluated, and the bidder shall be immediately invited to start the negotiations on the conditions and contents of the sales agreement. Where more than one bid was submitted, the NBS shall evaluate the bids and compile a ranking list of bids, in accordance with the criteria specified in the invitation in Section 3 hereof, notify the bidders about the list and invite one or more of the highest-ranking bidders to start the negotiations on the conditions and contents of the sales agreement. Depending on the outcome of the negotiations from paragraph 3 of this Section, the NBS may conclude a sales agreement with one or more bidders for different parts of shares, assets or liabilities of a bank under resolution. 9. If the sales agreement is not concluded within the timeframe specified in the invitation referred to in Section 3 of this Decision, the negotiations shall be considered unsuccessful, and the NBS shall send the invitation to negotiate to the bidder(s) whose bid is ranked next on the ranking list from Section 8, paragraph 3 hereof. If no bid remains on the ranking list from paragraph 1 of this Section, the NBS shall issue the decision determining that the sale was unsuccessful and shall act in the manner referred to in Section 7, paragraph 4 hereof. The sales agreement shall be concluded within the timeframe specified in the invitation referred to in Section 3 hereof. The NBS may extend the timeframe at its own initiative or at the proposal of the bidder with whom negotiations are underway. 10. The bidders shall be entitled to file a complaint to the NBS over the breach of provisions of this Decision and conditions from the invitation referred to in Section 3 hereof, within the deadline and in the manner specified in the invitation. The complaint referred to in paragraph 1 of this Section shall not delay the taking of further actions in the sales procedure, with the exception of the conclusion of a sales agreement. Direct sale
5 11. Notwithstanding Sections 3 to 10 of this Decision, the NBS may also conduct a direct sale of business, if it determines that conducting the sales procedure as stipulated in these Sections may jeopardise the achievement of resolution objectives or the efficiency of the sales tool, particularly if it assesses that the fact that the bank is failing or likely to fail poses a serious threat to stability of the financial system, whereas the NBS shall assess the following:
6 11) whether the need for an urgent response justifies the incentives provided to certain potential buyers or the limitation of their risk, particularly in the context of using funds of the Bank Resolution Fund; 12) whether the implementation of the sales procedure aimed at achieving the highest selling price would adversely impact the timely application of this resolution tool, the maintenance of the bank’s critical functions and the achievement of resolution objectives. Final provisions 12. As of the application date of this Decision, the Decision on Detailed Terms and Conditions for Inviting and Selecting Bids for Acquisition and/or sale of Shares, Assets and Liabilities of a Bank under Resolution (RS Official Gazette, No 30/2025) shall cease to be valid. 13. This Decision shall come into effect on the eighth day from its publication in the RS Official Gazette and shall apply as of 1 October 2025. NBS EB No 50 Chair 10 July 2025 of the NBS Executive Board B e l g r a d e G o v e r n o r National Bank of Serbia Dr Jorgovanka Tabaković, sign.