2026-03-11
Added · Updated
The Austrian Federal Ministry of Finance enacted the Banking Act to regulate credit and financial institutions within Austria. The legislation establishes comprehensive licensing requirements, defines permissible banking transactions, and mandates adherence to EU capital conservation and macro-prudential standards. It further outlines supervisory powers for the Financial Market Authority, consumer protection measures, and procedures for receivership and insolvency.
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All English translation of the authentic German text is unofficial and serves merely information purposes. The official wording in German can be found in the Austrian Federal Law Gazette (Bundesgesetzblatt; BGBl.). All translations have been prepared with great care, but linguistic compromises had to be made. The reader should also bear in mind that some provisions of these laws will remain unclear without certain background knowledge of the Austrian legal and political system. Please note that these laws may be amended in the future and check occasionally for updates. Austrian Banking Act (BWG; Bankwesengesetz) Original Version: published in Federal Law Gazette 532/1993 Amendments: Federal Law Gazette 639/1993; 917/1993; 505/1994; 730/1994; 22/1995; 50/1995; 383/1995; 255/1996; 304/1996; 445/1996; 446/1996; 680/1996; 742/1996; 753/1996; 757/1996. From 1997 onwards in Federal Law Gazette I, unless indicated otherwise: 58/1997; 63/1997; 106/1997; 114/1997; 11/1998; 126/1998; 153/1998; 49/1999; 63/1999; 76/1999; 123/1999; 25/2000; 33/2000: 135/2000; 2/2001; 97/2001; 45/2002; 100/2002; 131/2002; 163/2002; 33/2003; 35/2003; 36/2003; 80/2003; 98/2003; 13/2004; Federal Law Gazette II 94/2004; 70/2004; 131/2004; 161/2004; 32/2005: 33/2005; 59/2005; 124/2005; 48/2006; 104/2006; 141/2006; 19/2007; 60/2007; 108/2007; 2/2008; 70/2008; 136/2008; 22/2009; 39/2009; 42/2009; 66/2009; 152/2009; 28/2010; 29/2010; 37/2010; 58/2010; 72/2010; 104/2010; 107/2010; 118/2010; 77/2011; 145/2011; 20/2012; 35/2012; 119/2012; 70/2013; 135/2013; 160/2013; 184/2013; 13/2014; 59/2014; 98/2014; 18/2015; 34/2015; 68/2015; 69/2015; 116/2015; 117/2015; 159/2015; 43/2016; 50/2016; 118/2016; 107/2017; 136/2017; 149/2017; 150/2017; 17/2018; 36/2018; 37/2018; 69/2018; 76/2018; 112/2018; 46/2019; 25/2021; 98/2021; 199/2021; 36/2022; 237/2022; 78/2023; 106/2023; 111/2024, 112/2024; 5/2025; 6/2025; 37/2025; 96/2025; 5/2026; 6/2026. Note about this translation: this consolidated version reflects the version of the Federal Act up to including the amendment published in Federal Law Gazette I 6/2026 as of the date below. Date: 11.03.2026
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section I: General Provisions
Article 1. Credit Institutions and Financial Institutions
Article 1a. Applicability of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013
Article 2. Definitions
Article 3. Exceptions
Section II: Licensing
Articles 4. and 5. Granting of Licences
Article 5a. Intermediate EU Parent Undertaking
Article 6. Revocation of Licences
Article 7. Lapsing of Licences
Article 7a. Dissolution of a credit institution
Article 7b. Granting of Licences for Financial Holding Companies and Mixed Financial
Holding Companies
Article 8. Licensing Information
Section III: Freedom of Establishment and Freedom to Provide Services
Article 9. Credit Institutions from Member States in Austria
Article 9a. repealed
Article 10. Austrian Credit Institutions in Member States
Article 10a. Cross-border demerger
Article 11. Financial Institutions from Member States in Austria
Article 12. repealed
Article 13. Subsidiaries of Financial Institutions from Member States in Austria
Article 14. repealed
Articles 15. to 17. Supervision in the Context of the Freedom of Establishment and the Freedom to Provide Services
Article 18. Significant Branches
Article 19. Service of Documents
Section IV: Ownership Provisions and Approvals
Article 20. Qualifying Holdings in Credit Institutions
Article 20a. Assessment Procedure
Article 20b. Assessment Criteria
Article 21. Approvals
Article 21a. Additional Requirements for Procedures
Article 21b. Other FMA Powers to Issue Regulations
Section V: Capital conservation buffer, capital conservation measures and
macro-prudential tools
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Subsection 1: Capital conservation buffer and combined capital buffer requirement
Article 22. Capital conservation buffer
Article 22a. Combined capital buffer requirement
Subsection 2: macro-prudential tools
Article 23. Macroprudential supervision within the Single Supervisory Mechanism
Article 23a. Capital buffer requirement for the countercyclical capital buffer
Article 23b. Recognition of capital buffer requirements for countercyclical capital
buffers
Article 23c. Capital buffer requirement for Global Systemically Important Institutions
Article 23d. Capital buffer requirement for Systemically Important Institutions
Article 23e. Capital buffer requirement for the systemic risk buffer
Article 23f. Recognition of capital buffer requirements for systemic risk buffers
Article 23g. National measures to limit systemic risk
Article 23h. Measures to limit systemic risks in real estate financing
Subsection 3: Capital Conservation Measures
Article 24. Restrictions on Distributions
Article 24a. Capital Conservation Plan
Article 24b. Combined capital buffer requirement not being met
Article 24c. Restrictions on distributions in the case of the leverage ratio buffer
requirement ceasing to be met
Article 24d. Leverage ratio buffer requirement ceasing to be met
Section VI: Regulatory Standards
Subsection 1: Outsourcing
Article 25. Outsourcing
Subsection 2: Company Law
Article 26. Contingent Convertible Bonds
Article 26a. Instruments without Voting Rights
Article 26b. Redemption of Own Funds
Article 27. Special Requirements for Credit Cooperatives
Article 27a. Liquidity Associations
Subsection 3: Bodies
Article 28. Transactions with Management and Related Parties
Article 28a. Special Requirements for Bodies of Credit Institutions
Article 28b. Special Obligations of Bodies with regard to Lending
Article 29. Nomination Committee
Subsection 4: Group Perspective
Article 30. Group of Credit Institutions and the FMA as Consolidating Supervisor
Article 30a. Affiliation of Credit Institutions
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Article 30b. Exemption from the Application of Own Funds Requirements on an
Individual Basis
Article 30c. Exemption from the Application of Liquidity Requirements on an Individual
Basis
Article 30d. Supervision of Mixed Financial Holding Companies
Section VII: Savings Deposits
Article 31. Savings Documents
Article 32. Deposits, Withdrawals and Interest
Section VIII: Consumer Protection Provisions
Article 33. Special Provisions for Mortgage and Immovable Property Credit
Agreements
Article 34. Consumer Current Account Agreements
Article 35. Information about Prices
Article 36. Business Relations with Youths
Article 37. Value Dates
Article 37a. Deposit Guarantee
Section IX: Banking Secrecy
Article 38. Banking Secrecy
Section X: Due Diligence Obligations and Disclosure of Information for the
Prevention of Money Laundering and of Terrorist Financing
Article 39. General Due Diligence Obligations
Article 39a. Internal Capital Adequacy Assessment Process
Article 39b. Principles of Remuneration Policy and Practices
Article 39c. Remuneration Committee
Article 39d. Risk Committee
Article 39e. Handling of Complaints
Articles 40-40d repealed
Article 41. Reporting Requirements
Section XI: Internal Auditing
Article 42. Internal Auditing
Section XII: Accounting
Articles 43. and 44. General Provisions
Articles 45. to 50. General Balance Sheet Reporting Requirements
Article 51. Provisions regarding Individual Balance Sheet Items
Articles 52. to 54. Special Provisions relating to Certain Items in the Income Statement Articles 55. to 58. Valuation Rules
Article 59. Consolidated Financial Statements
Articles 60. to 63a. Bank Auditors
Article 63b. Temporary Disqualification from the Practice of an Activity
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Article 64. Notes to the Financial Statements
Article 65. Publication
Article 65a. Disclosure concerning Corporate Governance and Remuneration
Section XIII: Provisions regarding Cover Reserves pursuant to Article 216 ABGB
Articles 66.to 68. Provisions regarding Cover Reserves pursuant to Article 216 ABGB
Section XIV: Supervision
Article 69. Responsibilities of the FMA and Supervisory Review Process
Article 69a. Allocation of Costs
Article 69b. Disclosure Obligations of the FMA
Article 70. Supervisory Powers
Article 70a. Superordinate Mixed Activity Holding Companies
Article 70b. Additional Own Funds Requirements
Article 70c. Supervisory Expectation
Article 70d. Additional Liquidity Requirements
Article 71. On-site Inspections
Article 72. Cooperation between Authorities
Article 73. Notifications
Article 73a. Electronic Transmission
Article 74. Reporting
Article 74a. Reporting Platform
Article 74b. Valuation of Assets and Off-balance Sheet Items
Article 75. Collection of Credit Data and Credit Risk Data
Article 76. State Commissioner
Article 77. Cooperation and Data Processing
Article 77a. International Agreements
Article 77b. Supervisory Colleges and Cooperation Agreements
Article 77c. Cross-Border Decision-Making Procedures
Article 77d. Supervision by the European Central Bank – Single Supervisory Mechanism
Article 77e. Accessibility of information in the European Single Access Point
Section XV: Moratorium
Article 78. Moratorium
Section XVI: Oesterreichische Nationalbank
Articles 79. and 80. Oesterreichische Nationalbank
Section XVII: Receivership and Insolvency Provisions
Articles 81. to 91. Receivership and Insolvency Provisions
Section XVIII: Structural Provisions
Article 92. Transfer of Assets into Stock Corporations
Section XIX: Deposit Guarantee and Investor Compensation
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Article 93. Information sharing for deposit guarantee and investor compensation
purposes
Article 93a. Conditions for non-recognised systems as part of the deposit guarantee
scheme
Section XX: Protection of Designations
Article 94. Protection of Designations
Section XXI: Savings Associations and Employee Savings Plans
Article 95. Savings Associations and Employee Savings Plans
Section XXII: Procedural and Penal Provisions
Articles 96. to 101a. Procedural and Penal Provisions
Section XXIII: repealed
Articles 102. and 102a. repealed
Section XXIV: Transitional and Final Provisions
Articles 103. to 103z. Transitional Provisions
Article 104. Changes in Designations
Article 105. References and Regulations
Article 106. Repeals
Articles 107. and 108. Entry into Force and Enforcement
Article 109. Transposition Notes
ANNEXES
Annex to Article 23a: Calculation of the countercyclical buffer rate
Annex to Article 23e: Calculation of the capital buffer requirement for the systemic risk buffer
Annex to Article 24: Calculation of the Maximum Distributable Amount (MDA)
Annex to Article 24c: Calculation of the Maximum Distributable Amount (MDA) for the leverage
ratio
Annex to Article 25: Outsourcing provisions
Annex to Article 37a: Depositor Information Sheet
Annex to Article 39b: Principles of Remuneration Policy and Practices
Annex 1 to Article 43: Layout of the Balance Sheet
Annex 2 to Article 43: Layout of the Income Statement
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SECTION I: GENERAL PROVISIONS
Credit Institutions and Financial Institutions
Article 1. (1) The term "credit institution" refers to an institution authorised to carry out banking
transactions on the basis of Article 4 or Article 103 no. 5 of this federal act, or on the basis of special provisions under Austrian federal law. Banking transactions include the following activities if carried out for commercial purposes:
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9. the issuance of covered bonds in accordance with the Pfandbrief Act (PfandBG;
Pfandbriefgesetz) published in Federal Law Gazette I No. 199/2021 (securities underwriting business);
10. the issuance of other fixed-income securities for the purpose of investing the proceeds in other
banking transactions (miscellaneous securities underwriting business);
11. participation in underwriting third-party issues of one or more of the instruments listed under
no. 7 lit. b to f as well as related services (third-party securities underwriting business);
12. the acceptance of building savings deposits and the extension of building loans in accordance
with the Building Society Act (BSpG; Bausparkassengesetz) (building savings and loan business);
13. the management of investment funds in accordance with the Investment Fund Act 2011 (InvFG
2011; Investmentfondsgesetz), Federal Law Gazette I No. 77/2011 (investment fund business); 13a. The management of real estate investment funds in accordance with the Real Estate Investment Fund Act (ImmoInvFG; Immobilien-Investmentfondsgesetz), Federal Law Gazette I No. 80/2003 (real estate investment fund business);
14. repealed
15. The business of financing through the acquisition and resale of equity shares (capital financing
business);
16. The purchase of receivables from the delivery of goods or services, assumption of the risk of
non-payment associated with such receivables – with the exception of credit insurance – and the related collection of such receivables (factoring business);
17. The conduct of money brokering transactions on the interbank market;
18. The brokering of transactions as specified in
a. no. 1, except for transactions conducted by contract insurance undertakings; b. no. 3, except for the brokering of mortgage loans and personal loans by real estate agents, personal loan and mortgage loan brokers, and investment advisors;
c. no. 7 lit. a where this applies to foreign exchange transactions;
d. no. 8.
19. repealed
20. repealed
21. the acceptance and investment of severance payment contributions from salaried employees
and self-employed persons (severance and retirement fund business);
22. the purchase of foreign means of payment (e.g. notes and coins, cheques, traveller's letters of
credit and payment orders) over the counter and the sale of foreign notes and coins as well as traveller's cheques over the counter (exchange bureau business);
23. repealed
Undertakings, whose business purpose is covered fully by Article 3 para. 2 WAG 2018 and that do not require any licence pursuant to Article 4 para. 1, are not credit institutions.
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(2) The term "financial institution" refers to an institution which is not a credit institution as defined under para. 1 and which is authorised to conduct one or more of the following activities for commercial purposes if they are conducted as the institution's main activities:
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10 / 290 a licence pursuant to para. 1 nos. 1, 3, 7 or 8, shall be authorised to broker the respective banking transactions under para. 1 no. 18 lits. a to d. Under the conditions listed in Regulation (EU) 2023/1114 credits institutions shall be authorised to issue asset-referenced tokens (ARTs) pursuant to Article 3 (1) point 6 of Regulation (EU) 2023/1114, and to conduct crypto-asset services pursuant to Article 3 (1) point 16 of Regulation (EU) 2023/1114. (4) The Federal Minister of Finance may issue regulations which amend or expand the list of activities under paras. 1 and 2 where necessary due to sufficiently defined obligations arising from the Republic of Austria's accession to the European Union. In cases where the list of activities under para. 2 is amended or expanded, the Federal Minister of Finance must issue such regulations in consultation with the Federal Minister for Digital and Economic Affairs. (5) In decisions on legal disputes arising from banking transactions, a defence stating that a claim is based on a speculation on differences which can be classified as gambling or betting will not be admissible if at least one of the parties to the agreement is authorised to conduct such banking transactions for commercial purposes. (6) Article 1346 para. 2 of the General Civil Code (ABGB; Allgemeines Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch) does not apply to liabilities assumed by credit institutions in the course of their business activities. Applicability of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013
Article 1a. (1) For the purposes of this federal act, the following definitions shall apply:
Austrian Banking Act (BWG; Bankwesengesetz)
11 / 290 a. Those natural persons authorised by law or the articles of association to manage the business of the credit institution or financial institution, particularly to set strategy, objectives and overall direction, and to legally represent it; b. In the case of credit cooperatives, those natural persons entrusted with managing the business, particularly with setting strategy, objectives and overall direction, and appointed as directors by the management board, supervisory board or the general meeting; only directors are authorised to represent the credit cooperative, full powers of commercial representation (Article 48 Company Code (UGB; Unternehmensgesetzbuch)) and commercial powers of attorney (Article 54 UGB) notwithstanding; the appointment of directors is to be entered in the Commercial Register;
c. in the case of branches of foreign credit institutions or financial institutions, those
natural persons authorised to manage the business of the branch and represent them externally; they shall be responsible for the applicable provisions in this federal act for branches of foreign credit institutions or financial institutions pursuant to Article 9 Administrative Penal Act (VStG; Verwaltungsstrafgesetz); d. In the case of branches of credit institutions pursuant to Article 9 para. 1 and financial institutions pursuant to Article 11 or Article 13, those persons authorised to manage the business of the branch and represent it; they are responsible pursuant to Article 9 VStG for branches upholding the provisions stipulated in Article 9 para. 7, Article 11 para. 5 or
Article 13 para. 4;
1a. Management body: a credit institution’s body or bodies in its or their management or supervisory function, appointed in accordance with the national law of a Member State in order to set the institution’s strategy, objectives and overall direction and to oversee and monitor management decision-making. The management body includes the persons who effectively direct the business of the institution; if a Member State’s legislation provides for the management body to comprise various different bodies with specific functions, the requirements set for the management body in Directive 2013/36/EU shall apply only to those members of the management body who are authorised accordingly by legislation effective in the relevant Member State; 1b. Senior management: Those natural persons who exercise executive functions or perform executive activities within an institution and who are responsible and accountable to the management body for the day-to-day management of the institution;
2. Deposit guarantee schemes: deposit guarantee schemes pursuant to Article 7 para. 1 no. 1 of
the Deposit Guarantee Schemes and Investor Compensation Act (ESAEG; Einlagensicherungsund Anlegerentschädigungsgesetz), as published in Federal Law Gazette I No. 117/2015, including deposit guarantee schemes in a third country;
3. Deposit guarantee scheme: a deposit guarantee scheme pursuant to Article 1 para. 1 ESAEG;
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4. Articles of association: the articles of association or cooperative society's charter, depending
on the legal form of the undertaking;
5. Member State: any state which belongs to the European Economic Area;
5a. repealed
5b. repealed
6. Investor compensation schemes: investor compensation schemes pursuant to Article 44 no. 9
ESAEG including investor compensation schemes in a third country;
7. Resolution authority: a resolution authority pursuant to Article 2 no. 18 of the Bank Recovery
and Resolution Act (BaSAG; Bundesgesetz über die Sanierung und Abwicklung von Banken), as published in Federal Law Gazette I No 98/2014;
8. Third country: any state which does not belong to the European Economic Area;
9. banking sector: a sector in Austria that covers several or all credit institutions;
10. third country group: a group pursuant to point 138 of Article 4 (1) of Regulation (EU) No
575/2013, the parent undertaking of which is established in a third country;
11. repealed
11a. repealed
11b. repealed
12. repealed
13. Foreign credit institution: an institution authorised in accordance with the legal provisions of
its country of establishment to conduct business as defined in Article 1 para. 1 outside of the Member States;
14. Foreign financial institution: an institution authorised in accordance with the legal provisions
of its country of establishment to conduct business as defined in Article 1 para. 2 outside of the Member States;
15. repealed
16. repealed
17. Representative office: a place of business which forms a legally dependent part of a credit
institution not authorised in Austria and which does not carry out transactions pursuant to
Article 1 para. 1;
18. Manager of a representative office: those natural persons authorised to manage the
operations of the representative office and to externally represent the representative office; they shall be responsible for compliance by the representative offices with the obligations listed in Article 73 para. 2 pursuant to Article 9 VStG;
19. repealed
20. repealed
21. repealed
22. non-bank: any undertaking, including its branches, which is neither a credit institution nor a
CRR credit institution authorised in a Member State or a third country;
23. global systemically important institution (G-SII):
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13 / 290 a. a group headed by an EU parent institution, an EU parent financial holding company, or an EU parent mixed financial holding company; or b. a credit institution or CRR institution established in another Member State that is not a subsidiary of an EU parent institution, of an EU parent financial holding company or of an EU parent mixed financial holding company, and that was identified by the FMA pursuant to Article 23c para. 3 or an authority or body pursuant to Article 77 para. 5 no. 6 on the basis of Article 131 (2) or (2a) of Directive 2013/36/EU;
24. non-EU global systemically important institution (non-EU G-SII): a global systemically
important non-EU CRR institution as defined in point 134 of Article 4 (1) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013;
25. Systemically Important Institution (SII):
a. a group headed by a EU parent institution, an EU parent financial holding company, or an EU parent mixed financial holding company, a parent institution in a Member State, a parent financial holding company in a Member State or a parent mixed financial holding company in a Member State, or b. a credit institution or CRR institution established in another Member State that was identified by the FMA or an authority or body pursuant to Article 77 para. 5 no. 6 on the basis of Article 131 (3) of Directive 2013/36/EU;
26. Internal Ratings Based (IRB) Approach: approach or model which is regulated in
Articles 143(1), 221, 225, 312(2), 283, 363 and 259(3) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 and whose use by a credit institution requires a permission;
27. Risk of excessive leverage: risk resulting from a credit institution’s de facto or potential
leverage for its stability that requires unforeseen corrective measures to its business plan, including distressed selling of assets which could result in losses or in valuation adjustments to its remaining assets;
28. Model risk: the potential loss resulting from consequences of decisions that are based on the
output of internal approaches, due to errors in the development, implementation or use of such approaches;
29. Investment service: An investment service or investment activity pursuant to Article 1 no. 3
WAG 2018;
30. repealed
31. repealed
32. repealed
33. Recognised clearing house: an organisation which
a. is regulated and supervised by a government authority or a government-recognised authority; b. is directly accessible to members or indirectly accessible to non-members via a clearing member;
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c. executes financial service transactions and itself acts as a counterparty in those
transactions; and d. requires its settlement partners to contribute reasonable margins to cover risks;
34. central securities depository: a legal person pursuant to Article 2 (1) (1) of Regulation (EU) No.
909/2014 on improving securities settlement in the European Union and on central securities depositories and amending Directives 98/26/EC and 2014/65/EU and Regulation (EU) No 236/2012, OJ L 257 of 28.08.2014 p. 1; 34a. named credit institution: a credit institution that is named by a central securities depository pursuant to Article 54 (2) (b) of Regulation (EU) No 909/2014;
35. investment fund shares: shares in an investment fund pursuant to Article 3 para. 2 no. 30 InvFG
2011.
36. repealed
37. repealed
38. repealed
39. repealed
40. debt instruments: securities which evidence debt claims as well as the financial instruments
derived from them;
41. systemic risk: risk of disruption in the financial system as a whole or in parts of the financial
system which could entail serious negative consequences for the financial system and the real economy;
42. material subsidiary: an undertaking pursuant to point 135 of Article 4 (1) of Regulation (EU)
No 575/2013; classification as a material subsidiary shall be determined by the FMA by means of an administrative decision. The FMA must also send a copy of the administrative decision to the competent authority for the parent undertaking of the material subsidiary;
43. repealed
44. repealed
45. repealed
46. Real estate financing arrangements using debt instruments: loans and other financing
agreements using debt instruments, intended for the construction or acquisition of either residential or commercial immovable property;
47. repealed
48. repealed
49. delta: the factor indicating the expected change in an option price as a proportion of a small
change in the price of the instrument underlying the option, each expressed in monetary units;
50. repealed
51. repealed
52. repealed
53. repealed
54. gamma risk: the sensitivity of the delta to changes in the price of the underlying instrument;
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55. vega risk: the sensitivity of the option price to fluctuations in the volatility of the underlying
instrument;
56. repealed
57. repealed
57a. repealed
57b. repealed
57c. repealed
57d. repealed
57e. repealed
58. repealed
59. Severance payment contributions: contributions pursuant to Articles 6 and 7 of the Act on
Severance and Retirement Funds for Salaried Employees and Self-Employed Persons (BMSVG; Betriebliches Mitarbeiter- und Selbständigenvorsorgegesetz – Federal Law Gazette I No. 100/2002) which were actually paid into the severance and retirement fund, including any interest charged for late payments; 59a. Severance fund contributions from self-employed persons: contributions pursuant to Articles 52 and 64 of the BMSVG, which have actually been paid into the severance and retirement fund (BV-Kasse), including any interest charged for late payments;
60. gender neutral remuneration policy: a remuneration policy based on equal pay for male and
female workers for equal work or work of equal value;
61. repealed
61a. repealed
62. repealed
63. repealed
64. repealed
65. repealed
65a. repealed
66. repealed
67. repealed
68. repealed
69. repealed
70. repealed
71. contractual netting agreements: bilateral contracts for novation and other bilateral netting
agreements; a bilateral contract for novation is considered to exist where mutual claims and obligations are automatically amalgamated in such a way that this novation fixes one single net amount each time novation applies and thus creates a legally binding, single new contract extinguishing former contracts;
72. repealed
73. repealed
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74. repealed
75. repealed
76. repealed
Exceptions
Article 3. (1) The provisions of this federal act and of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 shall not apply to:
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17 / 290 supervisory review pursuant to Article 69 para. 2 no reference shall be made to the rules contained in Regulation (EU) No 575/2013; the committees pursuant to Article 29 (nomination committee), Article 39c (remuneration committee), Article 39d (risk committee) and
Article 63a para. 4 (audit committee) shall be established by the competent supervisory body
of the Oesterreichische Kontrollbank Aktiengesellschaft; furthermore, the Oesterreichische Kontrollbank Aktiengesellschaft shall establish a risk management division as defined in
Article 39 para. 5 that is operationally independent and a compliance function as defined in
Article 39 para. 6 no. 2;
8. the Austrian Science Fund (FWF; Fonds zur Förderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung)
pursuant to Article 2 Research and Technology Promotion Act (FTFG; Forschungs- und Technologieförderungsgesetz), Federal Law Gazette No. 434/1982, and the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG; Österreichische Forschungsförderungsgesellschaft mbH) with regard to the subsidised loans extended by these organisations;
9. the conduct of exchange bureau business (Article 1 para. 1 no. 22) with regard to Articles 31 to
34, Articles 36, 37 and 39a, Articles 42 to 65, unless cooperation in the preparation of consolidated financial statements for the responsible undertaking pursuant to Article 30 para. 6 is required, Article 1 para. 3, Article 5 para. 1 nos. 5, 12 and 13, Articles 27a to 28b,
Article 30, Article 39 paras. 3 and 4 as well as Parts Two to Eight and Part One, Title II of
Regulation (EU) No 575/2013, where it would be a superordinate credit institution, Articles 66 to 68, Article 73 para. 1 no. 1, Articles 74 to 76, Article 78 paras. 1 to 7, of Section XIX;
10. credit institutions pursuant to Article 5 no. 3 Corporate Tax Act 1988 (KStG;
Körperschaftsteuergesetz) with regard to Articles 39a and 74, as well as Part 7a, Articles 394 and 415, Part Three, Title III and Part Eight of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013;
11. credit institutions which are promotion companies, do not receive deposits from the public
and exclusively conduct capital financing business, guarantee business or grant credit facilities and loans (credit business) for the purpose of granting and administering promotions by regional governments or local authorities or European Union institutions and, in accordance with lits. a and b provided that:
a. only entities under public law, credit institutions or insurance undertakings have an interest in said credit institutions; b. the following provisions of this Federal Act shall apply to such credit institutions:
Article 5 para. 1 nos. 1 to 4a and nos. 6 to 14, Articles 38 to 39b with the exception of
Article 39 para. 2d in conjunction with Article 69 para. 3, Article 41 to 42, Article 65,
Articles 69 to 70a, Articles 71 to 73a and Articles 98 to 99e, although with regard to the supervisory review pursuant to Article 69 para. 2 no reference shall be made to the norms set forth in Regulation (EU) No 575/2013.
12. central securities depositories, if they are providing the core services that they are permitted
to under Articles 16 and 19 pursuant to Section A of the Annex of Regulation (EU) No. 909/2014 and non-banking-type ancillary services pursuant to Section B ofthe Annex of Regulation (EU)
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No. 909/2014 as long as they are providing the banking-type ancillary services they are permitted to provide pursuant to Article 54 or Article 56 of Regulation (EU) No. 909/2014 pursuant to Section C of the Annex of Regulation (EU) No. 909/2014, although only with regard to Parts Three, Six to Seven A with the exception of Article 430 (1) point c of Regulation (EU) No. 575/2013 as well as Articles 22 to 24d of this federal act;
13. named credit institutions, to the extent that they are providing the banking-type ancillary
services that they are permitted to conduct pursuant to Article 54 or Article 56 of Regulation (EU) No 909/2014, pursuant to Section C of the Annex of Regulation (EU) No 909/2014, with regard to Parts Three, Six to Seven A of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 as well as Articles 22 to 24d of this federal act. (2) The provisions of Part Six of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013, Article 27a, Article 39 para. 2b no. 7 in conjunction with para. 4, Article 39 para. 3 and Article 74 para. 6 no. 3 lit. a in conjunction with
Article 74 para 1 of this federal act are not applicable to:
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9. credit institutions, which do not hold a licence for receiving eligible deposits (Article 7 para. 1
no. 4 ESAEG) and which upon the basis of their articles of association refinance themselves exclusively with matching maturities on the interbank market. (2a) The provisions of Parts Six and Seven of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013, of Article 27a, Article 39 para. 2b no. 7 in conjunction with para. 4, Article 39 para. 3 and Article 74 para. 6 no. 3 lit. a in conjunction with Article 74 para. 1 of this federal act do not apply to credit institutions that, on the basis of their articles of association, predominantly conduct factoring business. (3) The provisions of this federal act and of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 shall not apply to the following undertakings if they conduct the transactions listed in Article 1 para. 1 as part of their core transactions:
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2. regardless of the own funds requirement, the credit institution’s own funds must not fall
below the amount to be calculated in accordance with Article 13 (1) of Regulation (EU) 2019/2033. (5) If the sole business activity of a special purpose vehicle consists in issuing debt securities, in taking out loans, in entering into hedges and in ancillary transactions based on this business activity in order to purchase an originator’s exposures pursuant to point (1) of Article 5 of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 or to assume the risks associated with such exposures, this business activity shall not constitute banking business; however, with regard to exposures pursuant to point (1) of Article 5 of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 where the originator is a credit institution, the special purpose vehicle is obliged to comply with Article 38 in the same way as the credit institution acting as originator and the credit institution that is assigned responsibility for administering the exposures. (6) Article 1a para. 2 and Articles 22 to 24d shall not apply to credit institutions that, on the basis of their articles of association, exclusively issue debt securities as trustees for the account of other credit institutions, with the issuing credit institution bearing only the management risk. (7) For credit institutions authorised to conduct severance and retirement fund business, the following shall apply:
a. Article 5 para. 1 no. 5 is to be applied on the condition that the initial capital is EUR 1.5 million instead of EUR 5 million; b. Article 69a para. 2 is to be applied on the condition that the own funds requirement pursuant to Article 20 BMSVG as shown in the quarterly report pursuant to Article 39 BMSVG for the fourth quarter of the last calendar year also be used in the calculation of the cost figure;
c. Articles 1 para. 3, Articles 22 to 24d, 27a, 28a paras. 5a and 5b, Article 39 para. 5 final
sentence, Article 39a, Article 42 para. 1 final sentence, Article 43 para. 1a, Article 57 para. 5, Article 69 paras. 3 to 3d and 6, Article 70 paras. 1e, 4a and 4b, Article 70b to 70d,
Article 73 para. 1b and 6, Article 74 para. 1 in conjunction with para. 6 no. 3 lit. a as well
as Article 75 of this Federal Act and Articles 89 to 91 as well as Parts 3 to 8 of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 shall not be applicable; d. regardless of the capital requirements pursuant to a) and Article 20 BMSVG, the capital of the severance and retirement fund must not at any time be allowed to fall below the amount calculated in accordance with Article 13 (1) of Regulation (EU) 2019/233, with
Annex 1 to Article 40 BMSVG, Form B, Item B.2. being referred to for the calculation of
operating expenses; e. Article 5 para. 1 no. 9a, Article 28a para. 5 no. 5, Article 29 and Article 42 para. 6 are to be applied on condition that the assets allocated to the collective investment undertaking are not included in the calculation of total assets. (8) For credit institutions, which are authorised to conduct investment fund business, real estate investment fund business or severance and retirement fund business, Article 70 para. 1 no. 3 shall apply in that on-site inspections shall be performed by the FMA; such on-site inspections shall also
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21 / 290 include the respective custodian banks with regard to compliance with the provisions of the InvFG 2011, the ImmoInvFG or the BMSVG. Article 70 para. 1a and 1b and Article 79 para. 4 shall not apply to these credit institutions. Article 79 para. 4a are applicable, on the understanding that only sentences one to three and the final sentence shall apply. (9) With regard to compliance with Article 39 para. 2b no. 11, Article 41, Article 70 para. 1 no. 3 shall apply such that on-site inspections shall be performed by the FMA. Article 70 para. 1a and 1b and
Article 79 para. 4 shall not apply in this case.
(10) Parts 3 to 8 of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 as well as Articles 22 to 24d and Article 39a shall not apply to credit institutions that are not CRR credit institutions, with regard to the taking of monies from notarial trust transactions pursuant to Article 109a of the Notarial Code (NO; Notariatsordnung), published in Reich Law Gazette No. 75/1871, the conducting of current account business in this contexts as well as the investment of such monies. (11) The FMA shall notify the European Banking Authority (EBA) (Regulation (EU) 1093/2010 establishing a European Supervisory Authority (European Banking Authority), amending Decision No 716/2009/EC and repealing Commission Decision 2009/78/EC, OJ L 331, 15.12.2010, p. 12) while informing the Federal Minister of Finance at the same time about those provisions in this Federal Act that permit credit institutions that are not CRR credit institutions to take deposits or other repayable funds from the public. This notification by the FMA must in particular also contain details about to what extent the provisions in this Federal Act and those in Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 shall apply to such credit institutions.
SECTION II: LICENSING
Granting of Licences
Article 4. (1) The performance of the transactions listed in Article 1 para. 1 require a licence issued
by the Austrian Financial Market Authority (FMA). Where the performance of such business activities is covered by a licence pursuant to Article 3 WAG 2018 the granting of a licence in accordance with the first sentence shall not be permissible unless the undertaking fulfils the conditions pursuant to lit. b of Article 4 (1) point 1 of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013, and
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22 / 290 exceeds EUR 30 billion, in both cases calculated as an average over a period of 12 consecutive months. If the undertaking held a licence pursuant to Article 3 WAG 2018 at the point in time that it or the group exceeded one of the thresholds stated in no. 1 or 2, then it shall be allowed to continue its securities business within the scope of that licence until the FMA has reached a legally binding decision about the application for a licence in accordance with the first sentence. Where the FMA determines, having received information pursuant to Article 112 para. 3 WAG 2018, that an undertaking pursuant to Article 5 shall be required to be authorised as a credit institution, it shall inform the undertaking about this and shall initiate the licensing procedure with effect from the day upon which it was informed. In cases of reauthorisation, the FMA shall ensure that the process is as streamlined as possible and that information from existing authorisations shall be taken into account. (2) Valid licences must be issued in writing, otherwise they will be considered void; licences may be issued subject to the appropriate conditions and requirements and limited to one or more of the types of transactions listed under Article 1 para. 1, and the scope of the licence may exclude parts of the individual types of banking transactions. (3) The applicant must enclose the following information and documents with the application for a licence:
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5a. unless qualifying holdings pursuant to no. 5 exist, the identity of and the amount contributed by the twenty largest shareholders or members and an indication of the group structure if those owners belong to a group of companies;
6. the names of the designated directors and their qualifications for operating the undertaking;
7. The identity and address or place of establishment of all those natural or legal persons used
by the credit institution outside of its place of establishment in the provision of remittance services (agents). (4) A foreign credit institution (Article 2 no. 13) which applies for a licence to operate a branch in Austria must enclose the following information and documents in addition to the information indicated in para. 3 nos. 1 to 3, 5 and 6:
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24 / 290 and experience of the directors pursuant to Article 5 para. 1 nos. 6 to 9 involved in the management of another undertaking in the same group are reviewed. (6) Prior to issuing a licence to a credit institution, the FMA shall simultaneously consult the Oesterreichische Nationalbank and shall notify the Federal Minister of Finance; the notification to the Federal Minister of Finance must also include the licence application as well as any enclosures to the application and any supplementary documents received at a later point in time. If the licence application includes the authorisation to receive deposits (Article 7 para. 1 no. 4 ESAEG) or for conducting investment services that are subject to guarantee obligations (Article 45 para. 4 ESAEG), then the FMA shall also consult with the deposit guarantee schemes prior to granting the licence; the FMA shall be authorised for this purpose to forward the information received pursuant to
Article 4 para. 3 no. 3.
(7) The FMA is authorised to inform the public that a specifically named natural or legal person (person) is not authorised to perform certain bank transactions, where this person has given cause to such action and this is necessary and proportionate in terms of possible disadvantages to the concerned party, by means of an announcement in the internet, in the Official Gazette of the Wiener Zeitung (Amtsblatt zur Wiener Zeitung) or in a newspaper distributed throughout Austria. The aboveindicated publication measures may be taken in full or in part. The person must be clearly identifiable in the publication; for this purpose the FMA may also indicate, if known, the business address or residential address, company register number, internet address, telephone number and fax number. The party concerned by the publication can file a request to the FMA to verify the lawfulness of such publication by way of a procedure concluded with an administrative decision. In this case, the FMA shall notify the public of the initiation of such a procedure in the same way. If the investigation concludes that the publication was unlawful, the FMA shall correct the publication, or, at the request of the concerned party, revoke it or remove it from the internet. (8) The FMA must provide information within a reasonable period of time on the scope of licences issued to credit institutions based upon individual requests. The FMA shall maintain a database containing information on the scope of the existing licences issued to credit institutions and to enable queries of these data via the internet.
Article 5. (1) The licence shall be issued if:
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3. the persons who hold qualifying holdings in the credit institution meet the requirements
stipulated in the interest of sound and prudent management of the credit institution, and no facts are known which would raise doubts as to the personal reliability of those persons; if such facts are known, then the licence may only be issued if the doubts are proven to be unfounded;
4. the FMA is not prevented from fulfilling its supervisory duties by the credit institution's close
links to other natural or legal persons;
4a. the FMA is not prevented from fulfilling its monitoring duties by the laws, regulations or administrative provisions of a third country governing a natural or legal person with close links to the credit institution, or by difficulties involved in the enforcement of those laws, regulations or administrative provisions;
5. the initial capital or initial endowment amounts to at least EUR 5 million and is freely available
to the directors without restrictions or charges in Austria;
6. no reasons for exclusion as specified in Article 13 paras. 1 to 3, 5 and 6 Trade Code 1994
(GewO 1994; Gewerbeordnung), Federal Law Gazette No. 194/1994 in the applicable version, are identified with regard to any of the directors, and bankruptcy proceedings have not been initiated for the assets of any of the directors or any entity other than a natural person on whose business a director has or has had a decisive influence, unless a reorganisation plan was agreed upon and fulfilled in the bankruptcy proceedings; this also applies to comparable situations which have arisen in a foreign country.
7. the personal finances of the directors are in order and no facts are known which would raise
doubts as to their personal reliability, honesty and independence of mind as required for conducting transactions pursuant to Article 1 para. 1; membership of an undertaking associated with the credit institution or a legal entity associated with the credit institution does not in its own right constitute a circumstance which would substantiate doubts raised about the independence of mind of a director; when reviewing their reliability, the FMA must also consult the database set up by EBA pursuant to Article 69(1) of Directive 2013/36/EU; when such facts are known, the licence shall only be granted where such doubts are proven to be unfounded;
8. on the basis of their prior education, the directors possess the professional qualifications and
experience necessary for operating the credit institution. The professional qualifications of the directors require that they possess sufficient theoretical and practical knowledge of the transactions applied for pursuant to Article 1 para. 1 as well as management experience; professional qualification for the management of a credit institution is to be assumed if the directors have carried out management activities in a company of comparable size and business type for at least three years;
9. with regard to a director of a credit institution who is not an Austrian citizen, no reasons for
exclusion as specified in nos. 6, 7, 8 or 13 exist in the director's country of citizenship; this must be confirmed by the banking supervisor in the director's home country; however, if such a
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26 / 290 confirmation cannot be obtained, the director in question must provide credible evidence of this, certify the absence of the named reasons for exclusion and submit a declaration stating whether any of the named reasons for exclusion exist; 9a. the directors dedicate sufficient time to the performance of their duties at the credit institution; if a director carries out several activities in a managerial function or as member of a supervisory board, they will have to consider the circumstances in the individual case as well as the nature, scope and complexity of the credit institution’s business; the directors of credit institutions considered to be of significant relevance as defined in para. 4 shall only be allowed to exercise one activity in a managerial function as well as an additional two activities as a supervisory board member; with regard to calculating the number of activities, several activities in a managerial function and as a member of the supervisory board shall be counted as a single activity, where they are held:
a. within the same group consisting of:
aa) the EU parent institution, its subsidiaries and own subsidiaries or other undertakings that belong to the same group of credit institutions, insofar as all the aforementioned are included within the scope of supervision on a consolidated basis or are subject to supplementary supervision pursuant to
Article 6 para. 1 of the Financial Conglomerates Act (FKG;
Finanzkonglomerategesetz), or bb) bb) affiliated undertakings pursuant to Article 228 para. 3 UGB, Article 245a UGB or Article 15 of the Stock Corporation Act (AktG; Aktiengesetz); b. in the case of members falling within the same institutional protection scheme as referred to in Article 113(7) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013; or
c. in the case of undertakings in which the credit institution has a qualifying holding as
referred to in point (36) of Article 4(1) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 Activities in a managerial function or as a member of a supervisory board of organisations that do not primarily pursue commercial aims should not be included in the calculation. The FMA may approve applications for this restriction to be exceeded by one activity as a member of a supervisory board. The FMA shall inform the EBA of such approvals on a regular basis;
10. the centre of at least one director's vital interests lies in Austria;
11. at least one director has a command of the German language;
12. the credit institution has at least two directors and the articles of association rule out
individual powers of representation, individual powers of commercial representation and individual commercial powers of attorney for the entire business operation, or, in the case of credit cooperatives, the management of the business is restricted to the directors;
13. none of the directors practises another main profession outside the banking industry or
outside insurance undertakings or Pensionskassen or outside payment institutions or emoney institutions or outside investment firms or investment service providers;
14. the place of establishment and head office are located in Austria;
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15. the conditions set forth in Article 5a are met.
(2) A credit institution and any designation protected in accordance with Article 94 may only be entered in the Commercial Register as a company or branch if the corresponding legally effective administrative decisions are presented as originals or certified copies. These administrative decisions need not be presented if the conduct of banking transactions is permitted pursuant to
Article 9, Article 11, Article 13 or Article 103 no. 5. The competent court is to deliver rulings on such
entries in the Commercial Register to the FMA and the Oesterreichische Nationalbank. The FMA must convey the information received in accordance with Article 9 paras. 2 and 5, Article 11 para. 3 and
Article 13 para. 3 to the competent court.
(3) In cases where a licence is issued for the operation of a branch of a foreign credit institution in Austria, the FMA must convey a copy of the administrative decision to the supervisory authority responsible for the credit institution's head office. (4) A credit institution shall be considered to be of significant relevance if on average its total assets have reached or exceeded EUR 5 billion at the relevant reporting dates of the past three completed business years; the following credit institutions shall always be deemed to be of significant relevance:
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Revocation of Licences
Article 6. (1) The FMA may revoke licences in cases where:
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30 / 290 competent first instance commercial court responsible for the credit institution's place of establishment; this court is to rule on the case in the process of alternative dispute resolution. Lapsing of licences
Article 7. (1) The licence is considered to lapse:
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(2) Where a resolution to dissolve a credit institution is notified to the FMA in accordance with
Article 73 para. 1 no. 1, the FMA must inform the competent supervisory authority without delay in
any host Member State in which a credit institution operates a branch and inform that authority of the concrete effects of the resolution to dissolve the credit institution. (3) The liquidators must publish the dissolution in the Official Journal of the European Communities and in at least two national newspapers in each host Member State. This announcement must contain in particular the names of the liquidators and an indication that the dissolution is subject to Austrian law. (4) The liquidators must individually inform known creditors whose usual place of residence, domicile or place of establishment is in a Member State other than Austria of the dissolution without delay. For this notification, the FMA must use a form with the heading "Invitation to lodge a claim. Time limits to be observed" in all official languages of the Member States. In this notification, the FMA must indicate the addressee with whom claims are to be lodged; where the credit institution is a stock corporation, the provisions of Article 213 AktG 1965, or otherwise the analogous provisions in the other relevant company laws, must be included in this invitation. (5) Any creditor whose domicile, usual place of residence or place of establishment is in a Member State other than Austria can lodge claims and submit observations relating to claims in the official language of that Member State. In such cases, the lodgement of a claim must bear the heading "Anmeldung einer Forderung" (lodgement of claim) or "Erläuterung einer Forderung" (submission of observations relating to claims) in the German language. The liquidators may request a German translation of the lodgement or observations. (6) The liquidators must inform creditors of the status of the liquidation process on a yearly basis by way of announcement in the publication media indicated in para. 3. Known creditors whose usual place of residence, domicile or place of establishment is in a Member State other than Austria must be informed individually. Granting of licences for financial holding companies and mixed financial holding companies
Article 7b. (1) Parent financial holding companies, parent mixed financial holding companies, EU
parent financial holding companies and EU parent mixed financial holding companies shall require a licence provided they are not exempted from the obligation to hold a licence due to their fulfilling the conditions of para. 6 or of Article 21a (4) of Directive 2013/36/EU; they shall also be required to apply for a licence, where the consolidating supervisor, has determined that the conditions in para. 6 or Article 21a (4) of Directive 2013/36/EU no longer exist. Other financial holding companies or mixed financial holding companies incorporated in Austria shall require a licence pursuant to this Article or
Article 21a of Directive 2013/36/EU, where based on the provisions in this federal act, Directive
2013/36/EU or Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 they are subject to sub-consolidation provided they are not exempted from the obligation to hold a licence due to their fulfilling the conditions of para. 6 or of Article 21a (4) of Directive 2013/36/EU; they shall also be required to apply for a licence, where the
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32 / 290 consolidating supervisor has determined that the conditions in para. 6 or Article 21a (4) of Directive 2013/36/EU no longer exist. (2) The financial holding companies or mixed financial holding companies listed in para. 1 shall submit an application to the consolidating supervisor for granting a licence or exemption from the obligation to hold a licence pursuant to para. 6 or Article 21a (4) of Directive 2013/36/EU. In cases where the FMA is not the consolidating supervisor, the financial holding companies or mixed financial holding companies listed in para. 1 shall also submit this application to the FMA at the same time. (3) The applicant shall submit the following information and documentation along with their application pursuant to para. 2:
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33 / 290 a. to coordinate all subsidiaries of the financial holding company or the mixed financial holding company as necessary also by means of an appropriate allocation of duties between the subsidiary institutions, b. to prevent or overcome conflicts arising within the group, and
c. to enforce the group-wide strategies determined by the parent financial holding
company or the parent mixed financial holding company throughout the entire group;
4. The organisational structure of the group, to which the financial holding company or the
mixed financial holding company belongs, shall not impede or prevent the effective supervision of the subsidiary institutions or parent institutions with regard to their obligations that they are subject to on an individual basis, on a consolidated basis and as applicable on a sub-consolidated basis. The following, in particular shall be taken into account when assessing this criterion:
a. the position of the financial holding company or the mixed financial holding company within a group that extends across several group levels, b. the shareholding structure and
c. the role of the financial holding company or the mixed financial holding company within
the group,
5. the financial holding company or the mixed financial holding company fulfils the
requirements pursuant to Article 20b para. 1 and
6. the directors of the financial holding company or the mixed financial holding company fulfil
the requirements set out in Article 30 para. 7a.
(6) The FMA shall exempt a financial holding company or mixed-financial holding company from the obligation to hold a licence, where the following conditions are met:
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6. no impediment exists for the effective supervision of the group on a consolidated basis.
7. Financial holding companies or mixed financial holding companies that are exempted from a
licensing requirement under this paragraph, are not excluding from the scope of consolidation pursuant to this federal act, Directive 2013/36/EU and Regulation (EU) No 575/2013. (7) The FMA as the consolidating supervisor shall monitor on an ongoing basis, whether the requirements listed in para. 5, or where applicable in para. 6 are met. Upon request, financial holding companies or mixed financial holding companies shall make all information available to the consolidating supervisor that is necessary to be able to monitor the organisational structure of the group and the conditions pursuant to para. 6 or where applicable para. 6 on an ongoing basis. The FMA as consolidating supervisor shall be required to submit this information to the competent authority of the Member State in which the financial holding company or mixed financial holding company is established. (8) Where the FMA as the consolidating supervisor determines that the conditions pursuant to para. 5 are not met or are no longer met, then it shall apply appropriate supervisory measures towards the financial holding company or mixed financial holding company, in order to ensure or repair the continuity and integrity of supervision on a consolidated basis as well as the observance of the requirements pursuant to this federal act, Directive 2013/36/EU and Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 on a consolidated basis. In the case of a mixed financial holding company the impact of supervisory measures in particular shall also be taken into account on the financial conglomerate. Supervisory measures may cover the following options:
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35 / 290 para. 6, a determination pursuant to para. 1 second clause, or the application of supervisory measures pursuant to para. 8 with the competent authority of the member state in which the financial holding company or the mixed financial holding company is established in full cooperation. The FMA as consolidating supervisor shall draw up an assessment regarding the decisions pursuant to para. 1 second clause, para. 5, 6 or 8, and shall pass it on to the competent authority of the Member State in which the financial holding company or the mixed financial holding company is established. The FMA as consolidating supervisor shall endeavour to reach a joint decision pursuant to para. 1 second clause, paras. 5,6 or 8 with the competent authority of the Member State in which the financial holding company or the mixed financial holding company is established within two months of submission of such an assessment. Joint decisions are to be presented in a single document with a comprehensive reasoning and communicated to the financial holding company or the mixed financial holding company by the FMA as consolidating supervisor. In accordance with the joint decision, the FMA, in the capacity of consolidating supervisor, shall issue an administrative decision and serve it to the financial holding company or mixed financial holding company. (10) If the financial holding company or mixed financial holding company is established in Austria, then the FMA shall work together in full consultation with the consolidating supervisor in relation to decisions about the approval or exemption from approval pursuant to Article 21a (3) or (4) or Directive 2013/36/EU and supervisory measures pursuant to Article 21a (6) or (7) of Directive 2013/36/EU. The FMA shall endeavour to reach a joint decision with the consolidating supervisor in relation to decisions about the approval or exemption from approval pursuant to Article 21a (3) or (4) or Directive 2013/36/EU and supervisory measures pursuant to Article 21a (6) or (7) of Directive 2013/36/EU within two months of receipt of an assessment listed in Article 21a (8) of Directive 2013/36/EU. (11) In the case that the competent authorities are unable to agree within the time frames pursuant to para. 9 or 10, then a decision must be temporarily delayed and the FMA shall refer the issue to EBA pursuant to Article 19 of Regulation (EU) No 1093/2010. In such a case the joint decision pursuant to para. 9 or 10 shall be made in accordance with EBA’s decision. The matter shall not be referred to EBA after the end of the time frames pursuant to para. 9 or 10 or after a joint decision has been reached. (12) The FMA as the consolidating supervisor shall obtain the approval of the affected coordinator with regard to joint decisions pursuant to para. 9, where neither the FMA itself nor the competent authority of the Member State in which the mixed financial holding company is established has been defined as the coordinator pursuant to
Article 10 of Directive 2002/87/EC. Where the coordinator does not approve the joint decision, then the FMA as the consolidating supervisor shall refer the issue, depending on what is affected, either to EBA or the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) (Regulation (EU) No 1094/2010 establishing a European Supervisory Authority (European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority), amending Decision No 716/2009/EC and repealing Commission Decision 2009/79/EC, OJ L 331, 15.12.2010, p. 48). If an issue was referred by the FMA pursuant to this paragraph, or by another competent authority pursuant to
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Article 21a (9) of Directive 2013/36/EU to EBA or EIOPA, then the joint decision shall be taken in
accordance with the EBA or EIOPA decision. A decision taken in accordance with this paragraph shall apply irrespective of the obligations pursuant to Directive 2002/87/EC or Directive 2009/138/EC. (13) In the event of a licence application pursuant to para. 5 being rejected, the FMA as the consolidating supervisor shall legally deliver the administrative decision rejecting the application including the underlying reasons within four months
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Article 10 para. 2 nos. 2 to 4 and para. 4. If a credit institution based in another Member State has
established several branches pursuant to point (17) of Article 4(1) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 in Austria, these branches shall be considered as one single branch. (3) Once the information pursuant to para. 2 has been provided, the FMA may notify the credit institution under para. 1 of the following:
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Austrian Credit Institutions in Member States
Article 10. (1) A credit institution may carry out its activities in Member States by the establishment
of a branch or under the freedom to provide services, provided that the credit institution's licence covers such activities. (2) Any credit institution wishing to establish a branch in the territory of another Member State must notify the FMA accordingly. This notification must be accompanied by the following information:
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7. any information and findings that were obtained after on-site inspections, carried out by the
FMA itself, of branches where Austria is the host Member State and which are relevant to the risk assessment of a credit institution or to the evaluation of the stability of the financial system in the home Member State; and
8. without delay, information on the revocation of the licence of an Austrian credit institution
active in said Member State.
Moreover, the FMA shall communicate to the competent authorities of the host Member State how information and findings provided by the competent authorities of the host Member State pursuant to Article 50(1) to (3) of Directive 2013/36/EU have been taken into account, and inform them about any prudential supervision measures taken on the basis of the information provided. Upon request, relevant explanations shall also be provided. If the FMA objects to the measures taken by the competent authorities of the host Member State pursuant to Article 50 of Directive 2013/36/EU, it may refer the matter to EBA and request its assistance in accordance with Article 19 of Regulation (EU) No 1093/2010. (5) The credit institution must notify the FMA in writing of any changes in the information pursuant to para. 2 nos. 2 to 4 and para. 4 nos. 2 to 6 at least one month before such changes are carried out. The FMA must convey this information to the competent authority in the host Member State within three months. (6) Any credit institution wishing to carry out its activities in the territory of another Member State for the first time by exercising the freedom to provide services must notify the FMA of those activities listed in Annex I to Directive 2013/36/EU which the credit institution wishes to carry out in that Member State. (7) Within one month of receiving the notification provided for in para. 6, the FMA must convey that notification to the competent authority in the host Member State. (8) The FMA must inform the European Commission and the EBA of the number and nature of cases in which it has refused to convey the information in para. 3 to the competent authority in the host Member State. Cross-border demerger
Article 10a. (1) Credit institutions may demerge their assets as defined in Article 1 of the Demerger
Act (SpaltG; Spaltungsgesetz) as published in Federal Law Gazette No. 304/1996 on a cross-border basis into a CRR credit institution, that has been founded under the law of another Member State, and which has its registered office as per its articles of association, its head office or its EU head office, or may assume parts of its assets from such a CRR credit institution by way of a merger. (2) The provisions of the EU Company Reorganisation Act (EU-UmgrG; EU-Umgründungsgesetz) published in Federal Law Gazette I No. 78/2023 shall apply accordingly to a cross-border demerger as defined in para. 1.
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(3) The point in time at which the cross-border demerger shall become effective, shall be assessed in accordance with the articles of association in relation to the legal person of the acquiring entity. The management boards of the entities involved in the demerger shall notify the demerger for entry at the competent court, in which district the acquiring entity has its registered office. Financial Institutions from Member States in Austria
Article 11. (1) CRR financial institutions established in a Member State may carry out the activities
listed in points 2 to 17 of Annex I to Directive 2013/36/EU in Austria by the establishment of a branch or under the freedom to provide services, provided that the financial institution is authorised to provide such services under the legal provisions of its country of establishment and the following requirements are fulfilled:
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4. a programme of operations setting out the types of business envisaged and the structural
organisation of the branch;
5. the address from which documents of the financial institution can be obtained under para. 1
or 2 in Austria;
6. the names of those to be responsible for the management of the branch.
The financial institution must notify the FMA in writing of any changes in the information specified in nos. 4 to 6; the provisions governing procedure in Article 9 para. 5 apply in this context. (4) The initial commencement of activities in Austria under the freedom to provide services requires a notification from the competent authority in the home Member State to the FMA indicating which of the activities listed in points 2 to 17 of Annex I to Directive 2013/36/EU are to be carried out. (5) Financial institutions under para. 1 or 2 which, through a branch in Austria,
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Austrian CRR financial institutions in Member States
Article 13a. (1) A CRR financial institution established in Austria shall be allowed to conduct the
activities listed in Annex I of Directive 2013/36/EU in Member States via a branch or under the freedom to provide services, provided it is authorised on the basis of regulations under federal law, and providing that the following conditions are met:
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44 / 290 a Member State, it shall pass on the details pursuant to para. 3 within three months of receiving all the information to the competent authority in the host Member State; the FMA shall communicate with the CRR financial institution about this within the aforementioned deadline by way of an administrative decision. (5) Every CRR financial institution that wishes to perform its activities for the first time within the territory of another Member State under the freedom to provide services, shall notify the FMA about those activities in accordance with Annex I of Directive 2013/36/EU that it wishes to conduct in this Member State. The notification must also contain the necessary details to allow the checks to be able to be conducted that the conditions pursuant to paras. 1 and 2 are met. (6) The FMA shall transmit the notification pursuant to para. 5 to the competent authority of the host Member State within one month of receiving it. The CRR financial institution shall notify the FMA in writing about every change in the details pursuant to para. 1 or para. 2, with procedural provisions applying pursuant to Article 10 para. 5. Subsidiaries of Austrian CRR financial institutions in Member States
Article 14. (1) A CRR financial institution established in Austria, that is a subsidiary of such CRR
financial institutions that fulfil the conditions listed in Article 13a para. 1 nos. 1 to 5 or Article 13a para. 2 (a subsidiary of a subsidiary) shall be allowed to conduct the activities listed in Annex I of Directive 2013/36/EU in Member States via a branch or under the freedom to provide services, provided it is authorised on the basis of regulations contained under federal law, and providing that the following conditions are met:
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(2) Every CRR financial institution pursuant to para. 1 that wishes to establish a branch in another Member State that notify the FMA about this. The following information must be included with this notification:
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96 to 98 and Article 99 para. 1 no. 7 notwithstanding, inform the competent authorities of the home Member State without delay and request that appropriate measures are taken without delay in order for the credit institution concerned to restore legal compliance or take measures to counter the risk of the law being breached. (1a) If the FMA is of the opinion that the competent authority of the home Member State did not meet its obligations pursuant to para. 1 or will not meet them, it may refer the matter to EBA and request its assistance in accordance with Article 19 of Regulation (EU) No 1093/2010. (2) Where a credit institution pursuant to para. 1 continues to breach the provisions set out in para. 1 in spite of measures having been or due to be enforced by the home Member State, the FMA shall at the same time notify the competent authorities of the home Member State, European Commission and the EBA,
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Commission and EBA; such measures shall cease to be effective no later than 18 months after entering into effect. The precautionary measures:
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(8) The FMA may ask the competent authorities of the home Member State how the information and findings it provided were considered and which measures have already been taken on the basis of the details provided, and may also request additional explanations. If the FMA concludes even after receiving additional explanations that the competent authorities of the home Member State have not taken appropriate measures, the FMA may, after informing the competent authorities of the home Member State and EBA, take appropriate measures itself to prevent further irregularities and thus protect the interests of depositors or investors and to guarantee the stability of the Austrian financial system.
Article 16. (1) Should an Austrian credit institution which carries out its activities in a Member State
through a branch or under the freedom to provide services breach the national legal provisions of the host Member State, the FMA must take appropriate measures in accordance with Article 70 paras. 4 and 4a and Articles 70b to 70d after being notified by the competent authorities of the host Member State in order to restore legal compliance in the host Member State. The competent authority of the host Member State must be informed in writing about the measures taken without delay. (2) Should the licence of an Austrian credit institution be revoked, the FMA must inform the competent authorities in the Member States in which the credit institution carries out its activities in writing without delay.
Article 17.(1) Should a financial institution which carries out its activities in Austria through a branch
or under the freedom to provide services breach the provisions of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013, Articles 34 to 39a, 39e and 41, Article 44 paras. 3 to 6, Articles 60 to 63, 74 to 75 and 94, or the other federal acts and regulations listed in Article 69 or any regulations or administrative decisions issued on the basis of the provisions mentioned above, or if a significant risk of such a breach exists, then the FMA must, the application of Articles 96 to 99 notwithstanding, inform the competent authorities without delay of the home Member State and request that these competent authorities of the home Member State take appropriate measures without delay in order for the credit institution to restore legal compliance or to counter the risk of the law being breached. (1a) If the FMA is of the opinion that the competent authority of the home Member State did not meet its obligations pursuant to para. 1 or will not meet them, it may refer the matter to EBA and request its assistance in accordance with Article 19 of Regulation (EU) No 1093/2010. (2) Where a financial institution pursuant to para. 1 continues to breach the provisions set out in para. 1 in spite of measures having been or due to be enforced by the home Member State, the FMA shall at the same time notify the competent authorities of the home Member State, European Commission and the EBA,
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2. to prescribe those persons responsible for the management of the branch of the financial
institution to reinforce the rules, procedures, mechanisms and strategies to be introduced at branch level to ensure compliance with Articles 39 and 39a;
3. demand those persons responsible for the management of the branch of the financial
institution to limit or restrict the branch's activities, including the distribution of certain products or to reduce the associated risk of such products;
4. prescribe those persons responsible for the management of the branch of the credit
institution to undertake additional reporting or shorter reporting intervals;
5. prohibit those responsible for the management of the financial institution's branch either
partially or entirely from managing the branch; and/or
6. prohibit the initiation of new business activities in Austria by the financial institution in the
case of further breaches.
(3) Should a financial institution pursuant to para. 1 lose the authorisation to carry out its activities, the FMA must prohibit the financial institution from commencing new business activities without delay. Article 6 paras. 4 and 5 are applicable in this context. (4) After first informing the FMA, the competent authorities of the home Member State may themselves or through persons appointed for that purpose carry out inspections at the branch as required for the monitoring of the branch pursuant to Articles 41 and 52 of Directive 2013/36/EU. The FMA may also carry out such inspections itself under one of the procedures indicated in Article 70 para. 1 nos. 1 to 3. (5) After first informing the competent authorities of the home Member State, the FMA is entitled to inspect the activities of financial institutions in Austria carried out through branches pursuant to point (17) of Article 4(1) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013, provided this is of relevance to the stability of the Austrian financial system. Following inspection, the FMA must inform the competent authorities of the home Member State about any information and findings obtained that are material to assessing the financial institution’s risk situation or to evaluating the stability of the Austrian financial system. Significant Branches
Article 18. (1) As the competent authority of the host Member State, the FMA may make a request to
the consolidating supervisor, or, if there is no consolidating supervisor, to the competent authority of the home Member State, for a branch pursuant to point (17) of Article 4(1) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 of a credit institution in a Member State (Article 9) to be considered significant. In that request, the FMA shall provide reasons for considering the branch to be significant. For the assessment of branch significance, the FMA shall consider in particular:
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2. the potential impact of a suspension or closure of the operations of the credit institution on
systemic liquidity, and the payment, clearing and settlement systems in Austria;
3. the size and the importance of the branch in terms of number of clients within the context of
the banking or financial system in Austria.
(2) The FMA, the consolidating supervisor, provided there is such a supervisor, and the other competent authorities concerned shall reach a joint decision, within two months of receipt of the request, on the designation of a branch as significant. (3) If no decision is reached within the time period set forth in para. 2, the FMA as competent authority of the host member country shall take its own decision on whether the branch is significant within a further period of two months, and take into account any views and reservations expressed within this period by the consolidating supervisor, if there is one, and by the competent authority of the home Member State. The FMA shall transmit its fully reasoned decision to the competent authorities concerned in writing. (4) For the FMA as consolidating supervisor or competent authority in the home Member State, para. 2 applies as appropriate. A decision taken by the competent authority of the host Member State in accordance with para. 3 shall be recognised as determinative and applied by the FMA accordingly. (5) The FMA as consolidating supervisor or competent authority of the home Member State shall communicate to the competent authorities of a host Member State where a significant branch is established the information referred to in Article 117(1)(c) and (d) of Directive 2013/36/EU and carry out the tasks referred to in Article 112(1)(c) of Directive 2013/36/EU in cooperation with the competent authorities of the host Member State. (6) If an Austrian credit institution performs its activities in a Member State through the intermediary of a significant branch and if this credit institute is not part of a group of credit institutions, for which a college of supervisors has been established by the consolidating supervisor in another Member State in accordance with Article 116 of Directive 2013/36/EU, the FMA as competent authority of the home Member State shall establish and chair a separate college of supervisors for this credit institution, to facilitate cooperation between the competent authorities concerned under para. 5 and to facilitate the transmission of information. The establishment and functioning of the college shall be based on written agreements determined by the FMA after consultation with competent authorities concerned and transmitted to them by the FMA. The FMA shall decide which competent authorities participate in a meeting or in an activity of the respective college. The decision of the FMA shall take account of the relevance of the supervisory activity to be planned or coordinated for those authorities, in particular the potential impact on the stability of the financial system in the Member States concerned referred to in Article 69 para. 4 and the obligations referred to in para. 5 and Article 77 para. 8. Article 77 b para. 2 third sentence shall apply.
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Service of Documents
Article 19. In connection with the service of documents containing instructions as defined in Articles
16 para. 1 and 18 para. 1 from the competent authority in a host Member State, the recipient may only refuse to accept documents pursuant to Article 12 para. 2 Process of Service Act (ZustellG; Zustellgesetz) in cases where such documents are not written in the official language of a Member State.
SECTION IV: OWNERSHIP PROVISIONS AND APPROVALS
Qualifying Holdings in Credit Institutions
Article 20. (1) Any party who has taken a decision to hold a qualifying holding in a credit institution
directly or indirectly, or to increase such a qualifying holding directly or indirectly (proposed acquirer), in such a way that the limits of 20%, 30% or 50% of the voting rights or capital are reached or exceeded, or in such a way that the credit institution becomes a subsidiary undertaking of that party, must first notify the FMA in writing accordingly with an indication of the amount of the participation and the information required under Article 20b para. 3. The notification requirements also apply to persons acting jointly who would acquire or reach a qualifying holding together. Notification may be carried out jointly by all or several of the acting persons together, or by each acting person separately. (2) The notification requirements under paragraph 1 apply in the same way to the decided disposal of a directly or indirectly held qualifying holding or any underrun of the limits indicated in para. 1 regarding participations in credit institutions. (3) Credit institutions must notify the FMA of any acquisition or disposal of qualifying holdings as well as any cases in which the participation limits defined in paras. 1 and 2 are reached, exceeded or underrun in writing without delay as soon as the credit institutions become aware of such transactions. Moreover, credit institutions must notify the FMA in writing at least once per year of the names and addresses of shareholders and other members holding qualifying holdings as well as the sizes of such participations as shown in particular by the information received at the annual general meetings of shareholders or other members, or as a result of the information received on the basis of Articles 130 to 135, 138 and 139 Stock Exchange Act 2018 (BörseG 2018; Börsegesetz 2018). (4) The FMA must take appropriate measures, in particular pursuant to para. 5 nos. 1 and 2 against the parties indicated in paras. 1 and 2, if they fail to fulfil their obligations of prior notification or if they acquire a participation despite an objection pursuant to Article 20a para. 2, during the assessment period pursuant to Article 20a para. 1, or without approval pursuant to Article 21 para. 2. The voting rights associated with the shares held by the shareholders or other members will be suspended:
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Assessment Procedure
Article 20a. (1) The FMA shall promptly and in any event within two working days following receipt
of the notification required under Article 20 para. 1 as well as following the possible subsequent receipt of the information referred to in paragraph 3, acknowledge receipt thereof in writing to the proposed acquirer and shall inform the proposed acquirer of the date of the expiry of the assessment period at the time of acknowledging receipt. If the FMA points out to the proposed acquirer that certain documents or information are obviously missing in the notification, Article 13 para. 3 last sentence General Administrative Procedure Act (AVG; Allgemeines Verwaltungsverfahrensgesetz) shall not apply. (2) The FMA shall have a maximum of 60 working days as from the date of the written acknowledgement of receipt of the notification and all the documents required in Article 20b para. 3 to prohibit the proposed acquisition in writing following assessment according to the assessment criteria set forth in 20b, provided there are reasonable grounds therefore or the information submitted by the proposed acquirer is incomplete. The prohibition notice shall be dispatched within two working days of the date of the prohibition decision made by the FMA. If the FMA does not oppose the proposed acquisition in writing within the assessment period, it shall be deemed approved. If the proposed acquisition is not prohibited, the FMA can stipulate a date by which the proposed acquisition in Article 20 para. 1 must be complete. This period can be extended where appropriate. At the request of the proposed acquirer, the FMA shall also provide an administrative decision in the event that the acquisition has not been prohibited. The FMA shall indicate any views or reservations expressed by the competent authority responsible for the proposed acquirer in the reasons for the ruling underlying each written prohibition notice or assessment. Conditions and obligations may be attached to the ruling, in order to warrant compliance with the criteria set forth in Article 20b. The FMA may make the ruling and underlying reasons accessible to the public at the request, or even without such request, of the proposed acquirer, provided it complies with the requirements set forth in Article 22c no. 3 lit. a to c Financial Market Authority Act (FMABG; Finanzmarktaufsichtsbehördengesetz). (3) The FMA may, during the assessment period, if necessary, and no later than on the fiftieth working day of the assessment period (para. 2), request any further information that is necessary to complete the assessment. Such request shall be made in writing and shall specify the additional necessary information. The request for information shall interrupt the assessment period for the period between the date of request for information and the receipt of a response thereto by the proposed acquirer. The interruption shall not exceed 20 working days. Any further requests by the FMA for completion or clarification of the information shall be at its discretion but may not result in an interruption of the
assessment period. (4) The FMA may extend the interruption period of 20 working days to a maximum of 30 working days if the proposed acquirer is
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2. is not subject to supervision under Directives 2013/36/EU, 2009/65/EC, 2009/138/EC or
2014/65/EU.
(5) For the assessment of a proposed acquisition or the increase of a qualifying holding under Articles 20 to 20b, the FMA shall cooperate closely with the competent authority of any other Member State or sector and shall, exchange with them any information which is essential or relevant for the assessment without delay, if the proposed acquirer is one of the following:
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2. the reliability, professional qualifications and experience pursuant to Article 5 para. 1 nos. 6
to 9 of any person who will direct the business of the credit institution as a result of the proposed acquisition;
3. the financial soundness of the proposed acquirer, in particular in relation to the type of
business pursued and envisaged in the credit institution in which the acquisition is proposed;
4. whether the credit institution will be able to comply and continue to comply with the
prudential requirements based on Directives 2009/110/EC, 2002/87/EC, 2013/36/EU and Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 and, in particular, whether the group of which it will become a
part has a structure that makes it possible to exercise effective supervision, effectively
exchange information among the competent authorities and determine the allocation of responsibilities among the competent authorities (Article 5 para. 1 nos. 4 and 4a);
5. whether there are reasonable grounds to suspect that, in connection with the proposed
acquisition, money laundering or terrorist financing within the meaning of Article 1 of Directive (EU) 2015/849 is being or has been committed or attempted, or that the proposed acquisition could increase the risk thereof. (2) The assessment of the proposed acquisition shall not be geared to the economic needs of the market. (3) The FMA shall define by means of a Regulation in accordance with Article 23(4) of Directive 2013/36/EU taking the European practices in this area into account, a list of information to be submitted to the FMA. This information must be suitable and necessary for the prudential assessment of compliance with the criteria in para. 1 nos. 1 to 5. The information to be provided shall be proportionate and adjusted to the nature of the proposed acquirer and the proposed acquisition. This shall take into account the size and type of the participation as well as the size and activities of the proposed acquirer and the credit institution in which the acquisition is proposed. In the regulation, the FMA shall also specify the nature and form of the transmission of information, in order to enable rapid and accurate identification of the application’s content. (4) Where two or more proposals to acquire or increase qualifying holdings in the same credit institution have been notified to the FMA, the latter shall treat the proposed acquirers in a nondiscriminatory manner. Approvals
Article 21. (1) Special FMA approval is required for the following:
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3. any change in the legal form of a credit institution;
4. repealed
5. the establishment of branches in a third country;
6. demergers of credit institutions pursuant to Article 1 of the Demerger Act (SpaltG;
Spaltungsgesetz), published by Federal Act in Federal Law Gazette No. 304/1996, or pursuant to Article 1 of the Act on the Demerger of Cooperative Societies (GenSpaltG; Genossenschaftsspaltungsgesetz), published in Federal Law Gazette I No. 69/2018 and for the cross-border demerger of credit institutions and CRR credit institutions authorised in an EU Member State, in which at least one of the credit institutions concerned or CRR credit institutions is a credit institution pursuant to Article 1 para. 1;
7. any merger or amalgamation of credit institutions with non-banks, except for subsidiary
undertakings pursuant to Article 59 para. 3;
8. any expansion of the purpose of business to include activities related to insurance mediation
pursuant to Article 137 GewO;
9. any expansion of the purpose of business by credit institutions authorised in Austria as
defined in Article 4(1)(1) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 to include the activity of submitting bids as defined in Article 3(5) of Regulation (EC) No 1031/2010 on behalf of clients. (1a) Before issuing approvals pursuant to para. 1 nos. 1, 6 and 7, the FMA must consult the Oesterreichische Nationalbank. (2) Articles 4 to 6 apply mutatis mutandis to approvals pursuant to para. 1; however, only Article 4 para. 2 and Article 5 para. 2 apply to demergers if approval pursuant to para. 1 no. 6 was issued on the condition that the demerged part must be assimilated by or merged with an existing credit institution. In the case of demergers for the formation of new companies, Article 92 para. 7 applies with regard to networks, irrespective of the legal form of business organisation. (3) Approvals pursuant to para. 1 nos. 1, 6 and 7 may only be entered in the Commercial Register if the corresponding legally effective administrative decisions are presented as originals or certified copies. The competent court is to deliver orders and rulings on such entries in the Commercial Register to the FMA and the Oesterreichische Nationalbank. (4) In granting approvals pursuant to para. 1 no. 8, the FMA must apply the provisions of the GewO 1994 unless otherwise specified in nos. 1 to 4 or paras. 5 and 6:
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4. Article 376 no. 18 para. 11 GewO 1994 shall not apply to credit institutions.
Otherwise credit institutions shall observe the provisions relating to the performance of insurance mediation pursuant to Articles 137 to 138 GewO 1994 as well as all provisions contained in a Regulation issued on the basis of Article 69 para. 2 GewO 1994 with regard to the performance of the trade of insurance mediation pursuant to Articles 137 to 138 GewO 1994 (Professional Rules of Conduct for Insurance Mediation); breaches shall not constitute administrative offences under the GewO 1994. (5) By way of derogation from Article 70 para. 1 no. 3 on-site inspections in relation to the provisions relating to the performance of insurance mediation pursuant to Articles 137 to 138 GewO 1994, the provisions of a Regulation issued on the basis of Article 69 para. 2 GewO 1994 with regard to the performance of the trade of insurance mediation pursuant to Articles 137 to 138 GewO 1994 (Professional Rules of Conduct for Insurance Mediation), Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/2358 and Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/2359, by credit institutions shall be performed by the FMA; in this regard Article 70 paras. 1a and 1b as well as Article 79 para. 4 shall not be applicable. The costs of supervision of credit institutions with regard to the observance of the provisions relating to the performance of insurance mediation pursuant to Articles 137 to 138 GewO 1994, the provisions of a Regulation issued on the basis of Article 69 para. 2 GewO 1994 with regard to the performance of the trade of insurance mediation pursuant to Articles 137 to 138 GewO 1994 (Professional Rules of Conduct for Insurance Mediation), Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/2358 and Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/2359 shall be considered as insurance supervision costs and shall be allocated to accounting group 2 pursuant to Article 19 para. 1 no. 2 FMABG. (6) Article 376 no. 10 para. 18 GewO 1994 shall apply for employees, who were regularly directly involved in insurance mediation for a credit institution prior to the entry into force of the Federal Act as amended in Federal Law Gazette I No. 112/2018. (7) In granting and withdrawing authorisations pursuant to para. 1 no. 9, the FMA shall apply the provisions of Article 59 of Regulation (EU) 1031/2010. Additional Requirements for Procedures
Article 21a. (1) Taking account of Article 20 of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 and the implementing
standards to be issued by EBA pursuant to Article 20(8) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013, the FMA is to issue a regulation specifying provisions pursuant to nos. 1 and 2 on the performance of approval procedures for Internal Ratings Based Approaches and other procedures which are performed based on Regulation (EU) No 575/2013, in the interest of legal security or more detailed regulations on the use of IRB Approaches, particularly the authorisation procedure, ongoing supervision and the withdrawal or revocation of authorisations:
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2. provisions on the application and notification procedures as specified in Regulation (EU)
No 575/2013.
In accordance with the first sentence, the FMA must, when issuing regulations, consider
Article 101(4) of Directive 2013/36/EU as well as European conventions and possible regulatory and
implementing technical standards issued by the European Commission pursuant to Articles 10 and 15 of Regulation (EU) No 1093/2010. The procedural provisions must be appropriate and necessary for supervisory procedures. The amount of information to be provided shall be proportionate and adjusted to the relevant procedure. (2) In the approval procedure for IRB Approaches pursuant to Article 143(1) and (3), Article 221(1) and (2), Article 225(1), Article 259(3), Article 283(1), Article 312(2) and Article 363(1) and (3) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013, the FMA must obtain an expert opinion from the Oesterreichische Nationalbank on the fulfilment of the relevant requirements as specified in the said Regulation. (3) The FMA must monitor the application of IRB Approaches within the meaning of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 routinely but at least every three years, applying well prepared and current techniques and best practices. In doing so, the FMA must particularly take account of changes in the credit institution’s management and the application of IRB Approaches to new products. (4) Should the credit institution not meet the requirements pertaining to the use of IRB Approaches, with considerable impact, it must submit a plan to the FMA showing that the relevant conditions as defined in Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 will again be fulfilled within a reasonable and specific period of time. The FMA shall request the plan be improved if the periods stated in it are inappropriate or if the measures are unsuitable for restoring legal compliance. If the credit institution is unable to restore legal compliance within a reasonable period of time, the FMA must revoke approval of an IRB Approach, provided that this is an appropriate and effective way of restoring legal compliance. In the case of major defects, the FMA may impose higher multipliers or additional capital requirements pursuant to Article 70 para. 4a or revoke the approval of an IRB Approach, or limit it to those areas of application where there is legal compliance or where it can be restored within a reasonable period of time. (5) If, in an institution that applies an IRB Approach to market risk, the instances of limits being exceeded determined pursuant to Article 366 of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 are so numerous that the IRB Approach is not or no longer precise enough, the FMA shall take effective and appropriate measures to ensure that the IRB Approach is rapidly improved by the institution or revoke the approval. Other FMA Powers to Issue Regulations
Article 21b. (1) The FMA is authorised to exercise the powers granted to it by Article 6(4), Article 18(3)
and (5) to (8), Article 26, Article 27(1)(a), Article 77, Article 78, Article 89(3), Article 124(8) and (9),
Article 125(2), Article 126(2) Article 129(1)(c) and (3), Article 147(5), Article 164 (5) and (6),
Article 178(1)(b) and (2)(d), Article 298(4), Article 311(3), Article 327(2), Article 329(1),
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Article 336(4)(a), Article 380, Article 395(1), Article 473, Article 481(2), Article 495(1), Article 495e, and
Article 500a(2) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 or the powers granted to it in the Implementing
Technical Standards issued pursuant to Articles 394, 415, and part 7a of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 by way of a Regulation. (2) By means of a regulation, the FMA shall determine the percentages and factors pursuant to
Article 465(2), Article 467(3), first subparagraph of Article 468(2), Article 468(3), Article 478(3),
Article 479(4), Article 480(3), Article 481(5) and Article 486(6) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013,
considering the national economic interest in a functioning banking sector and in financial market stability. Prior to issuing such a regulation, the FMA is required to obtain the consent of the Federal Minister of Finance. (3) When issuing a regulation, the FMA must consider the regulatory and implementing technical standards pursuant to Articles 10 and 15 of Regulation (EU) No 1093/2010, which are linked in content to the provisions of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 mentioned in paras. 1 and 2.
SECTION V: CAPITAL CONSERVATION BUFFER, CAPITAL
CONSERVATION MEASURES AND MACROPRUDENTIAL
TOOLS
Subsection 1: Capital Conservation Buffer and Combined Buffer Requirement Capital Conservation Buffer
Article 22. (1) Credit institutions and groups of credit institutions shall also hold a capital
conservation buffer made up of Common Equity Tier 1 capital in addition to the Common Equity Tier 1 capital that is required to comply with the minimum own funds requirements pursuant to Article 92 (1) points a, b and c of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013. The capital conservation buffer equal to 2.5% of the total risk exposure amount, which is calculated on a consolidated basis or on an individual institution basis pursuant to Article 92 (3) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013. (2) Repealed (3) Credit institutions and groups of credit institutions that do not hold the requisite amount of capital conservation buffer shall be subjected to restrictions on distributions pursuant to Article 24. Combined Buffer Requirement
Article 22a. (1) The combined buffer requirement is the total Common Equity Tier 1 capital required
to meet the requirement for the capital conservation buffer extended as applicable by the capital buffer requirement for the countercyclical capital buffer, the systemic risk buffer, the buffer for other systemically important institutions and the buffer for global systemically important institutions. (2) Credit institutions and groups of credit institutions shall not be allowed to use Common Equity Tier 1 capital that is maintained to meet
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Capital buffer requirement for the countercyclical capital buffer
Article 23a. (1) Credit institutions and groups of credit institutions shall be required to hold a
countercyclical capital buffer composed of Common Equity Tier 1 capital, which is required to correspond to the total risk exposure calculated pursuant to Article 92 (3) of Regulation (EU) No. 575/2013, multiplied by the weighted average of the countercyclical capital buffer ratio and which is calculated in accordance with Part One Title II of Regulation (EU) No. 575/2013 on an individual institution basis or on a consolidated basis (capital buffer requirement for the countercyclical capital buffer). The Financial Market Stability Board may advise the FMA about risks with a pro-cyclical effect pursuant to Article 136 of Directive 2013/36/EU and recommend it to prescribe a capital buffer requirement for a countercyclical capital buffer. If the FMA does not comply with this recommendation, it shall be required to justify its actions to the FMSG, including the submission of relevant documentation. (2) The FMA is the competent authority for the purposes of Article 136(1) of Directive 2013/36/EU. (3) For the purposes of para. 1 the FMA may obtain an expert opinion from the Oesterreichische Nationalbank and taking into consideration the relevant standards issued by EBA and the European Systemic Risk Board (ESRB) (Regulation (EU) No 1092/2010 on European Union macro-prudential oversight of the financial system and establishing a European Systemic Risk Board, OJ L 331, 15.12.2010, p. 1) and with the consent of the Federal Minister of Finance may determine by means of a Regulation:
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5. in the event of an increase in the buffer rate, the expected point in time from when credit
institutions and groups of credit institutions shall apply the higher buffer rate for calculating the capital buffer requirement for the countercyclical capital buffer;
6. where the point in time referred to in no. 5 is less than 12 months after the date of the
announcement under this paragraph, the exceptional circumstances that justify that shorter deadline for application;
7. in the event of a reduction in the buffer rate, the period of time during which no increase in
buffer rate is to be expected, with the reasons to assume this period of time being required to be stated;
8. in the event of the deviation from a recommendation by the Financial Market Stability Board
pursuant to para. 1 the reasons for deviating from this recommendation.
The FMA shall take all necessary steps that are appropriate for coordinating the announcement in accordance with this paragraph with other authorities or bodies pursuant to Article 77 para. 5 no. 6. The FMA shall inform the ESRB about any change in the rate for the countercyclical capital buffer requirement and about the necessary details pursuant to nos. 1 to 7. (5) Where the countercyclical capital buffer requirement is recognised pursuant to Article 23b para. 1 or determined pursuant to para. 3, then the FMA shall inform about at least the following information, by publishing it on its website:
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(8) The FMA shall review the intensity of the domestic procyclical risks and the adequacy of the applicable capital buffer requirement on a quarterly basis and as applicable determine or adapt the countercyclical capital buffer rate. In doing so it shall take into account the buffer guide rate pursuant to para. 7, and as applicable the ESRB’s guidance pursuant to Article 135 (1) lits. a, c and d of Directive 2013/36/EU for setting a buffer rate as well as other variables that the FMA considers material in order to mitigate the intensity of procyclical risks. (9) The countercyclical buffer rate, expressed as a percentage of the total risk exposure amount calculated in accordance with Article 92(3) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 of institutions that have credit exposures in Austria, shall be between 0 % and 2.5 %, determined in steps of 0.25 percentage points or multiples of 0.25 percentage points. For the purposes stated in the Annex to Article 23a, the FMA may set a higher rate in excess of 2.5 % of the total risk exposure amount calculated in accordance with Article 92 (3) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013, provided it considers this justified based on the purposes listed in para. 8. (10) If the countercyclical buffer rate is determined by the FMA over a value of zero for the first time, or if the previous rate is raised by the FMA at a later point in time, then the FMA must determine a date, from when the credit institutions and groups of credit institutions shall first have to apply this increased rate for calculating the countercyclical buffer rate. That date shall be no later than 12 months after the date when the increased buffer setting is announced pursuant to para. 4. If the date is less than 12 months after the increased buffer setting is announced, then that shorter deadline for application shall be justified on the basis of exceptional circumstances. (11) If the FMA reduces the existing rate for the countercyclical buffer rate based on the available data at the time of its being announced in accordance with this paragraph, then it shall determine an expected period, that is not binding for the FMA, during which no increasing of the buffer rate is to be expected. Recognition of capital buffer requirements for countercyclical capital buffers
Article 23b. (1) Die FMA may recognise the buffer ratio set by an authority or body pursuant to
Article 77 para. 5 no. 6 or a competent third-country authority that exceeds 2.5 % of the total risk
exposure amount calculated in accordance with Article 92(3) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 for the purpose of calculation of the countercyclical capital buffer by credit institutions and groups of credit institutions that are authorised in Austria. Where the FMA intends to apply a countercyclical capital buffer ration that is applied by another Member State, then it shall notify the Financial Market Stability Board about this in advance, and to obtain a recommendation from the Financial Market Stability Board. (2) The FMA may set the rate to be used for the calculation for the requirement for the countercyclical capital buffer by credit institutions and groups of credit institutions taking into consideration the ESRB’s recommendation. If the ESRB has recommended a rate for the countercyclical capital buffer of a third country pursuant to Article 138 lit. a of Directive 2013/36/EU and the FMA intends to follow
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64 / 290 this recommendation, then the FMA shall notify this to the Financial Market Stability Board, and obtain a recommendation from the Board in advance. (3) If a competent third-country authority has set and published a countercyclical capital buffer rate for the respective third country and the FMA assumes that the rate set by the competent thirdcountry authority is inadequate for protecting credit institutions and groups of credit institutions against the risks of excessive credit growth in the affected third country, the FMA may determine another buffer rate for this third country for calculating the capital buffer requirements for the countercyclical capital buffer by credit institutions and groups of credit institutions. Where the FMA intends to apply or to increase a countercyclical capital buffer that has been determined by a thirdcountry authority, then it shall notify the Financial Market Stability Board about this in advance, and to obtain a recommendation from the Financial Market Stability Board. (4) Where the FMA makes use of the power pursuant to para. 3, then it shall not set the countercyclical buffer rate lower than the value determined by the competent third-country authority, unless the buffer rate exceeds 2.5 % of the total risk exposure amount calculated in accordance with Article 92(3) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 of credit institutions and groups of credit institutions that have credit exposures in that third country. (5) Where the FMA sets a countercyclical buffer rate for a third country pursuant to para. 2 or 3 that exceeds the applicable countercyclical buffer rate, then it shall decide the date from which credit institutions and groups of credit institutions shall be required to apply that buffer rate for the purposes of calculating their countercyclical capital buffer. That date shall be no later than twelve months from the date when the buffer rate is announced pursuant to Article 23a para. 4. If that date is less than 12 months after the setting is announced, that shorter deadline for application shall be justified on the basis of exceptional circumstances. Capital buffer requirement for Global Systemically Important Institutions
Article 23c. (1) The FMA shall identify global systemically important institutions incorporated in
Austria on a consolidated basis and allocate them to a subcategory. The FMA shall advise the Financial Market Stability Board about global systemically important institutions that are active in Austria, and their subsidiaries that are incorporated in Austria about the capital buffer requirements allocated to these global systemically important institutions and as applicable about changes in capital buffer requirements. The Financial Market Stability Board may recommend to the FMA to prescribe a capital Buffer for Global Systemically Important Institutions incorporated in Austria. If the FMA does not comply with this recommendation, it shall be required to justify its actions to the Financial Market Stability Board, including the submission of relevant documentation. The FMA shall classify credit institutions and groups of credit institutions as global systemically important institutions by means of an administrative decision. (2) The FMA is the competent authority for the purposes of Article 131(1) of Directive 2013/36/EU.
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(3) The determination of classification of global systemically important institutions incorporated in Austria and their allocation to a sub-category may occur based on the simple or additional methodology based respectively on quantifiable indicators:
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(6) Global systemically important institutions shall hold a capital buffer on a consolidated basis made up of Common Equity Tier 1 capital that is not used for any other purpose (capital buffer requirement for Global Systemically Important Institutions) that is in line with the sub-category to which it was allocated. When determining the capital buffer, the sub-category into which a global systemically important institution is allocated shall be taken into account. The FMA shall allocate global systemically important institutions incorporated in Austria and prescribe a capital buffer requirement by means of a Regulation and taking into account the relevant EBA and ESRB standards with the consent of the Federal Minister of Finance. (7) Where a group of credit institutions is subject on a consolidated basis to a capital buffer requirement for Global Systemically Important Institutions and a capital buffer requirement for Systemically Important Institutions, then it shall be required to comply with the higher buffer requirement. (8) Where a credit institution or a group of credit institutions is required to observe a capital buffer requirement for the systemic risk buffer pursuant to Article 23e, then this buffer shall apply in addition to a capital buffer requirement for systemically important institutions to be observed pursuant to Article 23d para. 5 or as applicable a capital buffer requirement for Global Systemically Important Institutions to be observed pursuant to para. 6. Where the total of the capital buffer requirement for the systemic risk buffer and the capital buffer requirement for global systemically important institutions or the capital buffer requirement for systemically important institutions for the purposes of Article 23e paras. 7 to 10 that the same credit institution or group of credit institutions is subject to exceeds 5 %, the FMA shall apply the procedure pursuant to Article 23d para. 6. (9) The FMA shall notify a list containing the names of global systemically important institutions and systemically important institutions incorporated in Austria, as well as the respective sub-category to which every global systemically important institution has been allocated to the ESRB. A justification for exercising or not exercising of supervisory discretion pursuant to para. 5 nos. 1 to 3 shall be attached to the notification. The FMA shall update this notification annually. (10) For the purposes of para. 1, the FMA shall obtain an expert opinion from the Oesterreichische Nationalbank on the existence of the required documentary evidence and conditions. Capital buffer requirement for Systemically Important Institutions
Article 23d. (1) The FMA shall identify systemically important institutions incorporated in Austria on
an individual basis, a sub-consolidated basis and consolidated basis. The FMA shall advise the Financial Market Stability Board about systemically important institutions that are active in Austria, about the capital buffer requirements allocated to these systemically important institutions, and as appropriate about changes in their capital buffer requirements and any scopes of application exploited. The Financial Market Stability Board may advise the FMA about credit institutions and groups of credit institutions, that should potentially be classified as, or no longer classified as, a
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67 / 290 systemically important institution and shall recommend that FMA to prescribe a capital buffer for systemically important institutions incorporated in Austria. If the FMA does not comply with this recommendation, it shall be required to justify its actions to the Financial Market Stability Board, including the submission of relevant documentation. The FMA shall classify credit institutions and groups of credit institutions as systemically important institutions by means of an administrative decision. (2) The FMA is the competent authority for the purposes of Article 131(1) of Directive 2013/36/EU. (3) The FMA shall determine the classification as a systemically important institution pursuant to para. 1 by means of an administrative decision. Systemic relevance shall be assessed based on at least one of the following criteria taking into consideration of relevant EU standards:
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68 / 290 financial markets of other Member States in the form of an impediment for the smooth functioning of the internal market;
2. The FMA shall review the classification as a systemically important institution and the
appropriateness of the buffer requirement at least once a year and shall where necessary amend the prescribed capital buffer requirement for systemically Important Institutions pursuant to para. 5 or 6. (9) One month prior to the publication pursuant to Article 69b para. 1 no. 8 of a decision about a capital buffer requirement for systemically important institutions pursuant to para. 5 and three months prior to the publication of the decision about a capital buffer requirement for systemically important institutions pursuant to para. 6, the FMA shall notify the ESRB of this intention, attaching the following information:
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Market Stability Board may advise the FMA about exposures or parts of exposures, the manifestation of which leads to a systemic risk with a potentially significant negative impact on the national financial system and the domestic real economy and recommend prescribing a capital buffer requirement for the systemic risk buffer for parts of or the entire banking sector. If the FMA does not comply with this recommendation from the Financial Market Stability Board, it must justify its actions to the Committee, submitting the relevant documentation. (2) The FMA is the competent authority for the purposes of Article 133(1) of Directive 2013/36/EU. (3) For the purposes of para. 1 the FMA may obtain an expert opinion from the Oesterreichische Nationalbank and may prescribe by way of a Regulation taking into consideration the relevant Recommendations and Guidelines of the EBA with the consent of the Federal Minister of Finance, that credit institutions and groups of credit institutions maintain on an individual basis, on a consolidated basis or a sub-consolidated basis a capital buffer requirement for the systemic risk buffer consisting of Common Equity Tier 1 capital, which is calculated pursuant to no. 1 of the Annex to Article 23e. (4) A capital buffer requirement for the systemic risk buffer has to apply for all exposures or a subset of exposures pursuant to no. 2 of the Annex to Article 23e for a part of or all credit institutions in the banking sector and which is adapted in steps of 0.5 % or a multiple thereof. Different requirements may be used for the different subsets of credit institutions and groups of credit institutions. (5) The capital buffer requirement for the systemic risk buffer shall not have to cover any risks, that have already been covered by Articles 23a to 23d and shall not be able to have any disproportionately negative impact for parts of or the entire financial system of other Member States or of the Union as a whole forming or creating an obstacle to the functioning of the internal market. The FMA shall review the adequacy of the capital buffer requirement for the systemic risk buffer at least every two years. (6) Prior to the publication of the decision about on the setting or resetting of capital buffer requirements for the systemic risk buffer pursuant to para. 11 the FMA shall submit a notification about this decision to the ESRB. If the credit institution or the group of credit institutions, for which one or more systemic risk buffer rates apply, is a subsidiary of a parent undertaking that is established in another Member State, then the FMA shall also notify this to the authority or body pursuant to Article 77 para. 5 no. 6. If a capital buffer requirement for the systemic risk buffer also applies for exposures situated in third countries, then the FMA shall also be required to notify this to the ESRB. The notification shall contain the following information:
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5. the rate or the rates of the capital buffer requirement for the systemic risk buffer that the FMA
intends to prescribe, as well as for which exposures these rates apply and which credit institutions are to be subjected to these rates;
6. in the case that the capital buffer requirement for the systemic risk buffer applies for all
exposures, a justification about why the FMA is of the view that the capital buffer requirement for the systemic risk buffer does not overlap with the capital buffer requirement for the systemically important institutions pursuant to Article 23d. If the decision on the setting of the capital buffer requirement for the systemic risk buffer leads to a decrease or to no change compared to the previously determined capital buffer requirement for the systemic risk buffer, the FMA may publish the determining of the capital buffer requirement immediately following its submission of the notification to the ESRB. (7) If the setting of a capital buffer requirement for the systemic risk buffer(s) for a subset of or all exposures pursuant to no. 2 of the Annex to Article 23e leads to a combined capital buffer requirement for the systemic risk buffer of up to 3 % and where it is a resetting of or an increase in the applicable capital buffer requirement for any of these risk exposures, then the FMA shall notify the ESRB about this in accordance with para. 6 one month prior to the publication of the setting. When calculating whether the threshold has been reached the recognition of a capital buffer requirement set by another Member State for the systemic risk buffer pursuant to Article 23f shall not be taken into account. (8) If the setting or resetting of a capital buffer requirement for the systemic risk buffer(s) for all exposures or for a subset of exposures pursuant to no. 2 of the Annex to Article 23e leads to a combined capital buffer requirement for the systemic risk buffer of between 3 % and 5 % for any of these exposures and if the credit institution or the group of credit institutions is not a subsidiary of a parent undertaking that is established in another Member State, then the FMA shall request an opinion from the European Commission in the notification pursuant to para. 6. If there is an opinion from the European Commission, then the FMA act upon this opinion. In the case this it does not act upon the opinion, it shall be required to explain why not. (9) If the setting or resetting of a capital buffer requirement for the systemic risk buffer(s) for all exposures or for a subgroup of exposures pursuant to no. 2 of the Annex to Article 23e leads to a combined capital buffer requirement for the systemic risk buffer of between 3 % and 5 % for any of these exposures and if the credit institution or the group of credit institutions is the subsidiary of a parent undertaking that is established in another Member State, then the FMA shall request an opinion from the European Commission and the ESRB in the notification pursuant to para. 6. If a negative opinion is not issued within six weeks following receipt of the notification by the European Commission and the ESRB, the FMA may enact the capital buffer requirement for the systemic risk buffer(s). In the event of divergent views by the competent authority or public body pursuant to
Article 77 para. 5 no. 6 of the parent undertaking regarding the applicable capital buffer requirement
for the credit institution in question and in the case of there being a negative opinion by the European Commission and the ESRB, the FMA may act upon this, or submit the issue to the EBA in
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71 / 290 accordance with Article 19 of Regulation (EU) No 1093/2010 and request EBA’s assistance in this matter. In this case the FMA shall refrain from setting the capital buffer requirement for the systemic risk buffer for these exposures until EBA has issued a decision. (10) If the setting or resetting of a capital buffer requirement for the systemic risk buffer(s) for one of the exposures or for a subset of exposures pursuant to no. 2 of the Annex to Article 23e leads to a combined capital buffer requirement for the systemic risk buffer of more than 5 %, then the FMA shall obtain the consent of the European Commission prior to setting the capital buffer requirement. (11) If the FMA has set or reset one or more buffer requirements for a systemic risk buffer, then it shall announce this by publishing it on its website, publishing at least the following information:
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Recognition of capital buffer requirements for systemic risk buffers
Article 23f. (1) The FMA may recognise capital buffer requirements determined in accordance with
Article 133 of Directive 2013/36/EU for the systemic risk buffer of other Member States and apply
them by means of a Regulation for credit institutions or groups of credit institutions that are authorised in Austria for those exposures that are located in the Member State that determines this ratio. Where the FMA intends to apply a capital buffer requirement for the systemic risk buffer that is determined by another Member State, then it shall notify the Financial Market Stability Board about this in advance, and to obtain a recommendation from the Financial Market Stability Board. (2) Where the FMA recognises a capital buffer requirement for the systemic risk buffer for credit institutions or groups of credit institutions incorporated in Austria pursuant to para. 1, then it shall notify this to the ESRB. (3) In its decision regarding the recognition of a capital buffer requirement for the systemic risk buffer pursuant to para. 1 the FMA shall take information into account that the Member State setting this ratio is required to supply based on Article 133 (9) and (13) of Directive 2013/36/EU. (4) Where the FMA recognises a capital buffer requirement for the systemic risk buffer for credit institutions or groups of credit institutions incorporated in Austria, this this capital buffer requirement may apply in addition to a capital buffer requirement for the systemic applied pursuant to Article 133 of Directive 2013/36/EU provided that the buffers cover different risks. Where the buffers cover the same risk, then only the higher buffer shall be applied. (5) If a credit institution or group of credit institutions incorporated in Austria is the subsidiary of a parent undertaking established in another Member State, for which in the view of the authority or public body pursuant to Article 77 para. 5 no. 6 of the parent undertaking, one or more capital buffer requirements for the systemic risk buffer should apply for this subsidiary, in the event that the FMA does not share this view then pursuant to Article 19 of Regulation (EU) No 1093/2010 the FMA may submit this matter to EBA. (6) If EBA has made a decision pursuant to Article 19 of Regulation (EU) No 1093/2010, by which the FMA is obliged to recognise the decision about the setting of capital buffer requirements for the systemic risk buffer(s) by another Member State pursuant to Article 133 of Directive 2013/36/EU, then the FMA shall inform the Financial Market Stability Board about this and shall issue a Regulation in which the EBA decision is recognised. National measures to limit systemic risk
Article 23g. (1) The Financial Market Stability Board may recommend the FMA to take national
measures as defined in Article 458 (2) lit. d of Regulation (EU) No. 575/2013 for all or several credit institutions and groups of credit institutions that the FMA supervises, where the following conditions exist:
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2. other macroprudential tools pursuant to Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 or this federal act are
ineffective or less effective.
(2) The FMA is the competent authority for the purposes of Article 458 (1) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013. (3) Based on the Financial Market Stability Board’s recommendation pursuant to para. 1, the FMA may adopt a Regulation containing national measures as defined in Article 458 (2) lit. d of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 for the duration of up to two years or until the systemic risk has been mitigated accordingly or no longer exists, in the event that this is case at an earlier point in time, where such national measures are suitable for effectively reducing the extent of the systemic risk, or to eliminate the risk. If the FMA does not follow the Financial Market Stability Board’s recommendation, it shall be required to justify its actions to the Financial Market Stability Board including the submission of relevant documentation. The FMA may petition the ESRB in accordance with Article 458 (8) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 to instruct other Member States to extend national measures taken by the FMA to branches active in Austria or exposures of credit institutions and groups of credit institutions located in Austria within the scope of competence of these Member States. (4) The adoption of an FMA Regulation pursuant to para. 3 requires the following:
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(7) The FMA may recognise in full or in part the measures adopted by other Member States pursuant to Article 458 of Regulation (EU) No. 575/2013 effective for branches pursuant to Article 10 or exposures of credit institution licensed in Austria taking into consideration the criteria set out in
Article 458(4) of Regulation (EU) No. 575/2013 and shall inform the Council of the European Union,
the European Commission, EBA, the ESRB and the Member State that adopted these measures. Prior to recognising such measures, the FMA shall obtain a recommendation from the Financial Market Stability Board (FMSG). If the FMA deviates from this recommendation, it must justify this deviation to the Financial Market Stability Board, submitting the relevant documentation. (8) Independently of the procedure set forth in Article 458 (3) to (9) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 and provided that the conditions and notification obligations set forth in paras. 1, 3 and 4 in conjunction with Article 458 (2) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 are observed, the FMA, taking into consideration a lead period of six months, may impose the measures listed in Article 458 (10) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 for a duration of up to two years or until the systemic risk no longer exists by means of a Regulation, where such measures are suitability for reducing the intensity of the systemic risk. Measures for the limitation of systemic risks in real estate financing
Article 23h. (1) Where the Financial Market Stability Board identifies changes in the manifestation of
systemic risks arising from real estate financing arrangements using debt instruments that may potentially have negative effects on financial market stability, the Financial Market Stability Board shall recommend the FMA to make use of suitable instruments pursuant to para. 2 to reduce the manifestation of systemic risks. In identifying such systemic risks, it shall in particular be taken into account, whether such risks arise or increase due to an increase in the level of new business of real estate financing arrangements using debt instruments as well as due to changes to the indicators listed in para. 2. If the FMA does not comply with this recommendation, it shall be required to justify its actions to the FMSG, including the submission of relevant documentation. (2) On the basis of the recommendation pursuant to para. 1, the FMA shall obtain an expert opinion from the Oesterreichische Nationalbank on the existence of systemic risks arising from real estate financing arrangements using debt instruments, and shall issue a Regulation, with the consent of the Federal Minister of Finance, that is effective for all or some credit institutions for a period of up to three years. The measures set out in the Regulation shall apply for the newly agreed financing arrangements agreed during the period of effect of the Regulation and must be suitable to reduce the identified changes in intensity of systemic risk for real estate financing arrangements using debt instruments. The following shall be defined in the Regulation:
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2. Caps for the ratio arising from the total of all outstanding loan liabilities of a borrower and the
income or other suitable operating indicator in the case of legal persons within a defined period of time (debt-to-income ratio);
3. Caps for the ratio of the total interest payments and repayments arising from the servicing of
all loan liabilities of the borrower, that become due during a defined period of time, and income in the case of natural persons or cash flow or another suitable operating indicator in the case of legal persons during this period of time (debt service-to-income ratio); in the case of financing arrangements that are repayable at maturity (bullet loans) it shall be assumed that ongoing repayments are made that are evenly distributed across the entire term of the financing arrangement;
4. Requirements for the maximum term of real estate financing arrangements using debt
instruments (restriction of term), although such a restriction of the term shall not be allowed to be restricted to less than fifteen years;
5. the time frame, within which a defined proportion of the total volume paid out to the borrower
must be repaid at latest (repayment requirement);
6. Regulations for ensuring the domestic application of measures imposed in other Member
States and third countries, that serve the purpose of limiting systemic risks from real estate financing using debt instruments, and which are comparable to the national measures imposed, for exposures in those Member States and third countries. (3) The following shall be excluded from the measures pursuant to para. 2:
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76 / 290 out of a credit institution's new business for real estate financing arrangements using debt instruments; When issuing the Regulation, the FMA shall determine more precise calculation rules, in particular with regard to the components of the ratio, exemption amounts, materiality thresholds and the characteristics of the loan. (5) The issuing of a Regulation by the FMA pursuant to paras. 2 and 3 shall be subject to the following conditions having been fulfilled:
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77 / 290 business operated by a credit institution or a group of credit institutions, extend the deadline to ten working days. (2) Credit institutions and groups of credit institutions that fail to meet the combined buffer requirement or as applicable the leverage ratio buffer requirement shall be required to calculate the Maximum Distributable Amount (MDA) and notify the FMA immediately of this amount. In such cases, credit institutions and groups of credit institutions shall refrain from the following measures until the Maximum Distributable Amount (MDA) has been calculated:
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Credit institutions and groups of credit institutions shall maintain arrangements to ensure that the amount of distributable profits and the maximum distributable amount are calculated accurately and that the accuracy of this calculation is able to be proven to the FMA at any time upon request. (4) Distributions in connection with Common Equity Tier 1 capital shall include the following:
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79 / 290 requirement of as applicable the leverage ratio buffer requirement within a period which the FMA considers appropriate (4) If the FMA does not approve the capital conservation plan in accordance with paragraph 3, it shall:
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(3) Where a credit institution or a group of credit institutions fails to meet the leverage ratio buffer requirement, it shall only be allowed to take measures pursuant to para. 2 nos. 1 to 3 up to the amount of the maximum distributable amount (MDA) calculated pursuant to the Annex to Article 24c in relation to the leverage ratio. (4) Credit institutions or groups of credit institutions that do not meet the requirement for the leverage ratio buffer that intend to make a distribution of distributable profits or a measure pursuant to para. 2 nos. 1 to 3, shall notify the FMA also stating the information listed in Article 24 para. 3 nos. 1 to 4, except for no. 1 lit. c, as well as stating the calculated maximum distributable amount (MDA) pursuant to the Annex to Article 24c in relation to the leverage ratio. (5) Credit institutions and groups of credit institutions shall take measures in order to ensure that:
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81 / 290 impair the quality of the credit institution's internal control mechanisms as well as the credit institution's supervision by the FMA with regard to its compliance with the requirements set out in
Article 69 of this Federal Act. When concluding, implementing or terminating an agreement in
relation to the outsourcing of material tasks relating to banking operations, it shall be necessary to proceed with due required professionalism and diligence. In particular, the clear division of the rights and obligations shall be undertaken between the credit institution and the service provider in the form of a written agreement. A particularly high level of due care shall be applied for outsourcings to a service provider incorporated in a third country. (2) Any task in relation to banking transactions shall be deemed to be material as defined in in para. 1, if a defect or failure in its performance would compromise the continued compliance with the credit institution’s obligations pursuant to this Federal Act or other applicable provisions listed in Article 69, or would affect its solvency, liquidity or the solidity or continuity of the banking activities conducted. (3) The outsourcing of material tasks in relation to banking operations shall not be allowed to
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82 / 290 determined or can be determined upon issuing (contingent convertible bonds). The provisions of Articles 159 and 174 AktG shall also apply to these contingent convertible bonds. (2) Credit institutions with the legal form of a cooperative may issue bonds for which the contractual terms and conditions provide for conversion into Common Equity Tier 1 instruments upon the occurrence of a triggering event defined in advance and for which the conversion ratio is determined or can be determined upon issuing (contingent convertible bonds). The cooperative must at the same time obtain from the subscribers an undated and irrevocable declaration of enrolment with regard to the conversion. Instruments without Voting Rights
Article 26a. (1) Credit institutions may issue capital share instruments without voting rights. Credit
institutions with the legal form of a stock corporation may also issue instruments of this type as non-voting shares. With the exception of the voting right, such non-voting shares grant each shareholder the rights relating to the share. (2) When allocating the profit to instruments defined in para. 1, the amount allocated shall be a predefined multiple of the dividend on a share with a voting right or the share of profit attributable to a cooperative share with a voting right. Under no circumstances may a preferential amount be paid subsequently. (3) Capital from instruments pursuant to para. 1 may only be reduced by applying the statutory capital reduction rules analogously or be redeemed pursuant to the provisions of Article 26b. (4) If a measure results in a change to the existing ratio between property rights of beneficiaries from instruments pursuant to para. 1 and those rights associated with Common Equity Tier 1 capital (Article 25 of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013), this shall be settled appropriately, with the option of settlement from company assets being excluded. (5) Beneficiaries of instruments without voting rights may attend the shareholders’ meeting and request information pursuant to Article 118 AktG. Also in the case of savings banks, state mortgage banks and the Mortgage Bond Division of the Austrian State Mortgage Banks, the beneficiaries of instruments pursuant to para. 1 shall be given an annual opportunity to request information from the directors of these credit institutions during a meeting at which the annual financial statements are presented. The provisions of the AktG on the convening of the annual general meeting shall also apply to this meeting. (6) The total instruments pursuant to para. 1 in the credit institution itself, in a dependent company and a controlling company may not exceed 10% of the instruments issued in accordance with para. 1. Articles 65 to 66a AktG, which govern the acquisition, sale, retirement and pledging of the company’s own shares as security, the acquisition of the company’s own shares by third parties and the financing of the acquisition of the company’s shares, are applicable.
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(7) Instruments pursuant to para. 1 may only be issued up to the amount of one third of the share capital. Moreover, the total capital from instruments pursuant to para. 1 and from preferential shares pursuant to Article 12a AktG may not exceed one half of the share capital. Redemption of Own Funds
Article 26b. (1) Capital pursuant to Article 26a may be redeemed by the credit institution in
accordance with the following paragraphs subject to the FMA’s consent in accordance with Article 77 of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013. The redemption shall include the entire capital or individual tranches defined at the time of issue. Partial redemption of capital from individual issues or partial redemption of capital from individual tranches shall be permitted if equal treatment of the beneficiaries of these capital issues or tranches is guaranteed. Any redemption of individual tranches of capital, based on the provisions of the Financial Market Stability Act (FinStaG; Finanzmarktstabilitätsgesetz), Federal Law Gazette I No. 136/2008 shall require the prior consent of the beneficiaries of the respective instruments. Approval by the federal government shall be granted by the Federal Minister of Finance in agreement with the Federal Chancellor. (2) The resolution to redeem shall be taken at the credit institution by the bodies responsible for taking up capital pursuant to para. 1 with the majority votes required to take up capital pursuant to para. 1. The articles of association may authorise the management board to redeem capital pursuant to para. 1 for a maximum of five years. (3) In cases where the credit institution is a stock corporation with listed shares and capital pursuant to Article 26a, the redemption must be preceded by a conversion offer for shares within a period of six months prior to the announcement of the redemption. The announcement of the conversion offer must include a reference to the planned redemption. In this conversion offer, any additional payments must not be set higher than the difference between the average stock exchange price of the relevant share and the average stock exchange price of the instruments pursuant to para. 1 over the twenty exchange trading days preceding the resolution regarding the conversion offer. (4) The credit institution must carry out the capital redemption pursuant to para.1 in cash. If compensation to beneficiaries in accordance with para. 5 from capital pursuant to para. 1 is permitted, an adequate cash payment shall be granted. In this case, Article 2 para. 3 of the Transformation Act (UmwG; Umwandlungsgesetz) is to be applied analogously with regard to the reports to be prepared, audits and legal remedies available to the persons entitled to compensation, with the redemption plan substituting for the transformation plan. (5) Own funds may not be redeemed during a difficult financial or liquidation situation or if the redemption would result in an inappropriate dilution of the other issued capital of other instruments. (6) The capital pursuant to para. 1 shall be considered to be redeemed upon announcement of the resolution pursuant to para. 2. Out of the capital pursuant to para. 1 and taking into account para. 5, the beneficiary shall therefore only be entitled to a cash payment pursuant to para. 4. In the
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84 / 290 announcement, the beneficiaries from the capital pursuant to para. 1 are to be informed about their rights in connection with the compensation. Certificates issued for capital in accordance with para.1 shall be retained by the credit institution. (7) In cases where the compensation amount for the capital pursuant to para. 1 cannot be credited to an account or where the beneficiary from the capital pursuant to para. 1 does not provide instructions concerning the compensation amount, the amount is to be surrendered to a trustee to be appointed in the resolution to redeem capital. The trustee shall then be responsible for further settlement, and may avail himself of the credit institution’s support in this regard. (8) Capital pursuant to para. 1 must be redeemed against the net profit or loss for the year resulting from the annual balance sheet or against an unappropriated reserve. Capital pursuant to para. 1 may also be redeemed if alternative capital of equal or better quality is procured. Special Requirements for Credit Cooperatives
Article 27. Credit cooperatives or management cooperatives as former credit cooperatives
(Article 92 para. 8) may lay down in their cooperation agreements that the liability of their members is limited to their cooperative share (Article 86a of the Cooperative Societies Act (GenG; Genossenschaftsgesetz)). The necessary amendment to the cooperation agreement may, where the liability sum surcharges are no longer eligible pursuant to Article 484(5) and Article 486(4)(g) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013, only be adopted if an auditor appointed in accordance with the legal provisions pertaining to the auditing of cooperative societies confirms in a written opinion that compliance with the regulatory provisions under Parts Two to Eight of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 continues to be guaranteed even without the liability sum surcharge being included. In any case,
Article 33a GenG applies to the limitation of liability to the cooperative share with the proviso that
the immediate notification of known creditors pursuant to the last sentence of Article 33a para. 1 GenG need not be made if the auditor states in his report that the limitation of liability to the cooperative share is compatible with the interests of the cooperative society’s creditors. The liability of the auditor for the content of his opinion is determined by Article 10 of the Act on Audits of Cooperative Societies 1997 (GenRevG 1997; Genossenschaftsrevisionsgesetz) in conjunction with
Article 62a.
Liquidity Associations
Article 27a. In order to ensure financial stability, credit institutions that are associated with a central
institution must participate in a joint cash-clearing operation system. For this purpose, they must hold liquidity reserves in the amount of 10% of savings deposits and 20% of other euro-denominated deposits, but no more than 14% of total euro-denominated deposits, at their central institution or at another credit institution stipulated by contractual or statutory means and established in a Member State. The credit institution must be authorised to accept deposits and, on the basis of its business structure, be capable of fulfilling the requirements arising from guaranteeing a liquidity
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85 / 290 association. In particular, the credit institution must be of sufficient credit quality, and liquid funds as well as refinancing possibilities must be available on an ongoing basis in order to be able to provide liquidity quickly when necessary. The arrangements regarding the actual provision of liquidity between the central institution or other credit institution with which the liquidity reserve is held and the other credit institutions participating in the liquidity association must be governed by contractual or statutory means with due attention to Article 39 para. 1. The contractual or statutory arrangements must include the following in particular:
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6. third parties acting for the account of a person indicated in nos. 1 to 5,
only on the basis of a unanimous resolution taken by all directors and subject to the consent of the supervisory board or other supervisory body competent according to applicable law or the articles of association. The party involved is not entitled to vote on resolutions regarding transactions with management and related parties. In the case of loans, the resolutions must also govern the interest rate and repayment. For the credit institution’s employees, their spouses and minor children, the consent of the supervisory board or other supervisory body competent according to applicable law or the articles of association is required for loans and advances only; no. 6 is applicable in this context. (2) The provisions of para. 1 do not cover the following:
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87 / 290 knowledge and without their objection in breach of the provisions of paras. 1, 3 and 4, the persons indicated above are also jointly and severally liable if a unanimous resolution by the directors and consent by the supervisory board or other supervisory body competent according to applicable law or the articles of association are not issued subsequently. (6) Credit institutions shall adequately document information about the loans that were granted to the following persons:
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90 / 290 consolidated basis or are subject to supplementary supervision pursuant to
Article 6 para. 1 FKG, or
bb) affiliated undertakings pursuant to Article 228 para. 3 UGB, Article 245a UGB or
Article 15 AktG;
b. in the case of members falling within the same institutional protection scheme as referred to in Article 113(7) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013, or
c. in the case of undertakings in which the credit institution has a qualifying holding as
referred to in point (36) of Article 4(1) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 shall be deemed to constitute one activity. Activities in a managerial function or as a member of a supervisory board of organisations that do not primarily pursue commercial aims, or activities as member of a supervisory board of a credit institution performed as representative of the Republic of Austria shall not be included in the calculation. The FMA may approve applications for this restriction to be exceeded by one activity as a member of a supervisory board. The FMA shall inform the EBA of such approvals on a regular basis. (5a) The supervisory board or any other competent supervisory body of a credit institution as defined by law or the articles of association shall contain:
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4. are an employee of the controlling shareholder pursuant to no. 2 or have another material
business relationship with the controlling shareholder pursuant to no. 2;
5. are an employee of the credit institution in question or an entity within the group pursuant to
para. 5 no. 5 lit. a sublit. aa that belongs to the credit institution in question, unless, a. the member is not part of the senior management pursuant to Article 2 no. 1b of the credit institution in question, and b. the member was delegated to the supervisory board pursuant to Article 110 ArbVG;
6. were part of the senior management pursuant to Article 2 no. 1b within the last three years
within the credit institution in question or an entity within the group pursuant to para. 5 no. 5 lit. a sublit. aa that belongs to the credit institution in question;
7. were active in the last three years as bank auditor of the credit institution in question or
another entity within the group pursuant to para. 5 no. 5 lit. a sublit. aa that belongs to the credit institution in question, or signed the audit opinion, or were active in an advisory capacity to a material degree for the credit institution in question or another entity within the group pursuant to para. 5 no. 5 lit. a sublit. aa that belongs to the credit institution in question;
8. were a material contractual partner of the credit institution in question or another entity
within the group pursuant to para. 5 no. 5 lit. a sublit. aa that belongs to the credit institution in question in the last year, or held a material business relationship with this material contractual partner in the last year;
9. receive in addition to remuneration for the function of member of the supervisory board of
the credit institution or from the financial or business relationship pursuant to no. 3 additional payments of a material amount or other material benefits from the credit institution or an entity within the group pursuant to para. 5 no. 5 lit. a sublit. aa;
10. were a director or member of the supervisory board of the credit institution in questions for a
period of at least 12 consecutive years;
11. are a close family member pursuant to Article 28 para. 1 no. 5 of a director of the credit
institution in question, or a person as defined in nos. 1 to 8.
(5c) The mere fact that one of the criteria listed in Article 28a (5b) is applicable to a member does not mean that that member must automatically not be considered as not being independent. Instead the credit institution may prove to the competent supervisory authority that despite the existence of the criteria listed in Article 28a (5b) the member of the supervisory board may continue to be considered to be independent. This possibility shall not exist for the first independent member of the supervisory board; they shall be required to fulfil all criteria relating to independence. (6) The credit institution must have access to an appropriate level of personnel and financial resources to facilitate the induction of the directors and members of the supervisory board or other supervisory body competent according to applicable law or the articles of association and to guarantee their continuing professional development.
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(7) The FMA shall collect the information disclosed pursuant to point (c) of Article 435 (2) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013, and use them to benchmark practices for promoting diversity. The FMA shall make this information available to the EBA. Special Obligations of Bodies with regard to Lending
Article 28b. (1) Notwithstanding the effectiveness of the legal transaction in question, every large
exposure determined pursuant to Article 392 of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 in an amount of at least EUR 500 000 shall require the explicit prior consent of the supervisory board or the credit institution’s other supervisory body competent according to applicable law or the articles of association. Blank authorisations given before they are actually required are not permissible in this context. The credit institution’s supervisory board or other supervisory body competent according to applicable law or the articles of association must receive a report on every large exposure at least once per year. Where a central government, which is assigned a risk weight of not more than 100 % pursuant to Article 114 of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013, has direct control over one or more than one natural or legal person, or is directly connected with one or more than one natural or legal person, then the central government may be ignored for the purposes of this paragraph with regard to the formation of a group by way of derogation from number 39 of Article 4 (1) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013. This also applies in the case of regional governments and local authorities, to whom
Article 115 (2) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 applies and pursuant to which a risk weight of not
more than 100 % is to be assigned.
(2) With regard to large exposures as defined in Article 392 of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 or exposures of at least EUR 750 000 as defined in Article 389 of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013, the directors of the credit institution must have the economic circumstances of the obligors and guarantors disclosed before granting such a loan to a client or a group of connected clients and, for the duration of the exposure, remain sufficiently informed about the economic development of the obligors and guarantors as well as the value and enforceability of the collateral, and require the regular presentation of annual financial statements. In cases where annual financial statements are not presented, the directors of the credit institution must obtain sufficient information on the obligors and guarantors from other sources. The first and second sentences shall not apply to:
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Nomination Committee
Article 29. At credit institutions of any legal form that are of significant relevance as defined in
Article 5 para. 4, the credit institution’s supervisory board or other supervisory body competent
according to applicable law or the articles of association must appoint a nomination committee. In the case of credit cooperatives, the non-full-time management board may also set up the nomination committee. The nomination committee shall:
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Subsection 4: Group Perspective
Group of Credit Institutions and the FMA as Consolidating Supervisor
Article 30. (1) A group of credit institutions is deemed to exist in cases where a superordinate
institution, a superordinate financial holding company or mixed financial holding company incorporated in Austria, in relation to one or more credit institutions, to CRR credit institutions, financial institutions, CRR financial institutions, investment firms or CRR investment firms authorised in a Member State or third country, or to ancillary services undertakings (subordinate institutions) incorporated in Austria or abroad,
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2. repealed.
3. consolidation pursuant to Article 18 (3) or (6) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 is necessary and
a CRR credit institution incorporated in Austrian that belongs to the group or the CRR credit institutions incorporated in Austria that belong to the group collectively have a higher level of total assets than the CRR credit institutions that belong to the group that are authorised in another Member State have collectively.
4. repealed.
5. repealed.
(2a) The provisions of this federal act that concern groups of credit institutions must not be applied to financial institutions and ancillary services undertakings that are subordinate to credit institutions pursuant to Article 1 para. 1 that are not bound by the provisions of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 pursuant to Article 3 where:
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2. the financial holding company or mixed financial holding company licensed by the FMA as the
consolidating supervisor pursuant to Article 7b para. 5,
3. the financial holding company or mixed financial holding company named by the FMA as the
consolidating supervisory authority pursuant to Article 7b para. 8 no. 4 or the CRR institution named by the FMA as the consolidating authority pursuant to Article 7b para. 8 no. 4, or
4. in the event that none of the cases listed in nos. 1 to 3 exists, then the superordinate credit
institution pursuant to para. 5, where the FMA is the consolidating supervisory authority for the group of credit institutions. (7) The institutions in the group of credit institutions shall be required to establish adequate administrative, accounting and internal control mechanisms in order to be able to provide the responsible undertaking pursuant to para. 6 with all documents and information required for consolidation. In particular, the institutions must also provide each other with all information which appears necessary in order to ensure the adequate capturing, assessment, limitation, management and monitoring of risks as specified in Articles 39 to 39b as well as the capturing, identification and evaluation of credit risks necessary for banking operations in the group of credit institutions and the institutions belonging to the group. The requirements listed in the first and second sentence shall not apply for institutions of a group of credit institutions that are not subject to this Federal Act or to Directive 2013/36/EU, and for which the responsible undertaking pursuant to para. 6 is able to prove to the FMA that the observance of these requirements is inadmissible based on the legal provisions of the third country in which the affected institution is incorporated. Institutions in the group of credit institutions, that are not subject to this Federal Act or to Directive or to Directive 2013/36/EU, shall in any case be required to observe the requirements that apply to their industry on an individual basis. In addition, undertakings in which a credit institution or a responsible undertaking pursuant to para. 6 holds a participation must provide information on any participations that may have to be accounted for by the responsible undertaking pursuant to para. 6 in relation to the consolidation requirements for indirect participations. (7a) The requirements defined in Article 5 para. 1 nos. 6 to 9a and Article 28a para. 5 nos. 1 to 5 shall, taking into account any differences in terms of business model and organisational structure, also be applied accordingly to the directors and members of the supervisory board of financial holding companies and mixed financial holding companies. (7b) Credit institutions in Austria shall not have to apply the output floor pursuant to Article 92 (3) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 at individual institution level, if this output floor is met on the basis of the consolidated total risk exposure amount of the responsible undertaking pursuant to para. 6. (8) The responsible undertaking pursuant to para. 6 shall ensure that information is provided by the subordinate institutions, a superordinate financial holding company or a mixed financial holding company. Should the superordinate holding company fail to fulfil its obligation to provide information pursuant to para. 7, the responsible undertaking pursuant to para. 6 must notify the FMA accordingly. If the provision of information required for consolidation
is not ensured in cases
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97 / 290 where a participation subject to consolidation requirements is acquired, the superordinate institution is not allowed to acquire that participation. (8a) Upon request, affiliated undertakings incorporated outside of Austria and subject to supervision on a consolidated basis must provide the FMA with all documents and information required for consolidated supervision where this is necessary for the fulfilment of the FMA's duties under this federal act or under Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 and permissible under the law of the other country. (9) Subsidiary undertakings which are incorporated in Austria and are subject to a consolidation requirement vis-à-vis financial holding companies, mixed financial holding companies, credit institutions, CRR credit institutions, investment firms, CRR investment firms, CRR financial institutions or financial institutions as parent undertakings incorporated outside Austria must provide the parent undertaking with all documents and information required for consolidation; such subsidiary undertakings must also provide the parent undertaking and other institutions subordinate to that undertaking with all documents and information required for the capture, determination and evaluation of credit risks necessary for banking operations. (9a) Where a credit institution has as its parent undertaking an institution, a financial holding company or a mixed financial holding company incorporated outside the European Union and is not subject to supervision on a consolidated basis pursuant to Part One, Title II, Chapter 2 of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013, then:
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4. the FMA must take into consideration general guidance provided by the European Banking
Committee (EBC) under Article 127(2) of Directive 2013/36/EU and for this purpose consult the EBA before taking a decision. (10) The documents and information pursuant to paras. 7 and 9 comprise in particular the following areas of consolidation and the capture, determination and evaluation of risks necessary for banking operations, both on a consolidated basis and in individual institutions:
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By way of derogation from lits. a and b, the FMA shall be the consolidating supervisor in the instances in which it allows the tasks and responsibilities to be entrusted upon it in accordance with point b) of Article 116 (1) of Directive 2013/36/EU, because consolidated supervision by another competent authority would be inappropriate with regard to the relative importance of the activities of a credit institution, a financial holding company or mixed-financial holding company in other Member States, or with regard to ensuring the necessity of continuous supervision on a consolidated basis by the same competent authority. The FMA shall be required to inform the European Commission and the EBA of any decision made pursuant to Article 111(6) of Directive 2013/36/EU.
2. Where the FMA refrains from consolidated supervision for groups of credit institutions, since
doing so would be inappropriate with regard to the relative importance of the activities of a credit institution in Austria or with regard to the necessity to ensure a continuous monitoring on a consolidated situation by the same competent authority, and in accordance with
Article 77b para. 4 no. 2 confers the tasks and responsibilities upon another competent
authority. The FMA shall be required provide the EU parent company, the EU parent financial holding company, the EU parent mixed financial holding company or the institution with the highest total assets the opportunity to present a statement before the adoption of the administrative decision in this regard. The FMA shall be required to inform the European Commission and the EBA of any decision made pursuant to Article 111(6) of Directive 2013/36/EU. Affiliation of Credit Institutions
Article 30a. (1) Credit institutions established in Austria that are permanently affiliated to a credit
institution established in Austria as a central body can join with the central body to form an affiliation of credit institutions if:
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100 / 290 the control, monitoring and risk management processes, the ability of the affiliation to comply permanently with the prudential requirements, and other significant information. (4) The FMA shall approve the establishment of the affiliation of credit institutions if the conditions set forth in para. 1 are met. The approval issued in the form of an administrative decision may include appropriate obligations and conditions. The approval in the form of an administrative decision must be issued within three months of the date on which the FMA was in receipt of all documents and information required for its assessment. The administrative decision must be transmitted to the central body. Upon transmission to the central body, the administrative decision is deemed to have been transmitted to all members of the affiliation of credit institutions. The central body must bring the administrative decision to the attention of all affiliated credit institutions without delay. The FMA may prescribe a date by which the intended establishment of the affiliation of credit institutions must be completed. (5) Subject to para. 5a changes in the composition of the membership of the affiliation of credit institutions must be reported to the FMA by the central body prior to implementation in writing, accompanied by the documents referred to in para. 3. If the conditions set forth in para. 1 are no longer met, or if the affiliation of credit institutions is no longer able to meet the prudential requirements under para. 7, the FMA shall declare by administrative decision that the affiliation of credit institutions no longer exists, and as of what date. The composition of the affiliation of credit institutions and changes thereto shall be published on the website of the central body. The fact that the conditions set forth in para. 1 are no longer met, or that the affiliation of credit institutions is no longer able to meet the prudential requirements under para. 7, shall be notified to the FMA by the central body in writing. (5a) The resignation of a member from the affiliation of credit institutions may only happen subject to the observance of the normal notice periods pursuant to the contractual arrangements between the central body and the affiliated credit institutions and shall require approval by the FMA; the resigning affiliated credit institution shall be entitled to submit its application to resign within one year of their proposed resignation. The approval shall be granted if compliance with prudential requirements pursuant to para. 7 is also guaranteed by the affiliation of credit institutions after the time when the affiliated credit institution resigns. The FMA may request the central body to submit all documentation within a reasonable timeframe which it requires as a basis for its decision as part of the approval procedure. If the central body is notified by an affiliated credit institution of its intention to resign from the affiliation of credit
institutions subject to the observance of the normal notice periods pursuant to the contractual arrangements between the central body and the affiliated credit institutions, then the central body shall take all measures assigned to them within the scope of this federal act and Regulation (EU) No. 575/2013, to ensure that prudential requirements are met pursuant to para. 7 by the affiliation of credit institutions at the time of the planned resignation without the affiliated credit institution that is resigning. (6) The provisions of Article 4 para. 3 nos. 3 and 4, Article 5 para. 1 no. 5, Articles 10, 16, 22 to 23f, 24 to 24d, Article 39 para. 2, Article 39a, Article 69 para. 3 and Article 70 para. 4a and Articles 70b to 70d
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101 / 290 as well as Parts Two to Four and Parts Five to Eight of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 shall not apply to the affiliated credit institutions. For purposes of Article 405(2) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013, the central body shall be regarded as an EEA parent credit institution and the affiliated credit institutions as subordinate institutions. The affiliated credit institutions are exempt from those notification and reporting duties (Articles 73 to 75) that are intended exclusively for the monitoring of these provisions. In deviation from the other provisions of this paragraph, Article 69 para. 3 and the necessary reporting provisions for the monitoring of this provision pursuant to Article 74 shall apply for affiliated credit institutions which are building societies pursuant to Article 1 para. 1 BSpG. (7) The affiliation of credit institutions shall comply with the provisions of Article 39a of this federal act and Parts Two to Four and Parts Five to Eight of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 on the basis of the consolidated financial situation. The central body shall prepare consolidated financial statements (Articles 59 and 59a) for this purpose. The notification and reporting duties applicable to responsible undertakings pursuant to para. 6 and groups of credit institutions (Articles 73 to 75) as well as reporting pursuant to Article 4a BaSAG shall be performed by the central body for the affiliation of credit institutions. For the purposes of Articles 38, 39 and 42, Article 69 para. 3 and Article 93a as well as of Article 2 para. 3 of the Act on Substitute Equity (EKEG; Eigenkapitalersatz-Gesetz) published in Federal Law Gazette I no. 92/2003 and for the processing pursuant to Article 4 (2) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679, the affiliation of credit institutions shall be considered as one credit institution. (8) For the purposes of full consolidation, the central body shall be treated as the superordinate institution and every affiliated credit institution as well as every transferring entity pursuant to
Article 92 para. 9 of this federal act or Article 8a para. 10 KWG which, pursuant to Article 92 para. 9 of
this federal act or Article 8a para. 10 KWG, assumes liability for an affiliated credit institution with its entire assets, which is placed under the same management as the affiliated credit institution, and whose activity is restricted to the holding of shares shall be treated as a subordinate institution. In this process, share rights in the affiliated credit institutions which are not held by the central body or an affiliated credit institution shall be treated neither as minority interests nor as shares of other partners pursuant to Article 259 para. 1 UGB if the affiliated credit institutions directly or indirectly hold the majority of voting shares in the central body. When calculating the majority of the voting shares, measures pursuant to Article 1 FinStaG shall not be considered. The items "funds for general banking risk", subscribed capital" capital reserves", "retained earnings", "liability reserve" and "net profit or loss for the year" to be incorporated into the consolidated financial statements, shall be, irrespective of Article 254 UGB, the aggregated amounts of the respective items for all entities listed in the first sentence of this paragraph. (9) For purposes of calculating the costs of financial market supervision, the affiliation of credit institutions shall be considered one credit institution; the obligation to pay lies with the central body. The central body shall allocate and invoice the costs of banking supervision to the affiliated credit institutions using the assessment formula of Article 69a para. 2. (10) The central body is responsible for compliance with the provisions of this federal act and Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 that apply to the affiliation of credit institutions and shall, in the
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102 / 290 context of this obligation, in particular monitor the solvency and liquidity of the affiliation of credit institutions on the basis of consolidated financial statements and of the affiliated credit institutions. The central body shall ensure that the directors of the affiliated credit institutions fulfil the requirements of Article 4 para. 3 no. 6 and that the conditions set out in Article 5 para. 1 nos. 6 to 13 are met, and also that the affiliation of credit institutions has in place administrative, accounting and control mechanisms for the capture, assessment, management and monitoring of commercial and operational banking risks and remuneration policies and practices (Article 39 para. 2). The necessary powers of the central body to issue instructions under Article 10(1)(c) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 shall be established by contract and articles of association. In view of these powers to issue instructions, the affiliated credit institutions shall not be considered, in their relation to the central body, subsidiaries for the purposes of Article 51 para. 2, the last sentence of Article 65 para. 5 and Article 66 AktG. In view of these powers to issue instructions, the central body shall not be considered a parent undertaking of the affiliated credit institutions for the purposes of Article 66a AktG. However, the central body’s power to issue instructions may not be challenged on the basis of
Article 70 para. 1 or Article 84 para. 1 AktG. The directors of the affiliated credit institutions shall be
obliged to fulfil the tasks set out in instructions which have been assigned to the central body in accordance with this federal act and Regulation (EU) No. 575/2013 without delay. The directors of the central body are not bound by any instructions in fulfilling the tasks that have been assigned to them in accordance with this federal act and Regulation (EU) No. 575/2013. (11) The affiliation of credit institutions is entitled to conduct its activities in Member States through a branch or, under the freedom to provide services, through the central body or individual affiliated credit institutions, to the extent that such activities are covered by the licences of the central body or the affiliated institutions concerned. The notifications under Article 10 paras. 2, 5 and 6 are the responsibility of the central body, which must also indicate through which of the credit institutions of the affiliation of credit institutions the activities are carried out. Article 16 is applicable to the affiliation of credit institutions. (12) The provisions of Article 400(2) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 and Article 5 para. 1 no. 9a, Articles 22 to 23f, 24 to 24d, 28a and 29, Article 30 para. 7, the first sentence of para. 8 and para. 10,
Article 70 paras. 1 and 4a, Articles 70b to 70d and Article 77c are applicable to an affiliation of credit
institutions with the proviso that the central body is considered the superordinate institution and the affiliation of credit institutions is considered a group of credit institutions. Article 77c is applicable to an affiliation of credit institutions with the proviso that the central body is considered the superordinate institution and the affiliation of credit institutions is considered a group of credit institutions where an institution within the meaning of Article 30 paras. 1 and 2 that is established outside Austria is subordinated either to the central body or to an affiliated institution. (13) Approval pursuant to para. 3 shall be considered granted to credit institutions and affiliations of credit institutions that made use of Article 30a in the version prior to Federal Law Gazette I No. 184/2013.
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Exemption from the Application of Own Funds Requirements on an Individual Basis
Article 30b. (1) Exemption at the level of the specific institution pursuant to Article 7 of
Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 shall in the case of credit institutions and investment firms belonging to a group be subject to approval by the FMA. (2) Any application by a credit institution, an investment firm or a superordinate parent undertaking for an exemption pursuant to para. 1 must be accompanied by appropriate documents which provide evidence that the conditions for exemption pursuant to Article 7 of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 have been met. (3) In the procedure pursuant to para. 1, the FMA must obtain an expert opinion from the Oesterreichische Nationalbank on the fulfilment of the conditions pursuant to Article 7 of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013. (4) The approval for the exemption under para. 1 shall be granted if sufficient evidence is presented for the fulfilment of the conditions pursuant to Article 7 of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013. (5) Credit institutions, investment firms pursuant to para. 1 or superordinate parent undertakings shall provide the FMA and the Oesterreichische Nationalbank with written notification without delay in the event that one or more of the conditions pursuant to Article 7 of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 is no longer met or if compliance is no longer given with requirements and conditions imposed by administrative decision for the purpose of ensuring that such conditions are met, and present a plan for a return to compliance within a reasonable period of time. The FMA shall withdraw the approval pursuant to para. 1 in the event that one of the conditions specified in Article 7 of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 is no longer met. Exemption from the Application of Liquidity Requirements on an Individual Basis
Article 30c. (1) Approval by the FMA shall be required for exemption, pursuant to Article 8 of
Regulation (EU) No 575/2013, of credit institutions and investment firms belonging to a group and of credit institutions and investment firms belonging to institutional protection schemes (Article 113(7) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013) and for supervising them as a liquidity sub-group. (2) Any application by a credit institution, an investment firm or a superordinate parent company for an exemption pursuant to para. 1 must be accompanied by appropriate documents which provide evidence that the conditions for exemption pursuant to Article 8 of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 have been met. (3) In the procedure pursuant to para. 1, the FMA must obtain an expert opinion from the Oesterreichische Nationalbank on the fulfilment of the conditions pursuant to Article 8 of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013. (4) The approval for the exemption under para. 1 shall be granted if sufficient evidence is presented for the fulfilment of the conditions pursuant to Article 8 of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013. (5) Credit institutions, investment firms pursuant to para. 1 or superordinate parent companies shall notify the FMA and the Oesterreichische Nationalbank in writing without delay in the event that one
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104 / 290 or more of the conditions pursuant to Article 8 of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 is no longer met or if compliance is no longer given with requirements and conditions imposed by administrative decision for the purpose of ensuring that such conditions are met, as well as present a plan for a return to compliance within a reasonable period of time. The FMA shall withdraw the approval pursuant to para. 1 in the event that one of the conditions specified in Article 8 of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 is no longer met. Supervision of Mixed Financial Holding Companies
Article 30d. (1) Where a mixed financial holding company pursuant to Article 2 no. 15 FKG, Federal
Law Gazette I No. 70/2004, is subject to provisions of this federal act or of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 and of the FKG which are equivalent, in particular with regard to the risk-sensitive supervisory approach, the FMA as the consolidating supervisor may after consultation with the other authorities responsible for supervision rule that at the level of that mixed financial holding company only the corresponding provision of the FKG shall apply. (2) Where a mixed financial holding company is subject to provisions of this federal act or of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 and of the Insurance Supervision Act 2016 (VAG 2016; Versicherungsaufsichtsgesetz), Federal Law Gazette I No. 34/2015, which are equivalent, in particular with regard to the risk-sensitive supervisory approach, the FMA as the consolidating supervisor may in consensus with the authority responsible for group supervision in the insurance sector rule that at the level of that mixed financial holding company only the provision of the VAG 2016, or of this federal act or of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 shall apply, depending on which financial sector pursuant to Article 2 no. 7 FKG represents the larger average share of holdings. (3) The FMA as the consolidating supervisor shall provide notification of any rulings pursuant to paras. 1 and 2 to EBA and EIOPA. (4) If a subsidiary of an institution, a financial holding company pursuant to Article 4(1)(20) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 or of a mixed financial holding company is not included in supervision on a consolidated basis, the FMA may request from the competent authorities of the Member State in which the subsidiary is incorporated any and all information that would facilitate effective supervision.
SECTION VII: SAVINGS DEPOSITS
Savings Documents
Article 31. (1) Savings deposits refer to funds which are deposited with credit institutions and are
not intended for payment transactions, but for investment, and as such can only be accepted against the delivery of certain documents (savings documents). Savings documents can be issued with a certain designation, in particular in the name of the customer identified pursuant to the provisions of the Financial Markets Anti-Money Laundering Act (FM-GwG; Finanzmarkt-Geldwäschegesetz), as
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105 / 290 published in Federal Law Gazette I No. 118/2016; the use of names other than that of the customer identified pursuant to the provisions of the FM-GwG is not permitted under any circumstances. (2) Savings documents may only be issued by credit institutions which are authorised to conduct savings deposit business. The designations Sparbuch (savings passbook), Sparbrief (savings certificate) or any other combination of words containing the fragment spar (savings) may be used only for these documents. The designation Sparkassenbuch (savings bank passbook) is reserved exclusively for the savings documents issued by credit institutions which are full members of the Austrian Association of Savings Banks (Fachverband der Sparkassen). The issuance of savings documents with a designation containing the elements Spar (savings) or Sparkasse (savings bank) in combination with the word Post (post office / postal) is reserved exclusively for the Austrian Postal Savings Bank (Österreichische Postsparkasse). (3) Savings deposits which amount to less than EUR 15 000 or an equivalent value and which are not registered in the name of the customer identified pursuant to the provisions of the FM-GwG must be subject to the restriction that the customer may only access the savings deposit upon provision of a password defined by the customer. This restriction must be recorded in the savings document and in the credit institution's records. Where the restriction is subject to the provision of a password, the party presenting the savings document must indicate the password when accessing the savings deposit. If this party is not able to do so, then he/she must present evidence of their right of disposal over the savings deposit. Article 5 para. 3 FM-GwG shall remain unaffected by this provision. Savings deposits acquired by way of succession upon the death of a customer may be accessed without the provision of the password; the same applies to cases where a savings document is presented in the course of judicial or administrative enforcement proceedings. (4) A credit institution which receives a report on the loss of a savings document along with an indication of the name, address and birth date of the party incurring the loss must enter the alleged loss in the records for the savings deposit in question and must not pay out any funds from the savings deposit within four weeks of receiving such a report. (5) After 30 June 2002, savings documents for which the customer's identity has not been ascertained pursuant to Article 40 para. 1 must not be transferred or acquired in legal transactions. Deposits, Withdrawals and Interest
Article 32. (1) Every deposit credited to a savings deposit and every withdrawal from a savings
deposit must be recorded in the savings document.
(2) Withdrawals from a savings deposit may only be made upon presentation of the savings document itself. Deposits into a savings deposit may also be accepted in cases where the savings document is not presented simultaneously. Such deposits are to be recorded in the savings document upon the next presentation of the savings document. (3) Savings deposits must not be accessed by means of funds transfers, except in cases where the person entitled to the savings deposit is deceased, is a minor or otherwise under tutelage, and the
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106 / 290 competent court for probate, guardianship or tutelage matters orders such a transfer, nor by means of cheques. In contrast, funds transfers to a savings deposit are permissible. (4) Notwithstanding a restriction on the right of disposal pursuant to Article 31 para. 3 and notwithstanding Article 5 para. 3 FM-GwG, the credit institution is entitled to pay out funds against presentation of the savings document and subject to the requirements indicated under nos. 1 to 3 as follows:
3. in the case of savings deposits which amount to less than EUR 15 000 or the equivalent value
in Euro and which are not registered in the name of a customer identified pursuant to the provisions of the FM-GwG, withdrawals may be paid out, upon provision of the password, to the party presenting the savings document and identified pursuant to Article 6 para. 1 no. 1 FM-GwG;
4. in the case of savings deposits which amount to at least EUR 15 000 or an equivalent value and
which are registered in the name of the customer identified pursuant to the provisions of the FM-GwG, withdrawals may only be paid out to the customer identified pursuant to the provisions of the FM-GwG;
5. in the case of savings deposits which are not registered in the name of the customer identified
pursuant to Article 40 para. 1 and whose balance has reached or exceeded EUR 15 000 or an equivalent value since the last presentation of the savings document exclusively as a result of interest credits, withdrawals may be paid out, upon provision of the password, to the party presenting the savings document and identified pursuant to Article 40 para. 1 at the first presentation of the savings document after the limit is reached or exceeded; in this context, the limit is considered to be reached or exceeded exclusively due to interest credits in cases where no credits from funds transfers have been recorded since the last presentation of the savings document which, in total, cause the above-mentioned limit to be reached or exceeded. Withdrawals may be made subject to the provisions indicated above unless the savings document has been reported lost, withdrawal has been officially prohibited or the accounts have been frozen. (5) Unless a savings deposit is paid out in full within a calendar year, savings deposits must be balanced at the end of each calendar year (closing date). This does not apply to savings certificates. (6) The annual interest rate applicable to a savings deposit and any fees charged for services in connection with savings deposits must be indicated in a conspicuous place in the savings document. Each change in the annual interest rate must be recorded in the savings document upon the next presentation of the savings document along with an indication of the date on which the interest rate takes effect. The amended annual interest rate applies from the date on which it takes effect without requiring cancellation by the credit institution. (7) Interest on deposits into savings deposits is to begin accruing as of the value date (Article 37), with a month counted as 30 days and a year counted as 360 days. Amounts which are withdrawn within 14 days after being deposited are not to accrue interest; in this context, withdrawals from savings deposits must always be debited against the amounts most recently deposited. In the case
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107 / 290 of withdrawals from savings deposits, the interest on the amount withdrawn must be calculated up to and including the calendar day preceding the date of the withdrawal. (8) Savings deposits may be committed for a certain term. Payments made prior to the end of the term are to be treated as advances, and interest is to be calculated accordingly. For these advances, 0.1% is to be charged for each full month by which the commitment period is not observed. However, interest on advances must not exceed the total credit interest accrued on the amount accepted; to the extent necessary, charges may be applied retroactively to credit interest paid out in the preceding year in cases where the credit interest for the current year is not sufficient. After 30 June 2002, term commitments may only be agreed upon in cases where the customer's identity has been ascertained pursuant to the provisions of the FM-GwG. (9) The general provisions of the statute of limitations apply to limitations on claims arising from savings deposits. Interest on savings deposits is subject to the same limitations as deposits. Limitation periods are interrupted by every interest credit recorded in the savings document and by every deposit or withdrawal.
SECTION VIII: CONSUMER PROTECTION PROVISIONS
Special Provisions for Mortgage and Immovable Property Credit Agreements
Article 33. (1) Credit institutions shall ensure that employees, who are involved in the offering and
concluding of mortgage and immovable property credit agreements, covered by the scope of Sections 2 and 3 of the Mortgage and Immovable Property Credit Act (HIKrG; Hypothekar- und Immobilienkreditgesetz) as published in Federal Law Gazette I No. 135/2015, possess appropriate knowledge and skills in the following fields, which are to be refreshed and updated on a regular basis:
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8. appropriate knowledge of the procedure of assessing the creditworthiness of the consumer
or where applicable the appropriate skills for checking the creditworthiness of consumers;
9. appropriate financial and economic competence.
(2) The FMA shall determine by means of a regulation:
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c. deferring payment of all or part of the instalment repayment for a period;
d. changing the interest rate; e. offering a payment holiday, f. partial repayments; g. currency conversions; h. partial forgiveness and debt consolidation. (7) The FMA has been named as the point of contact for the purposes of Article 36 of Directive 2014/17/EU. The FMA is authorised to cooperate and exchange information with points of contact in other Member States pursuant to the provisions of Article 77 para. 5. Consumer Current Account Agreements
Article 34. (1) Consumer current accounts refer to accounts held by consumers as defined in Article 1
para. 1 no. 2 Consumer Protection Act (KSchG; Konsumentenschutzgesetz).
(2) In addition to the information required under ZaDiG 2018, consumer current account agreements must at least contain the annual interest rate applicable to credit balances, provided this information was not already provided under Article 48 ZaDiG 2018. (3) The credit institution must notify the consumer of their account balance by means of an account statement at least on a quarterly basis. Information about Prices
Article 35. (1) Credit institutions must make the following accessible in business premises that are
accessible for consumers or in electronic form in their website:
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111 / 290 available in the language in which the member institution and the depositor agreed upon when opening the account. (2) The confirmation that the deposits are considered to be eligible deposits, will be received by depositors on their account statements, including a reference to the information sheet pursuant to the Annex to Article 37a; in the case of savings deposits pursuant to Articles 31 and 32 BWG this confirmation relating to the eligibility for repayment of the deposits including a reference to the information sheet shall be made by means of a remark in the savings document. The information sheet pursuant to the Annex to Article 37a shall be communicated to the depositor at least once a year. (3) If a depositor uses Internet banking, then the information pursuant to paras. 1 and 2 may be made available or communicated in electronic form. It shall be communicated on paper where the depositor so requests. (4) The information pursuant to paras. 1 and 2 may only be referred to for advertising purposes in the form of mentioning the deposit guarantee scheme which protects the product mentioned, and to describe how the deposit guarantee scheme works in a factual manner. It is not permissible to refer to unlimited coverage of deposits. (5) In the event of a merger, the conversion of subsidiaries into branches or similar operations, depositors must be informed at least one month prior to the merger, the conversion of subsidiaries or a similar operation takes legal effect
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112 / 290 are subject to banking secrecy, then they shall only be allowed disclose such facts or make them accessible if they are not subject to secrecy pursuant to Article 6 of the Freedom of Information Act (IFG; Informationsfreiheitsgesetz) published in Federal Law Gazette I No. 5/2024. (2) The obligation to maintain banking secrecy does not apply
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14. regarding the provision of information pursuant to Article 16 para. 6 FM-GwG and the
exchanging of information pursuant to Article 22 para. 2 and Article 24 para. 6 FM-GwG respectively for the prevention of money laundering and terrorist financing;
15. regarding the obligation to make a submission pursuant to Article 18a para. 8 of the Value
Added Tax Act 1994 (UStG 1994; Umsatzsteuergesetz 1994), published in Federal Law Gazette no. 663/1994 as amended for the purposes of Article 24b of Regulation (EU) No 904/2010;
16. regarding making information available pursuant to Article 12 paras. 2 and 3 of the Sanctions
Act 2024 (SanktG 2024; Sanktionengesetz 2024) published in Federal Law Gazette I, no. 5/2025 and exchanging of information pursuant to Article 12 para. 6, Article 14 para. 2 and Article 19 para. 4 SanktG 2024 (note: reference to Article 19 para. 4 SanktG 2024 will be repealed on 1 January 2026) respectively for monitoring compliance with sanction measures.
17. regarding meeting the reporting obligations as well as the automatic exchange of information
for notifications pursuant to the EU Reporting Obligations Act (EU-Meldepflichtgesetz) published in Federal Law Gazette I No. 91/2019. (3) A credit institution may not invoke its banking secrecy obligations in cases where the disclosure of secrets is necessary in order to determine the credit institution's own tax liabilities. (4) The provisions of paras. 1 to 3 also apply to financial institutions and contract insurance undertakings with regard to Article 75 para. 3 and to deposit guarantee schemes, with the exception of cooperation with other deposit guarantee schemes, deposit guarantee schemes and investor compensation schemes as required by Articles 93 to 93b. (5) (constitutional law provision) Paras. 1 to 4 may only be amended by the National Council with at least one-half of the representatives present and with a two-thirds majority of the votes cast. (6) If the usage of means of distance communication has been agreed upon with the customer for the provision of banking services, then the requirement for written consent to be given by the customer for releasing them from banking secrecy pursuant to para. 2 no. 5 may also be fulfilled by way of derogation from Article 886 ABGB by means of strong customer authentication (SCA) pursuant to Article 4 no. 28 ZaDiG 2018.
SECTION X: DUE DILIGENCE OBLIGATIONS AND
DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION FOR THE PREVENTION OF MONEY LAUNDERING AND TERRORIST FINANCING General Due Diligence Obligations
Article 39. (1) In their management activities, the directors of a credit institution or of a responsible
undertaking pursuant to Article 30 para. 6 must exercise the diligence of a prudent and conscientious manager as defined in Article 84 para. 1 AktG. In particular, they must obtain information on and control, monitor and limit the risks of banking transactions and banking operations using appropriate strategies and mechanisms, and have in place plans and procedures
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114 / 290 pursuant to Article 39a. Moreover, they must consider the overall earnings situation of the credit institution. (2) Credit institutions and responsible undertakings pursuant to Article 30 para. 6 shall be required to have administrative, accounting and control procedures that are appropriate for the nature, scope and complexity for the banking transactions conducted for capturing, assessing, controlling and monitoring of risks arising from banking transactions and banking operations, including also such risks that arise from their macroeconomic environment while also taking into consideration the phase of the respective business cycle, the risk of money laundering and terrorist financing as well as their remuneration policy and practices. These mechanisms must be appropriate to the type, scope and complexity of the banking transactions conducted. The organisational structure as well as the administrative, accounting and control mechanisms must be documented in a written and comprehensible form. Where network and information systems are used, then they shall be established and managed in particular in accordance with the requirements set out in Regulation (EU) 2022/2554. Wherever possible, the administrative, accounting and control mechanisms must also capture risks arising from banking transactions and banking operations, as well as risks arising from remuneration policy and practices which might possibly arise. The organisational structure must prevent conflicts of interest and of competences by establishing delineations in structural and process organisation which are appropriate to the credit institution’s business operations. The adequacy of these procedures and their enforcement must be reviewed by the internal audit unit at least once per year. (2a) Credit institutions may make use of joint risk classification organisations as service providers for the development and ongoing maintenance of rating methods if the credit institutions report this to the FMA in advance. The participating credit institutions may convey all information necessary for the capture and assessment of risks to the joint risk classification organisation for the exclusive purpose of developing and maintaining risk assessment and mitigation methods and making these methods available to the participating credit institutions by processing the data; the risk classification organisation shall only be permitted to transfer personal data to the credit institution which originally provided the underlying borrower data. The joint risk classification organisation, its governing bodies, employees and other persons working for the organisation shall be subject to the banking secrecy requirements pursuant to Article 38. With regard to the risk classification organisation, the FMA shall have all information, presentation and inspection powers set forth in
Article 70 para. 1; Article 71 is applicable in this context.
(2b) In particular, the procedures pursuant to para. 2 must include the following:
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7. liquidity risk,
8. interest rate risk arising from any transactions not already covered by no. 3,
9. the residual risk from credit risk mitigation techniques,
10. the location of exposures of a credit institution,
11. the risk of money laundering and terrorist financing,
12. the risk arising from the institution’s business model when taking into account the effects of
diversification strategies,
13. the results of stress tests in the case of institutions that apply internal approaches, and
14. governance arrangements of credit institutions and responsible undertakings pursuant to
Article 30 para. 6, their corporate culture and values, and the ability of the management body
to perform their duties.
(2c) In the case of new transactions with which the credit institution has no experience regarding the risks involved, due consideration must be given to the security of third-party funds entrusted to the credit institution and to the preservation of the credit institution's own funds. The procedures pursuant to para. 2 must ensure that the risks arising from new transactions as well as concentration risks are captured and assessed to the fullest possible extent. When verifying the credit risk, the suitability of the approaches applied by a credit institution to capture credit risks must also be assessed, taking into account the nature, scope and complexity of the transactions conducted by a credit institution. (2d) Credit institutions must introduce internal systems or to apply the standardised or simplified standardised methodologies, in order to identify, evaluate, manage and address risks, that arise from potential changes in interest rates or changes in credit spreads for transactions in the banking book, and which have an effect on both the economic value of equity as on net interest income for transactions in the banking book. Small and non-complex credit institutions as defined in Article 4 (1) (145) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 may apply the simplified standardised methodology for identifying interest rate risk for transactions in the banking book, if this methodology is suitable for the orderly capture, management and limitation of interest rate risk in the banking book (IRRBB). The FMA shall prescribe the use of the standardised methodology for identification of interest rate risk, if the internal systems introduced by a credit institution or the simplified standardised methodologies for the assessment of interest rate risk are not suitable. (3) Credit institutions must:
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6. have in place documentation on the basis of which the credit institution’s financial situation
can be calculated with reasonable accuracy at all times; these documents are to be presented to the FMA with appropriate comments on request. (4) The FMA must issue a regulation defining minimum requirements for the purpose of duly capturing, controlling, monitoring and limiting the types of risk specified in para. 2b. With regard to the following risks, the regulation must conform with the applicable provision as listed:
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Principles of Remuneration Policy and Practices
Article 39b. (1) When defining and applying the remuneration policy and practices, including the
salaries and voluntary pension payments for employee categories whose professional activities have a material effect on the risk profile of the credit institution, credit institutions must apply the principles mentioned in the Annex to Article 39b in such a manner and to such an extent commensurate to their size, their internal organisation, and the nature, scope and complexity of their transactions, as well as their employee categories, the type and amount of their remuneration, as well as the impact their activities have on the risk profile. (2) the categories of staff, whose professional activities have a material effect on the risk profile of the credit institution pursuant to para. 1, in any case cover the following groups of persons:
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Risk Committee
Article 39d. (1) At credit institutions of any legal form that are of significant relevance as defined in
Article 5 para. 4 the credit institution’s supervisory board or other supervisory body competent
according to applicable law or the articles of association must appoint a risk committee. (2) The duties of the risk committee include:
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Reporting Requirements
Article 41. (1) Credit institutions and financial institutions shall submit reports to the Financial
Intelligence Unit (Geldwäschemeldestelle), where determined in Article 16 paras. 1 and 3 FM-GwG. (2) Credit institutions and financial institutions shall submit information to the Financial Intelligence Unit (Geldwäschemeldestelle) at the latter's request, where determined in Article 16 para. 2 FM-GwG.
SECTION XI: INTERNAL AUDITING
Article 42. (1) Credit institutions and financial institutions are to set up an internal audit unit which
reports directly to the directors and which serves the exclusive purpose of ongoing and comprehensive reviews of the legal compliance, appropriateness and suitability of the entire undertaking. With due consideration of the scope of the institution's business, the internal audit unit must be equipped in such a way that it can perform its duties as intended. The duties of the internal audit unit must not be entrusted to persons with regard to whom reasons for exclusion exist. The head of internal audit unit shall be required to meet the requirements set out in Article 5 para. 1 nos. 6 and 7. (2) Circumstances which make the proper performance of the duties of the internal audit unit appear improbable are to be regarded as reasons for exclusion. In particular, reasons for exclusion are considered to exist if
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c. the option pricing model, especially the definition of volatilities and other parameters
used to calculate the delta factor pursuant to Article 105(6) and (7) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013, d. the determination of other risks associated with options pursuant to Article 329(2) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013;
5. the suitability and enforcement of the procedures pursuant to Article 39 para. 2 and
Article 39a.
6. repealed
(5) The internal audit unit must draw up an annual auditing plan and carry out audits in accordance with that plan. In addition, the internal audit unit must also carry out unscheduled audits whenever necessary. (6) The duties of the internal audit unit must be assigned to a separate organisational unit within the credit institution. However, this shall not apply to credit institutions:
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SECTION XII: ACCOUNTING
General Provisions
Article 43. (1) The directors must ensure the legal compliance of the credit institutions’ and
affiliations of credit institutions’ annual financial statements and consolidated financial statements as well as management reports and consolidated management reports. The annual financial statements, consolidated financial statements, management reports and consolidated management reports, as well as their audit and disclosure are subject to Volume 3 UGB, with the exception of Article 223 para. 6, Article 224, Article 226 para. 5, Articles 227 and 231, Article 232 para. 5, Article 237 para. 1 nos. 2 and 5 Article 238 para. 1 no. 13, Articles 240 and 246, Article 249 para. 1, Article 268 para. 3 second and third sentences and para. 4, Article 275 para. 2, Articles 278, 279 and 280a UGB. (1a) For the purposes of para. 1 credit institutions shall be classified, regardless of their legal form, as public interest undertakings pursuant to Article 189a no. 1 lit. b UGB. (2) The balance sheets and income statements of all credit institutions and affiliations of credit institutions except for building societies are to be drawn up in accordance with the layout used in the forms provided in the Annex. Consolidated financial statements must also be prepared in accordance with the structure of those forms. Annual and consolidated financial statements must be prepared in a timely manner so that the submission deadline pursuant to Article 44 para. 1 is observed. Further subdivisions of the forms are only permissible where they necessary in order to avoid confusion or where provided for by other legal provisions. The FMA may issue a regulation amending the forms where this is necessary due to changing accounting standards. (3) By way of derogation from Article 1 para. 1, the term “credit institution” as used in Articles 51 to 54, Article 59 and in Annex 2 to Article 43 encompasses all credit institutions incorporated in Austria and CRR credit institutions authorised in a Member State or third country. (4) In the case of affiliations of credit institutions pursuant to Article 30a the provisions pursuant to Articles 243b paras. 7 to 9 and 267a paras. 8 to 10 UGB shall apply to the central body and the credit institutions allocated to it, subject to the proviso that the central body is considered as a parent undertaking and the allocated credit institutions as subsidiaries of the central body.
Article 44. (1) Credit institutions and the branches of foreign credit institutions must submit audited
annual financial statements, management reports, consolidated financial statements and consolidated management reports pursuant to Article 59 and Article 59a, as well as the audit reports on the financial statements, management reports, consolidated financial statements and consolidated management reports pursuant to Article 59 and Article 59a, including the annex to the audit report on the annual financial statements (prudential report) indicated in Article 63 para. 5, to the FMA and the Oesterreichische Nationalbank at the latest within six months after the close of the business year. In addition, credit institutions must submit the data from annual financial statements and consolidated financial statements pursuant to Article 59 and Article 59a, including the annex to
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124 / 290 the audit report on the annual financial statements (prudential report) mentioned in Article 63 para. 5 and disclosures regarding hidden reserves, to the FMA and the Oesterreichische Nationalbank electronically and in a standardised format at the latest within six months after the close of the business year. (2) Branches of foreign credit institutions must also submit the annual financial statements of the foreign credit institution to the FMA and the Oesterreichische Nationalbank within six months after the close of the business year. (3) Branches of credit institutions pursuant to Article 9 para. 1 and of financial institutions pursuant to Article 11 para. 1 and Article 13 para. 1 which carry out activities pursuant to Article 1 para. 1 nos. 2 to 8, 11 and 15 to 17 in Austria must submit the annual financial statements, the management report and, where applicable, the consolidated annual financial statements and management report of the credit institution of financial institution to the FMA and the Oesterreichische Nationalbank at the latest within six months after the close of the business year. (4) Branches of credit institutions pursuant to Article 9 para. 1 and of financial institutions pursuant to Article 11 para. 1 and Article 13 para. 1 which carry out activities pursuant to Article 1 para. 1 nos. 2 to 8, 11 and/or 15 to 17 in Austria must have the following information audited by bank auditors and submit the report on this audit, including the annex pursuant to Article 63 para. 7, to the FMA and the Oesterreichische Nationalbank at the latest within six months after the close of the business year.
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(8) Paras. 1 to 7 shall apply equally to affiliations of credit institutions. General Balance Sheet Reporting Requirements
Article 45. (1) The following are to be reported separately as sub-items to the relevant balance sheet
items:
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Article 49. Only those amounts which can be accessed at any time without prior notice, or for which
a term/maturity or notice period of 24 hours or one business day has been agreed upon are considered as repayable on demand.
Article 50. (1) Repurchase agreements are agreements by which a credit institution or a customer of
a credit institution (transferor) transfers its own assets to another credit institution or one of its customers (transferee) against payment of a certain amount, and in which it is simultaneously agreed that the assets will be retransferred to the transferor against payment of the amount received or of another amount agreed upon in advance. (2) If the transferee assumes the obligation to retransfer the assets at a specified time or at a time to be specified by the transferor, then the repurchase agreement is referred to as a "genuine" repurchase agreement. (3) If the transferee merely has the right to retransfer the assets at a previously specified time or at a time to be specified by the transferee, then the repurchase agreement is referred to as a sale with an option to repurchase. (4) In the case of genuine repurchase agreements, the transferor must continue to report the assets transferred on the transferor's balance sheet. The transferor must also enter a liability to the transferee in the amount received for the transfer. If a higher or lower amount is agreed upon for the retransfer, then the difference must be distributed over the term of the repurchase agreement. In addition, the transferor must indicate the book value of the assets transferred under the repurchase agreement in the notes to the financial statements. The transferee must not report the assets received under the repurchase agreement on the balance sheet; the transferee must enter a claim on the transferor on his balance sheet in the amount paid for the transfer. If a higher or lower amount is agreed upon for the retransfer, then the difference must be distributed over the term of the repurchase agreement. (5) In the case of sales with an option to repurchase, the assets transferred must be reported not on the transferor's balance sheet, but on the transferee's balance sheet. The transferor must report under off-balance sheet items the amount agreed upon in case the assets are retransferred. (6) Foreign exchange forward transactions, futures transactions and similar transactions as well as the issuance of own debt securities for an abbreviated period are not considered to be repurchase agreements. Provisions regarding Individual Balance Sheet Items
Article 51. (1) Cash in hand refers to domestic and foreign means of payment. Balances with central
banks and post office banks in the countries in which the credit institution is established include balances held with those institutions and repayable on demand. Other loans and advances those institutions are to be reported as loans and advances to credit institutions (asset item 3) or as loans and advances to customers (asset item 4).
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(2) Federal treasury bills, treasury notes and other similar debt instruments issued by public bodies must be reported under asset item 2, lit. a if they are eligible for refinancing with the central banks of the countries in which the credit institution is established. Debt instruments issued by public bodies which do not fulfil the requirement above must be reported under asset item 5 lit. a. Bills held in portfolio acquired from a credit institution or from a customer must be reported under asset item 2, lit. b if they are eligible for refinancing with the central banks of the countries in which the credit institution is established. Bills which do not meet these requirements are to be reported under asset item 3 or 4. (3) Loans and advances to credit institutions include all types of receivables arising from banking transactions with domestic and foreign credit institutions, regardless of their individual designation. In this context, only receivables securitised in the form of debt securities or another form are excepted; such receivables are to be reported under asset item 5. (4) Loans and advances to customers include all types of loans and advances to domestic and foreign non-banks, regardless of their individual designation. In this context, only receivables securitised in the form of debt securities or another form are excepted; such receivables are to be reported under asset item 5. (5) Debt securities including fixed-income securities only include securities admitted to trading on a recognised exchange. However, debt securities issued by public-sector entities are only to be included where they are not reported under asset item 2. Floating-rate securities are also considered to be fixed-income securities as long as their interest rate is linked to a certain reference value, for example an interbank interest rate or a euro money market rate. Only own debt securities which have been repurchased and are admitted to trading on a recognised exchange may be reported in the sub-item under asset item 5 lit. b. (6) Liabilities to credit institutions include all types of liabilities arising from banking transactions with domestic and foreign credit institutions, regardless of their individual designation. In this context, only liabilities securitised in the form of debt securities or another form are excepted; such liabilities are to be reported under liability item 3. (7) Liabilities to customers include all amounts owed to creditors which are not credit institutions pursuant to para. 6, regardless of their individual designation. In this context, only liabilities securitised in the form of debt securities or another form are excepted; such liabilities are to be reported under liability item 3. (8) Securitised liabilities refer to debt securities as well as liabilities for which transferable documents/certificates have been issued; in particular, these include certificates of deposit, bons de caisse and liabilities from the credit
institution's own acceptances and promissory notes. Own acceptances include only those acceptance facilities which are issued by the credit institution for its own refinancing and in which the credit institution is the first party liable ('drawee'). (9) Subordinated liabilities refer to securitised and non-securitised liabilities which, according to a contractual agreement, are only to be satisfied after the claims of other non-subordinated creditors in the case of liquidation or bankruptcy.
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(10) Subscribed capital includes all amounts made available as capital contributions by the members or other owners, depending on the legal form of the credit institution. Subscribed capital must be reported using the nominal amount; in the case of no-par-value shares, the amount of share capital attributable to those shares is to be reported. Unpaid capital which has not been called is to be deducted from this item openly; subscribed capital which has been called but not paid is to be reported under asset item 13. (11) Capital reserves refer to those amounts which have been allocated to the credit institution by its members or other owners or third parties as equity but are not subscribed capital. (12) Retained earnings are reserves allocated from annual profits in the current business year or in previous business years. (13) Contingent liabilities comprise all transactions in which the credit institution has underwritten the obligations of a third party. The notes to the financial statements must indicate the nature and amount of any type of contingent liability which is material in relation to an institution's activities. Liabilities from sureties and assets pledged as collateral security include all guarantee obligations incurred and assets pledged as collateral security on behalf of third parties, especially sureties and irrevocable letters of credit. (14) Commitments include all irrevocable obligations which could give rise to a risk. The notes the financial statements must indicate the nature and amount of any type of commitment which is material in relation to an institution's activities. Commitments arising from repurchase agreements include repurchase commitments entered into by a credit institution as the transferor in sales with an option to repurchase. Special Provisions relating to Certain Items in the Income Statement
Article 52. (1) The following values in particular are to be reported under interest receivable and
similar income as well as interest payable and similar charges:
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(3) Commission income and commission expenses refer to income and expenses arising in connection with the provision of services, in particular:
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Valuation Rules
Article 55. (1) Asset items 9 and 10 must be valued as fixed assets. The assets included in other
balance sheet items must be valued as fixed assets where they are intended for use on a continuing basis in the normal course of an undertaking's activities. (2) Credit institutions must consider participating interests, shares in affiliated undertakings and securities intended for use on a continuing basis in the normal course of an undertaking's activities to be fixed assets.
Article 56. (1) Debt securities including fixed-income securities which are held as financial assets
must be reported as fixed assets.
(2) In cases where the acquisition costs of such debt securities exceed the amount repayable at maturity, the difference amount must be charged to the income statement. The difference amount may also be written off pro rata temporis. The difference must be reported separately in the balance sheet or in the notes to the financial statements. (3) In cases where the acquisition costs of such debt securities are lower than the amount repayable at maturity, the difference amount may be released to income in instalments over the period remaining until repayment. The difference must be reported separately in the balance sheet or in the notes to the financial statements. (4) Where securities admitted to trading on a recognised exchange which are not held as financial assets are reported on the balance sheet at acquisition cost, credit institutions must disclose in the notes to their financial statements the difference between the acquisition cost and the higher market value as of the balance sheet date. (5) Securities admitted to trading on a recognised exchange which are not held as financial assets may be recognised at the higher market value as of the balance sheet date. The difference between the acquisition costs and the higher market value must be disclosed in the notes to the financial statements.
Article 57. (1) Claims of credit institutions, securities except for those held as fixed assets or included
in the trading portfolio, loans and advances to credit institutions as well as exposures to nonbanks may be recognised at a lower value than that which would result from the application of the provisions of Articles 203, 206 and 207 UGB where necessary for reasons of prudence in light of the particular banking risks. The difference from the values which would be applied in accordance with Articles 203, 206, and 207 UGB must not exceed 4% of the total amount of the assets indicated.
Article 201 para. 2 no. 4 UGB is to be applied with due consideration of the particular characteristics
of banking transactions.
(2) The value applied pursuant to para. 1 may be maintained until the credit institution decides to adjust this value. (3) On the liabilities side of their balance sheets, credit institutions may create a special item under 6a entitled "Fund for general banking risks" for the purpose of protection against general banking risks. This fund may include those amounts which the credit institution considers necessary to cover
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131 / 290 special banking risks for reasons of prudence. Additions to and disposals from this fund must be reported separately on the credit institution's balance sheet. The credit institution must have unrestricted and immediate access to this fund for the purpose of offsetting losses. (4) The net balance of increases and decreases in the fund for general banking risks must be reported separately in the income statement. (5) Credit institutions shall allocate a liability reserve. This liability reserve shall be 1% of the assessment base pursuant to Article 92(3)(e) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013. Credit institutions which calculate own funds requirements for market risk pursuant to Title IV of Part Three of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 must add 12.5 times the amount of the own funds requirements for position risk (Part Three, Title IV, Chapter 2 of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013) to the assessment base. The liability reserve shall not constitute a reserve as defined in Article 183 AktG. The liability reserve may be reversed only insofar as this is required to meet obligations in the event of a pay-out event (Article 9 ESAEG) or a compensation event (Article 46 ESAEG) or to cover other losses to be reported in the annual financial statements. The liability reserve is to be replenished by the amount reversed within the following five financial years at the latest. Allocations to and reversals of the liability reserve are to be shown separately in the income statement.
Article 58. (1) Assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currency must be translated at the
middle rate of exchange prevailing on the balance sheet date.
(2) Forward transactions must be translated at the forward rate of exchange prevailing on the balance sheet date. (3) The difference between the book values of the assets, liabilities and forward transactions and the amounts resulting from translation pursuant to paras, 1 and 2 must be reported in the income statement. Consolidated Financial Statements
Article 59. (1) The superordinate credit institution must prepare consolidated financial statements
and a consolidated management report for its group of credit institutions. Article 30 as well as paras. 2 to 5 determine the scope of consolidation. (2) A subordinate credit institution need not be included in the scope of consolidation if the shares in the undertaking are held temporarily for the purpose of a financial reconstruction or rescue operation for that undertaking. In cases where such a credit institution is not included in the consolidated financial statements, the annual financial statements of that credit institution must be attached to the consolidated financial statements. Additional information on the nature and terms of the financial reconstruction must be included in the notes to the financial statements. (3) Article 249 paras. 2 and 3 UGB are applicable to subordinate institutions which are not credit institutions. (4) A participating interest need not be included in the group of credit institutions if such inclusion would result only from the application of Article 30 para. 1 no. 7.
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(5) Article 30 para. 4 is not to be applied in cases where the supervisory body or a minority of owners whose shares account for no less than 10% of the share capital or nominal capital or the nominal amount of EUR 1.4 million request otherwise. (6) The fixed assets of leasing undertakings held for the purpose of leasing must be assigned to the individual receivables categories in the consolidated balance sheet at the present value of the discounted leasing receivables. (7) Where ancillary services undertakings pursuant to point (18) of Article 4(1) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 which are maintained on a cost recovery basis are included in the scope of consolidation, the resulting income may be netted out against the proportionate expenses if the income stems from revenues with undertakings which are not included in full consolidation and the reimbursement of the expenses by these undertakings is contractually agreed.
Article 59a. Superordinate credit institutions which prepare consolidated financial statements in
accordance with internationally recognised accounting principles pursuant to Article 245a paras. 1 or 2 UGB must fulfil the requirements of Article 245a paras. 1 and 3 UGB and include the disclosures pursuant to Article 64 para. 1 nos. 1 to 19 and para. 2 in the notes to the consolidated financial statements. Bank Auditors
Article 60. (1) The annual financial statements of each credit institution and each affiliation of credit
institutions and the consolidated financial statements of each group of credit institutions pursuant to Article 59 para. 1 and Article 59a must be audited by bank auditors, including bookkeeping, the management report and the consolidated management report pursuant to Article 59 and
Article 59a.
(2) In the case of a credit institution in the legal form of a cooperative society, the auditing body (auditor) of its statutory audit institution appointed in accordance with the rules under cooperative society law shall perform the duties of the bank auditor pursuant to Article 60. This also applies to stock corporations, in which banking operations or the partial operation of banking transactions of a cooperative society have been integrated pursuant to Article 92 para. 7 with the exception of central organisations pursuant to Article 30a. The bank auditor of a central organisation pursuant to the second sentence of this paragraph and the bank auditors of such credit institutions assigned to a central organisation shall cooperate in the performance of their duties as bank auditors and shall exchange information that is necessary for performing their duties as bank auditors with one another. (3) The rights to information, presentation and inspection (Article 272 UGB) of the bank auditor extend to all documents and data media, even in cases where they are maintained or stored by a third party, including an ICT third-party service providers pursuant to Chapter V of Regulation (EU)2022/2554, or where they are maintained or stored outside of Austria. In cases where the documents to be audited, especially bookkeeping, are maintained or stored outside of Austria,
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133 / 290 the credit institution must, notwithstanding the bank auditor's rights of inspection mentioned above, ensure that documents for the current business year as well as the three preceding business years are available in Austria at all times. The credit institution must also provide the bank auditor with the auditing plans as well as the audit reports drawn up by the internal audit unit. (4) The credit institution shall inform the bank auditor at the latter's request about supervisory measures, including the status of ongoing administrative proceedings, and in connection with such measures shall make relevant documentation available. Exemptions for the Auditing Associations of Credit Cooperatives and the Sparkassenprüfungsverband
Article 60a. (1) For the auditing associations of credit cooperatives and the
Sparkassenprüfungsverband Article 4, Article 6, Article 8 (5) a), Article 16 and Article 17 (1) to (6) of Regulation (EU) No 537/2014 on specific requirements regarding statutory audit of public-interest entities and repealing Commission Decision 2005/909/EC, published in OJ L 158 of 27.05.2014 p. 77, in the version of the corrigendum OJ L 170 of 11.06.2014 p. 66, do not apply. (2) Article 5 of Regulation (EU) No 537/2014 and Article 271d UGB are applicable for the legal entities listed in para. 1 subject to the proviso that the rules for “statutory auditors” or “audit firms” apply in the case of cooperative auditing associations for the “auditors” (Revisoren) and in the case of the Sparkassen-Prüfungsverband for “appointed auditors” (Article 3 of the Annex to Article 24 SpG). (3) Article 17 of Regulation (EU) No 537/2014 is applicable for the legal entities listed in para. 1 subject to the proviso that the rules for “responsible key audit partners” apply in the case of cooperative auditing associations for the “auditors” (Revisoren) and in the case of the SparkassenPrüfungsverband for “appointed auditors” (Article 3 of the Annex to Article 24 SpG). (4) In the event that legal persons are appointed as auditors (Revisoren), the exceptions pursuant to this provision shall not apply for these legal persons.
Article 61. (1) Bank auditors are certified external auditors or external auditing companies
appointed as external auditors of financial statements as well as auditors (auditors, auditing unit of the Savings Bank Auditing Association) from competent auditing organisations established by law. In connection with the deposit guarantee scheme pursuant to Article 1 para. 1 ESAEG, cooperative auditing associations and the auditing unit of the Savings Bank Auditing Association must perform duties within the framework of an early warning system for the affiliated credit institutions. For credit institutions belonging to the Austrian Association of Banks and Bankers or the Association of State Mortgage Banks, the duties associated with the early warning system of the deposit guarantee scheme must be performed pursuant to Article 1 para. 1 ESAEG by those associations' deposit guarantee schemes; the bank auditors of these credit institutions must cooperate with the relevant deposit guarantee scheme for the purposes of the early warning system. The Oesterreichische Nationalbank is empowered to forward data reports from credit institutions to the relevant protection schemes as required by the deposit guarantee schemes mentioned above for the purposes of the early warning system.
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(2) Persons in respect of which reasons for exclusion pursuant to Article 62 of this federal act or bias or disqualification pursuant to Articles 271, 271a or 271b UGB exist must not be appointed as bank auditors; in the case of external auditors and external auditing companies, reasons for exclusion pursuant to other provisions of federal law also must not exist; in the case of credit cooperatives and stock companies pursuant to Article 92 para. 7, Article 268 para. 4 UGB is not applicable. Article 271a UGB shall be applied to the Savings Bank Auditing Association with the restriction that the reasons for exclusion indicated therein shall apply to the "appointed auditors" (Article 3 of the Annex to
Article 24 SpG).
(3) The FMA shall ensure the application of the provisions of Article 16 and Article 17 of Regulation (EU) No. 537/2014. In addition, the FMA is the competent authority for credit institutions pursuant to
Article 12(1) of Regulation (EU) No 537/2014.
Article 62. Circumstances which make proper auditing appear improbable are regarded as reasons
for exclusion. In particular, reasons for exclusion are considered to exist if:
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3. the bank auditor owns shares in the credit institution to be audited which equal or exceed 5%
of the paid-up capital or the nominal amount of EUR 70 000;
4. the bank auditor, with the exception of legally responsible auditing organisations, has earned
at least 15% of theirtotal revenues from professional activities in the last five years by auditing and advising the credit institution to be audited and undertakings in which the credit institution to be audited holds at least 20% of shares, and this is also to be expected in the current business year;
5. the bank auditor's economic independence from the credit institution to be audited is not
ensured specifically because the credit institution contributes substantially to financing the auditor by means of a capital investment or loan;
6. the bank auditor's personnel-related independence from the credit institution to be audited
is not ensured specifically because he/she performs activities other than advising for the credit institution to be audited or cooperates in the entry of transactions in accounting or in the preparation of financial statements in areas which he/she is meant to audit himself/herself; 6a. a reason for exclusion pursuant to Article 271a UGB exists;
7. the cooperative auditing association appointing the bank auditor conducts banking
transactions itself (mixed activity association) unless the auditors and the auditing organisations are independent and autonomous of the management of the credit institution;
8. the bank auditor is – or was at any time in the last three years prior to being appointed – a
legal representative, member of the supervisory board or employee of the credit institution to be audited;
9. the bank auditor is a legal representative or member of the supervisory board of a legal
person, a member of a partnership or owner of a sole proprietorship, and that legal person, partnership or sole proprietorship is affiliated with and owns at least 5% of the shares in the credit institution to be audited;
10. the bank auditor is an employee of an undertaking which is associated with or owns at least
5% of the shares in the credit institution to be audited, or is an employee of a natural person who owns at least 5% of the shares in the credit institution to be audited; if the bank auditor is an employee of a cooperative auditing association which also owns shares in the credit institution to be audited, then this share must not exceed 20% if the independence of the bank auditor is ensured in another suitable manner;
11. the bank auditor is a legal representative, member of the supervisory board or member of a
legal or natural person or a partnership, an owner or employee of an undertaking if that legal or natural person, partnership or one of its members, or sole proprietorship may not act as the bank auditor for the credit institution to be audited pursuant to no. 6;
12. in carrying out the audit, the bank auditor employs a person who must not act as the bank
auditor pursuant to no. 3 to 6, 8 to 11, 14, 15 and 17;
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13. the bank auditor carries out their profession together with a person excluded pursuant to nos.
3 to 12 and 14 to 17 or fulfils the criteria under no. 3 or 4 together with that person;
14. the good repute of the bank auditor is not ensured specifically due to the existence of reasons
for exclusion pursuant to Article 13 GewO 1994 or circumstances pursuant to Articles 9 and 10 of the Auditing, Tax Advising and Related Professions Act (WTBG 2017; Wirtschaftstreuhandberufsgesetz 2017) published in Federal Law Gazette I No. 137/2017;
15. the bank auditor does not carry out their activities with the required professional diligence,
especially if their auditing activities have exhibited severe defects in the last five years;
16. the bank auditor does not hold the certificate that covers the scope of audit (statutory audit
and as necessary auditing of sustainability reporting) pursuant to Article 35 or a temporary certificate pursuant to Article 36 of the Austrian Audit Oversight Act (APAG; AbschlussprüferAufsichtsgesetz) published in Federal Law Gazette I No. 83/2016;
17. the bank auditor has breached their reporting requirements pursuant to Article 63 para. 3 of
this federal act or pursuant to Article 273 para. 2 UGB in the last five years; this applies to the natural persons named for the audit engagement pursuant to Article 77 para. 9 WTBG 2017 in cases where the audit is carried out by an external auditing company as the bank auditor.
Article 62a. The liability of bank auditors is limited to the following amounts for credit institutions
with total assets of
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137 / 290 month. The court must rule on the objection with due consideration of reasons for exclusion; until a legally effective ruling has been handed down by the court, the bank auditor or the natural person named in accordance with Article 88 para. 7 WTBG may neither perform audit activities nor be provided with information subject to banking secrecy requirements by the credit institution. (1a) repealed (1b) repealed (1c) Within two weeks of being appointed, the bank auditor must provide the FMA with certification that none of the reasons for exclusion exist. At the FMA's request, the bank auditor must also provide all additional certifications and evidence necessary for the purpose of assessment. If such a request is not fulfilled, the FMA may proceed in accordance with para. 1. (2) The provisions of Articles 268 to 270 UGB regarding audits of annual financial statements (consolidated financial statements), with the exception of Article 268 para. 3 second and third sentences and para. 4 shall be applied to credit institutions with the restriction that the appointment of the bank auditor pursuant to para. 1 shall be required to be carried out prior to the start of the business year to be audited. Bank auditors must participate as informed experts in the deliberations of the supervisory bodies competent under applicable law and the articles of association with regard to the annual financial statements. (3) If, in the course of their auditing activities, the bank auditor identifies facts which:
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138 / 290 reports without delay. In cases where an external auditing company is appointed as the bank auditor, the reporting requirement also applies to the natural persons named pursuant to Article 77 para. 9 WTBG 2017. Notwithstanding the obligations pursuant to Article 273 para. 2 UGB, a report in accordance with this paragraph must also be submitted to the credit institution’s supervisory board or other supervisory body competent according to applicable law or the articles of association, at the same time as to the FMA and the Oesterreichische Nationalbank. (3a) Para. 3 is also applicable in cases where the bank auditor acts as the auditor of the financial statements of an affiliated undertaking (Article 228 para. 3 UGB) of the credit institution. (3b) If the bank auditor files a report pursuant to para. 3 or 3a in good faith, this is not considered a breach of a disclosure restriction governed by a contract or by law, regulations or administrative provisions and will not bring about a liability on the bank auditor's part. (3c) Where the bank auditor breaches their reporting obligations pursuant to para. 3, the FMA may remove the bank auditor, although in cases where the audit is carried out by an external auditing company as the bank auditor, although only the named natural persons named for the audit engagement pursuant to Article 77 para. 9 WTBG 2017 may be removed. In the event of a removal the FMA shall at the same time:
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c. the option pricing approach, especially the definition of volatilities and other
parameters used to calculate the delta factor pursuant to Article 377 of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013, d. the determination of other risks associated with options pursuant to Title IV of Part Three of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013;
8. repealed;
9. compliance with Sections 3 and 4 of Chapter 1 of BörseG 2018, Chapter 2 WAG 2018, Titles II,
III and IV of Regulation (EU) No. 600/2014 and Section 3 of Chapter II and Chapter III of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/565;
10. compliance with the requirements pursuant to Article 49(3)(a)(v) of Regulation (EU)
No 575/2013 in the case of institutional protection schemes which apply Article 49(3) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013;
11. the eligibility and accuracy of netting agreements as well as the fulfilment of the requirements
pursuant to Article 296(3) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013; 11a. the quality of payment commitments pursuant to Article 7 para. 1 no. 13 ESAEG;
12. compliance with Articles 8 to 35, 39 to 45, 66 to 92 and 128 to 138 InvFG 2011, compliance with
Articles 2 to 9 and 21 to 36 ImmoInvFG as well as compliance with Articles 18 to 45a BMSVG;
13. loans which exhibit special characteristics with regard to amount, nature of the collateral,
processing or a deviation from the credit institution’s usual core business areas;
14. compliance with the other provisions of this federal act, Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 as well
as other legal provisions relevant to credit institutions.
(4a) The audit of a central institution by the bank auditor must, within six months of the close of the central institution’s business year, also include:
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141 / 290 para. 3. The auditor must inform the chairperson of the supervisory body without delay if the audit reveals severe defects with regard to the appropriateness or legal compliance of the undertaking. Otherwise, auditors appointed by the supervisory body are subject to the obligation to maintain banking secrecy pursuant to Article 38. (2) Credit institutions are obliged to enable the auditors appointed by the supervisory body to carry out audit activities in accordance with Article 71 para. 2 and para. 3 nos. 1 to 3. (3) In the course of performing their duties, the bank auditor appointed in accordance with Article 61 is also obliged to inform the chairperson of the supervisory body even without an audit engagement from the supervisory body if, due to the nature and circumstances of the breaches, reporting to the directors would not achieve the purpose of remedying the defects and such defects are severe. (4) At credit institutions of any legal form, whose total assets exceed EUR 1 billion or which have issued transferable securities that are admitted to trading on a regulated market pursuant to
Article 1 no. 2 BörseG 2018, the credit institution's supervisory board or other supervisory body
competent according to applicable law or the articles of association must appoint an audit committee consisting of at least three members of the supervisory body. In the case of credit institutions with total assets exceeding EUR 5 billion, the audit committee shall be required to hold at least two meetings per financial year, otherwise at least one meeting is to be held each financial year. The bank auditor shall attend the meetings of the audit committee and shall report in writing on the main findings gained from the annual audit at least once a year and explain the report orally upon request of any committee member. This committee must include one person who possesses expertise and practical experience in the fields of bank finance, accounting and reporting as appropriate for the credit institution in question (financial expert). Furthermore, the auditor shall submit an additional report, at latest when signing the credit institution's audit opinion, to the audit committee in accordance with Article 11 of Regulation (EU) No 537/2014. The members of the audit committee, especially the chairman of the audit committee or the financial expert, must be an independent majority and must be impartial. Anyone who has served as a director, executive (Article 80 AktG) or the company's bank auditor in the last three years, or who has signed the audit opinion shall not be considered independent. The members of the committee must collectively be familiar with the sector in which the audited entity is active. The duties of the audit committee include the following:
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143 / 290 themselves are also authorised auditors, neither serve in a corporate body nor hold an executive function within one year of their direct involvement (Article 80 AktG) in a company pursuant to para. 1. Para. 2 shall apply accordingly. Notes to the Financial Statements
Article 64. (1) In addition to the information required pursuant to Article 203 para. 4, Article 203
para. 5 last sentence, Article 206 para. 3 last sentence, Articles 236 to 241 and 265 UGB, credit institutions must include the following information in the notes to their financial statements:
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10. a breakdown of the securities admitted to trading on an exchange included in the asset items:
Debt securities including fixed-income securities, Shares and other variable-yield securities, participating interests as well as Shares in affiliated undertakings into listed and unlisted securities;
11. a breakdown of the transferable securities shown under the asset items: Debt securities
including fixed-income securities as well as Shares and other variable-yield securities into securities which are and are not held as financial fixed assets pursuant to Article 56 para. 1 and the criterion used to distinguish these two categories of securities;
12. a breakdown of Other assets, Other liabilities, Other operating expenses, Extraordinary
expenses, Other operating income and Extraordinary income into their main component amounts where such amounts are important for the purpose of assessing the annual financial statements, as well as explanations of their nature and amount.
13. the total amount of expenses paid for subordinated liabilities by a credit institution in the year
under review;
14. the total amount of income from the credit institution's management and agency services to
third parties where the scale of such business is material in relation to the institution's activities as a whole;
15. an indication of whether the credit institution maintains a trading book and, if so, the volume
of the securities and other financial instruments included in the trading book;
16. a breakdown of Tier 1 items and Tier 2 items; this also applies to equity interests and other
own funds issued by a controlling company;
17. a statement on the consolidation of own funds;
18. a list, sorted by branch Member State, of the following data and indicators on a consolidated
basis for the financial year:
a. name of the branch, its areas of business and the name of the country where it is incorporated, b. net interest income and operating income,
c. number of full-time employees,
d. annual result before taxes, e. taxes on income, f. any public funding received;
19. return on total assets, calculated as the quotient of the annual result after taxes divided by the
total assets as at the balance sheet date.
(2) Credit institutions which have issued participation capital must disclose information on this capital pursuant to Article 243 para. 3 no. 3 UGB in the notes to the financial statements. (3) The disclosure of interest pursuant to Article 237 para. 1 no. 3 UGB may be omitted in the notes to the financial statements.
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(4) In addition to the information required pursuant to Articles 265 and 266 UGB, groups of credit institutions must also include the disclosures pursuant to paras. 1 and 2 in the notes to the consolidated financial statements (Article 59 para. 1). (5) Repealed. (6) In the case of credit cooperatives, Article 239 para. 1 no. 4 UGB is to be applied with the restriction that, in addition to the joint remuneration of the members of the management board and the supervisory board, the total remuneration paid to directors pursuant to Article 2 no. 1 lit. b must also be indicated in the notes to the financial statements. In cases where a member of the management board is simultaneously named as a director pursuant to Article 2 no. 1 lit. b, that person's remuneration as a management board member must be reported in the category of directors' remuneration. If the breakdown pursuant to Article 239 para. 1 no. 4 UGB concerns fewer than three persons, then it can be omitted. Publication
Article 65. (1) Credit institutions must publish their annual financial statements and consolidated
financial statements pursuant to Articles 59 and Article 59a without delay after their approval in the Official Gazette of the Wiener Zeitung or in a generally available publication medium. This does not apply to the annex to the audit report on the annual financial statements (prudential report) pursuant to Article 63 para. 5. The annual financial statements and management report as well as the consolidated financial statements and the consolidated management report pursuant to Articles 59 and 59a must be made available for public inspection at the credit institution's registered office until the end of the third calendar year following the business year in question. (2) The following information from the notes to the financial statements must be published:
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2 to 8, 11 and 15 to 17 in Austria are to publish the audited information pursuant to Article 44 para. 4 as well as the annual financial statements and consolidated financial statements of the relevant credit institution (financial institution) in the Official Gazette of the Wiener Zeitung or in a generally available publication medium, and to make these documents available for public inspection at the branch. This does not apply to the annex to the audit report on the annual financial statements (prudential report) pursuant to Article 63 para. 7 (4) The Federal Minister of Finance is empowered, after consultation with the FMA, to conclude agreements on the basis of reciprocity with countries outside of the European Economic Area to relieve the branches of foreign credit institutions of the obligation to publish annual financial statements referring to their own activities. Disclosure concerning Corporate Governance and Remuneration
Article 65a. Credit institutions must disclose on their websites the manner and means by which they
comply with the provisions of Article 5 para. 1 nos. 6 to 9a, Article 28a para. 5 nos. 1 to 5, Articles 29, 39b, 39c, Article 64 para. 1 nos. 18 and 19, and the Annex to Article 39b.
SECTION XIII: PROVISIONS REGARDING COVER RESERVES
PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 216 ABGB
Article 66. A credit institution which creates cover reserves as defined in Article 216 ABGB must:
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2. For credit institutions which accept savings deposits for the investment of trustee funds
without the allocation of cover reserves:
a. the specific form of acceptance of trustee savings deposits and b. the form of reporting on trustee savings deposits taken.
SECTION XIV: SUPERVISION
Responsibilities of the FMA and Supervisory Review Process
Article 69. (1) Notwithstanding the duties assigned in other federal acts, the FMA must monitor
compliance with the provisions of this federal act, the Savings Banks Act (SpG; Sparkassengesetz), the Building Society Act (BSpG; Bausparkassengesetz), the Regulation Implementing the Mortgage Bank Act and the Mortgage Bond Act (Einführungsverordnung zum Hypothekenbank- und zum Pfandbriefgesetz), the Mortgage Bank Act (HypBG; Hypothekenbankgesetz), the Mortgage Bond Act (PfandbriefG; Pfandbriefgesetz), the Act on Funded Bank Bonds (FBSchVG; Bankschuldverschreibungsgesetz), the Investment Fund Act 2011 (InvFG 2011; Investmentfondsgesetz), the Securities Deposit Act (DepotG; Depotgesetz), the Act on Severance and Retirement Funds for Salaried Employees and Self-Employed Persons (BMSVG; Betriebliches Mitarbeiter- und Selbständigenvorsorgegesetz), the Real Estate Investment Fund Act (ImmoInvFG; Immobilien-Investmentfondsgesetz), the Financial Conglomerates Act (FKG; Finanzkonglomerategesetz), the Deposit Guarantee and Investor Compensation Act (ESAEG; Einlagensicherungs- und Anlegerentschädigungsgesetz), Regulation (EU) No 575/2013, Title IV of Regulation (EU) No 909/2014, the Act on the Enforcement of Central Securities Depositories (ZvVG; Zentralverwahrer-Vollzugsgesetz) as published in Federal Law Gazette I no. 69/2015, Regulation (EU) 2017/2402 laying down a general framework for securitisation and creating a specific framework for simple, transparent and standardised securitisation, and amending Directives 2009/65/EC, 2009/138/EC and 2011/61/EU and Regulations (EC) No 1060/2009 and (EU) No 648/2012, OJ L 347, 28.12.2017, p. 35, the STS Securitisation Enforcement Act (STS-VVG; STS-Verbriefungsvollzugsgesetz) published in Federal Law Gazette I No. 76/2018, the Pfandbriefe Act (PfandBG; Pfandbriefgesetz) published in Federal Law Gazette I No. 199/2021, of Delegated Regulation (EU)2017/2358, of Delegated Regulation (EU)2017/2359, and the technical standards relevant for banking supervision that are specified in Articles 10 to 15 of Regulation (EU) No 1093/2010 and Articles 10 to 15 of Regulation (EU) No 1095/2010 on the part of:
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2. credit institutions pursuant to Article 1 para. 1 which take up activities in other Member States
on the basis of the freedom of establishment or freedom to provide services, subject to
Article 16 para. 1;
3. CRR credit institutions authorised in a Member State, which are incorporated in the Member
State in question and take up activities in Austria on the basis of the freedom of establishment or freedom to provide services, subject to Article 15;
4. CRR financial institutions authorised in a Member State, which take up activities in Austria on
the basis of the freedom of establishment or freedom to provide services, subject to Article 17; and
5. representative offices of credit institutions incorporated in a Member State or a third country,
subject to Article 73; and if applicable
6. financial holding companies pursuant to Article 4(1)(20) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013; or
7. mixed financial holding companies pursuant to Article 2 no. 15 FKG;
8. using a risk-based supervisory approach, and in this context must consider the national
economic interest in maintaining a functioning banking system and financial market stability. (2) The FMA shall monitor:
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Irrespective of nos. 1 and 2, the FMA is not obliged to take supervisory measures or to prescribe changes in model and parameter assumptions, if it has arrived at the conclusion having conducted its supervisory review process, that the management of the interest rate risk arising from transactions in the banking book by the credit institution or the competent undertaking pursuant to
Article 30 para. 6 is appropriate and the credit institution or the group of credit institutions is not
excessively exposed to the interest rate risk arising from transactions in the banking book. (3a) The FMA may adapted the methodologies used in the Supervisory Review Process at credit institutions with a similar risk profile and apply risk-based benchmarks and quantitative indicators, although the applied methodologies must adequately take into account the specific risks to which a credit institution is potentially exposed. The FMA shall ensure that by using such methodologies that the institution-specific nature of the measures added on pursuant to Article 70 para. 4a is not jeopardised. The FMA shall inform the EBA about the adapted methodologies that it applies. (3b) The FMA shall once a year prepare a meaningful comparison of the quality of the approaches and methods applied by the credit institutions in determining the credit and market risk and analyse these approaches and methods with regard to significant aspects. If the FMA determines that a credit institution has underestimated the own funds requirements, the FMA shall take appropriate measures to restore legal compliance. (3c) for the purposes of the supervisory review and evaluation process (SREP) under para. 2a no. 8, the FMA shall monitor whether a credit institution or a group of credit institutions has tacitly supported a securitisation. Where the FMA ascertains that a credit institution or a group of credit institutions has offered tacit support on more than one occasion, then the FMA shall take suitable measures pursuant to Article 70 para. 4 or 4a that take into account the increased expectation that the credit institution or group of credit institutions shall make further assistance available for its securitisations in the future thereby ensuring that no significant risk transfer is achieved. (3d) The FMA shall review whether the valuation adjustments taken for positions of portfolios in the trading book pursuant to Article 105 of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 enable the credit institution or the group of credit institutions to dispose of or hedge its positions under normal market conditions within a short period without incurring notable losses. (4) In the exercise of its duties, the FMA shall duly consider the potential impact of its decisions on the stability of the financial system in all other Member States concerned and, in particular, in emergency situations, based on the information available at the relevant time. The general objective of considering the stability of the financial system across the European Union shall not establish a legal obligation of the FMA to achieve a specific result; as a result, no claims can be established based on the achievement of or failure to achieve specific results. In particular, such results shall not be considered damages within the meaning of the Public Liability Act (AHG; Amtshaftungsgesetz), Federal Law Gazette No. 20/1949. (5) In the enforcement of the provisions of the present federal act and Regulation (EU) No 575/2013,
including the issuing and enforcement of national and EU regulations passed on the basis thereof, the FMA shall take into account European convergence in respect of supervisory tools and
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Article 69a. (1) For the costs of banking supervision which are not considered as costs pursuant to
the Bank Recovery and Resolution Act (BaSAG) or costs for the supervision of deposit guarantee facilities in accordance with ESAEG, a Sub Accounting Group shall be formed in Accounting Group 1 (costs of banking supervision) pursuant to Article 19 para. 1 no. 1 FMABG. The classification of these costs within the Sub Accounting Group to the credit institutions and financial holding companies subject to charges shall be carried out in accordance with paras. 2, 3 and 4a. The following institutions are subject to contribution requirements:
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3. the cost figure is equal to 5% of the notional minimum capital requirement pursuant to no. 2.
(3) For each credit institution, a ratio is to be calculated for each credit institution on the basis of the ratio of its cost figure in accordance with para. 1 nos. 1 and 2 to the total of all cost figures. The costs to be reimbursed in Accounting Group 1 after the deduction of any income pursuant to para. 5 are to be distributed among the individual institutions subject to contribution requirements accordion to their respective contribution ratios. (4) If the calculation carried out in accordance with para. 3 results in an amount of less than EUR 2 000 for a credit institution, then that credit institution is to be charged supervisory costs in the amount of EUR 2 000 (minimum amount); the FMA must allocate the difference between the calculated cost share/contribution and the minimum amount to a provision which must be reported in the next annual financial statements. (4a) In deviation from paras. 2 and 3, financial holding companies and mixed financial holding companies in accordance with para. 1 no. 3 shall be charged EUR 1 000. (5) The provision allocated pursuant to para. 4 in a business year must be reversed in the next financial statements of the FMA; by way of derogation from Article 19 para. 4 FMABG, the income arising from this reversal must be deducted only from the costs of Accounting Group 1. (6) If the calculation conducted in accordance with para. 3 results in an amount for a credit institution that exceeds 0.13% of its cost figure (para. 2) in the 2026 financial year, 0.136% of its cost
figure in the 2027 financial year, 0.143% of its cost figure in the 2028 and 0.15% of its cost figure from
the 2029 financial year, then the credit institution shall be prescribed an amount of 0.13% of its cost
figure in the 2026 financial year, 0.136% of its cost figure in the 2027 financial year, 0.143% of its cost
figure in the 2028 financial year, and 0.15% of its cost figure from the 2029 financial year as
supervisory costs.
(7) Where the provisions of para. 4 as well as para. 6 apply to a credit institution, only para. 4 is to be applied. (8) Credit institutions which are only authorised to conduct one or both of the types of business indicated in Article 1 para. 1 no. 22 and Article 103j para. 2 of the present federal act in conjunction with Article 1 para. 2 no. 6 ZaDiG 2018 as well as the representative offices of credit institutions (Article 73) shall be charged the minimum amount indicated in para. 4. Paras. 1 to 7 are not applicable to the cost calculations of those institutions themselves; however, the FMA is to account for the costs charged to those institutions accordingly in the calculation of costs for the other institutions in Accounting Group 1 in accordance with para. 3. Article 19 paras. 5 and 6 FMABG is to be applied in issuing the administrative decisions regarding costs with the restriction that:
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Disclosure Obligations of the FMA
Article 69b. (1) The FMA shall publish and regularly update the following general information on its
website:
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3. the aggregated data:
a. the total amount of consolidated own funds that the parent institutions hold in subsidiaries in a third country, b. with regard to a parent institution for which an exemption was approved, the percentage of the parent institution’s consolidated own funds held in subsidiaries in a third country. (3) The FMA shall collect the information on remuneration policy that credit institutions are required to disclose under Article 450(1) (g), (h), (i) and (k) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 as well as the information to be submitted by credit institutions about the gender pay gap and shall use this information to determine trends in this area. The FMA must forward the results of such evaluations to the EBA. In addition, the FMA shall collect information on the number of employees of a credit institution who receive at least EUR 1 million in remuneration each financial year, broken down into pay bands of EUR 1 million and including the individual’s responsibilities, the business area concerned and the main salary components, as well as bonus payments, long-term bonuses and pension contributions, and shall forward this information to the EBA. Supervisory Powers
Article 70. (1) In its area of responsibility as the banking supervisory authority (Article 69 para. 1 nos.
1 and 2), the FMA may, notwithstanding the powers conferred on the basis of other provisions of this federal act, do the following at any time for the purpose of supervising credit institutions, affiliations of credit institutions and groups of credit institutions:
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2. obtain audit reports and information from the bank auditors of credit institutions, affiliations
of credit institutions and groups of credit institutions as well as the competent auditing associations; in addition, the FMA may obtain all necessary information from, and provide all necessary information to, the deposit guarantee schemes and the government commissioner appointed pursuant to para. 2 no. 2; 2a. have the bank auditors of credit institutions, affiliations of credit institutions and groups of credit institutions, other external auditors and external auditing companies, the competent auditing associations and other experts conduct all necessary audits; the reasons for exclusion indicated in Article 62 are applicable in this context; the FMA is permitted to provide information to the auditors it engages where this serves the purpose of fulfilling the audit engagement;
3. instruct the Oesterreichische Nationalbank to conduct inspections of affiliations of credit
institutions, credit institutions, their branches and representative offices outside of Austria, of credit institutions which are subject to supplementary supervision pursuant to Article 5 para. 1 FKG and of undertakings within the group of credit institutions and from third parties, to which credit institutions other undertakings in groups of credit institutions or groups of affiliated credit institutions have outsourced operational functions or activities, including ICT third-party service providers pursuant to Chapter V of Regulation (EU) 2022/2554. The competence of the Oesterreichische Nationalbank to conduct on-site inspections in the field of banking supervision and in credit institutions or groups of credit institutions in financial conglomerates applies comprehensively to inspections of all lines of business and all risk types. The Oesterreichische Nationalbank must ensure that it has sufficient personnel and organisational resources at its disposal to conduct the inspections indicated. The FMA is authorised to have its own employees participate in inspections conducted by the Oesterreichische Nationalbank;
4. request that the competent authorities in the host Member State also conduct inspections of
undertakings in a group of credit institutions and of branches and representative offices in Member States and in third countries pursuant to Article 77 para. 5 nos. 2 and 3 where this simplifies or expedites the process compared to an inspection pursuant to no. 3 or where this is in the interest of expedience, simplicity, speed or cost-effectiveness; under these circumstances, the Oesterreichische Nationalbank may also be obliged to participate in such inspections, and FMA employees may participate in such inspections. (1a) Where the Oesterreichische Nationalbank determines in the course of an on-site inspection that the inspection mandate issued in accordance with para. 1 no. 3 or 4 is not sufficient to attain the objective of the inspection, the Oesterreichische Nationalbank must request the necessary extensions from the FMA. The FMA must either extend the inspection mandate or reject the extension with an indication of the reasons for the rejection without delay, at the latest, however, within one week.
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(1b) The FMA and the Oesterreichische Nationalbank (OeNB) shall draw up an inspection plan together for the respective following calendar year taking into consideration the size, systemic importance, nature, scope and complexity of a credit institution or a group of credit institutions. The inspection plan must take the following into account:
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156 / 290 access or to cooperate as necessary for the purpose of carrying out the inspection, the FMA must ensure that the scope of the inspection as defined in writing is enforced in accordance with Article 22 FMABG at the Oesterreichische Nationalbank's request. (1e) If the FMA detects in the course of an inspection that systemic risk arises from an institution (Article 2 no. 41) it must communicate this immediately to EBA. (2) In cases of danger to the fulfilment of the credit institution’s obligations to its creditors, in particular to the security of assets entrusted to the credit institution or to ensure the stability of the financial market, the FMA may issue an administrative decision ordering measures for a limited period of time in order to avert that danger; such measures shall cease to be effective no later than 18 months after entering into effect. In particular, the FMA may issue administrative decisions which:
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(2b) The procedure pursuant to para. 2 is a reorganisation measure as defined in Article 2 of Directive 2001/24/EC. Articles 81 to 81m are applicable; in this context, the receivership procedure is considered a procedure pursuant to para. 2, and the FMA must issue a decree of appointment to the government commissioner. Article 83 paras. 4 to 9 are applicable; in this context, the receivership procedure is considered a procedure pursuant to para. 2, and the FMA is to act in lieu of the court. (3) The FMA must obtain reports on suitable government commissioners from the Austrian Bar Association (Österreichischer Rechtsanwaltskammertag), from the Chamber of Professional Accountants and Tax Advisors (Kammer der Wirtschaftstreuhänder), and from the cooperative auditing associations. Where a government commissioner pursuant to para. 2 no. 2 or a deputy pursuant to para. 2a is to be appointed and such an appointment is not possible on the basis of those reports, the FMA must notify the bar association or chamber of professional accountants and tax advisors which is responsible for the credit institution's place of incorporation or the relevant cooperative auditing association so that the relevant organisation may name an attorney or external auditor with suitable professional qualifications for the position of government commissioner. In cases of imminent danger, the FMA may appoint
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3. revoke the licence of the credit institution in cases where other measures pursuant to this
federal act cannot ensure the functioning of the credit institution.
The FMA may also impose measures pursuant to para. 4a nos. 1 to 12 where a credit institution or responsible undertaking pursuant to Article 30 para. 6 breaches the requirements of the legal acts specified in the first sentence, or where in the FMA’s view there is substantiated evidence to assume that a credit institution or responsible undertaking pursuant to Article 30 para. 6 will breach these requirements within the next twelve months. (4a) Without prejudice to the first sentence of para. 4, where necessary due to the results of the FMA’s supervisory activities within the scope of supervision of internal models and Article 69 para. 2, or in a case as specified in the last sentence of para. 4, or where necessary to enforce compliance with the provisions of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013, the FMA may:
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(4b) Where a credit institution, a financial holding company or mixed-financial holding company breaches the provisions of Article 5 para. 1 nos. 6 to 9a, Article 28 para. 3, Article 28a para. 5 or
Article 30 para. 7a, then the FMA shall, by way of derogation from para. 4:
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(5) Any and all measures ordered by the FMA pursuant to paras. 2 and 2a are to be suspended for the duration of a receivership procedure (Section XVII). (6) The government commissioner is to be remunerated by the FMA with a fee (function fee) which is commensurate to the work involved in supervision and the expenses incurred for this purpose. The government commissioner is entitled to submit invoices for each previous quarter and after the termination of their activities. The FMA must pay the remuneration without delay after reviewing the invoice. (7) The FMA is entitled to inform the public of measures taken by the FMA pursuant to paras. 2, 3 and 4 by placing an announcement in the Official Gazette of the Wiener Zeitung, in a newspaper distributed throughout Austria, on the internet, or by posting a bulletin at a suitable location on the business premises of the credit institution. However, measures pursuant to para. 4 no. 1 are only to be published where this is necessary for the purpose of informing the public in light of the nature and severity of the breach. These publication measures may be taken in full or in part. The party concerned by the publication can file a request to the FMA to verify the lawfulness of such publication by way of a procedure concluded with an administrative decision. In this case, the FMA shall notify the public of the initiation of such a procedure in the same way. If the investigation concludes that the publication was unlawful, the FMA shall correct the publication, or, at the request of the concerned party, revoke it or remove it from the internet. If a complaint against an administrative decision pursuant to paras. 2, 3 or 4 is granted suspensive effect in a supreme court procedure, the FMA shall make this known in the same way. The publication shall be corrected, or, upon request of the concerned party, revoked or removed from the internet if the ruling is reversed. (8) Credit institutions must inform the chairperson of the supervisory body without delay of all administrative decisions issued by the FMA on the basis of the provisions set forth in Article 69. (9) The FMA must convey administrative decisions with which directors are completely or partly prohibited from managing the credit institution (para. 2 no. 3 and para. 4 no. 2) as well as any reversals of such measures to the Commercial Register Court for entry in the Commercial Register. (10) In the case of representative offices of credit institutions incorporated in a Member State or in a third country, the FMA may obtain the information indicated in para. 1 nos. 1 to 3 as well as other information and have audit inspection activities conducted in order to monitor compliance with
Article 1 para. 1 and Article 73; para. 7 is applicable in this context. In cases where these provisions
are breached, the FMA must, Article 98 para. 1 notwithstanding,
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Superordinate Mixed Activity Holding Companies
Article 70a. (1) In cases where the parent undertaking of a credit institution is a mixed financial
holding company, a parent mixed financial holding company or a mixed activity holding company, then the FMA is entitled, notwithstanding the powers conferred to the FMA on the basis of other provisions of this federal act or of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013, to request from the credit institution all information necessary for the purpose of supervision on the mixed activity holding company as the parent undertaking and on its subsidiary undertakings at any time for the sake of ongoing supervision of credit institutions. Those undertakings must make all documents available to the credit institution and provide all information necessary in order for the credit institution to fulfil its obligation to provide information to the FMA. (2) Notwithstanding the powers existing on the basis of other provisions in this federal act, the FMA may, in accordance with Article 70 para. 1 no. 3, instruct the Oesterreichische Nationalbank to obtain all information to be provided by the credit institution pursuant to para. 1 on site and to review the information provided; Article 70 para. 1 no. 3 (third sentence) and Article 71 are applicable in this context. It is also possible to commission the bank auditors, the competent auditing associations, external auditors or other experts independent of the mixed financial holding company, parent mixed financial holding company or the mixed activity holding company to conduct the inspection. (3) repealed (4) In cases where the mixed financial holding company, the parent mixed financial holding company, the mixed activity holding company or one of its subsidiary undertakings is incorporated in another Member State, the FMA must request that the competent authorities in the other Member State conduct the inspection pursuant to para. 2. (5) In cases where the parent undertaking of a credit institution is a mixed financial holding company, parent mixed financial holding company or a mixed activity holding company, then the FMA is entitled, notwithstanding the powers conferred to the FMA on the basis of other provisions of this federal act or of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013, to supervise the transactions between the credit institution, the superordinate holding company and its subsidiary undertakings. For this purpose, the credit institution must have in place adequate risk management processes and internal control mechanisms, including sound reporting and accounting procedures, so that the credit institution's transactions with the parent undertaking and its subsidiaries can be identified, measured, monitored and controlled appropriately. In this context, the credit institution must – beyond reports to the Central Credit Register pursuant to Article 75 – report material intra-group transactions, especially loans, guarantees, off-balance sheet transactions, cost-sharing agreements, reinsurance transactions, capital investment transactions and transactions concerning own funds, to the FMA on at least a quarterly basis. Where these
intra-group transactions pose a threat to a credit institution's financial position, the FMA will take appropriate measures.
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Additional own funds requirement
Article 70b. (1) The FMA shall impose the additional own funds requirement stated in Article 70
para. 4a no. 1 upon credit institutions or responsible undertakings pursuant to Article 30 para. 6, where it has identified in supervisory reviews and evaluations of internal approaches or pursuant to
Article 69 para. 2 that one of the following circumstances applies:
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(3) For the purposes of para. 2 the FMA shall evaluate the risks that the credit institution or undertaking is exposed to, taking into consideration the risk profile of every individual credit institution or responsible undertaking pursuant to Article 30 para. 6, including
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164 / 290 undertaking pursuant to Article 30 para. 6 shall be required to meet the additional own funds requirement imposed pursuant to Article 70 para. 4a no. 1 with Tier 1 capital. By way of derogation from this, the FMA may request that the credit institution or the responsible undertaking pursuant to Article 30 para. 6 that they, provided it is necessary to do so and taking into consideration the specific situation of the credit institution or group of credit institutions, meet the additional own funds requirement with a higher proportion of Tier 1 capital or Common Equity Tier 1 capital. (8) The own funds that are used to meet the additional own funds requirement pursuant to Article 70 para. 4a no. 1 and imposed by the FMA, in order to cover other risks than the risk of excessive leverage, one of the following requirements shall not be allowed to be used to meet them:
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Article 21a para. 3 including the results of the stress tests pursuant to Article 69 para. 2 no. 2, the FMA
shall check the amount of internal capital determined by every credit institution or responsible undertaking pursuant to Article 30 para. 6 and shall identify appropriate total own funds. (3) The FMA shall inform credit institutions and responsible undertakings pursuant to Article 30 para. 6 of its supervisory expectation. The additional own funds requirement to be held to meet a supervisory guidance for additional own funds, shall be own funds that exceed the relevant amount of own funds imposed pursuant to Parts 3, 4 and 7 of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013, Chapter 2 of Regulation (EU) 2017/2402, Article 70 para. 4a no. 1 and to meet the combined buffer requirement pursuant to Article 22a or Article 92 (1a) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 and which are required to reach the appropriate level of total own funds determined by the FMA pursuant to para. 2. (4) The FMA's supervisory expectation pursuant to para. 3 must be defined on an institution-specific basis. The supervisory expectation shall only be required to cover risks that are addressed by the additional own funds requirement prescribed in Article 70 para. 4a no. 1 to the extent that they refer to aspects of such risks, that have not already been covered by this requirement. (5) Own funds that are used to comply with the supervisory expectation pursuant to para. 3 regarding additional own funds, in order to cover risks other than the risk of excessive leverage, shall not be allowed to used to be meet the own funds requirements defined in Article 92 (1) points a, b and c of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013, the additional own funds requirement determined pursuant to Article 70b prescribed by the FMA, to cover risks other than the risk of excessive leverage and the combined capital buffer requirement pursuant to Article 22a. (6) Own funds that are used to meet the supervisory expectation pursuant to para. 3 for additional own funds to cover the risk of excessive leverage shall not be allowed to be used to meet the own funds requirements set out in Article 92 (1) point d of Regulation (EU) No. 575/2013, the requirement set forth in Article 70b prescribed by the FMA, to cover the risk of excessive leverage and the leverage ratio buffer requirement defined in Article 92 (1a) of Regulation (EU) No. 575/2013. (7) Where a credit institution or as applicable a group of credit institutions meets
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Additional liquidity requirement
Article 70d. On the basis of the supervisory review and evaluation process (SREP) pursuant to
Article 69 para. 2 for the purposes of determining the appropriate liquidity coverage requirements
the FMA shall assess whether it is necessary to impose additional liquidity requirements upon credit institutions or groups of credit institutions in order to cover liquidity risks to which a credit institution or a group of credit institutions is exposed or might be exposed. When reviewing and evaluating appropriate liquidity requirements, the FMA must especially take into account:
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(4) The credit institution provide the inspectors with suitable spaces and tools for the purpose of carrying out the inspection. Where data is entered or stored using data media, the credit institution must at its own expense provide the tools necessary to render the documents readable within a reasonable period of time and, where necessary, provide the required number of lasting copies which can be read without auxiliary tools. (5) In the case of inspectors pursuant to Article 70 para. 1 no. 3, the inspectors must consider the fact that every disturbance or hindrance of operations which is not absolutely necessary is to be avoided. (6) The observations found during the course of the inspection shall be recorded in writing (inspection report) and shall be submitted to the credit institution. The credit institution shall submit the inspection report to the bank auditor, the supervisory board, the state commissioner and the deputy state commissioner as well as the deposit guarantee scheme without delay following its receipt. The inspection bodies shall provide the credit institution with an opportunity to submit an opinion about the inspection report. Where this is expedient from a risk perspective this may be conducted by the FMA in the form of a official procedure. The credit institution shall draw up a plan without delay for addressing the findings identified in the inspection report including a timeframe with appropriate deadlines and shall submit this report to the FMA, with the addressing of the findings identified in the inspection report being required to occur without undue delay. The credit institution shall also inform the supervisory board about the content of the plan for addressing the identified findings at latest at the next meeting of the supervisory board following the completion of the plan. The FMA shall assess the content of the plan following its submission with regard to the plan's general suitability for addressing the identified findings, and shall inform the credit institution about the non-binding outcome of this assessment within a reasonable timeframe. The credit institution shall constantly update the plan for address the findings identified in the inspection report, and shall upon request report to the FMA without delay about how it is complying with the plan. The credit institution shall inform the FMA about its implementation of the plan. The credit institution shall inform the bank auditor, the supervisory board, the deposit guarantee scheme as well as the state commissioner and their deputy about the outcome of administrative proceedings conducted by the FMA initiated on the basis of identified findings. (7) Inspections of branches, representative offices and undertakings in the group of credit institutions not situated in Member States (Article 70 para. 1 no. 3) may only be carried out with the consent of the government in question. In the case of inspections within the framework of cooperation with third
countries pursuant to Article 77 para. 5 nos. 2 and 3, the consent of the competent authority in the third country in question is sufficient; this consent may also be granted in the form of agreements on cooperation between supervisory authorities pursuant to Article 77a. (8) The provisions of paras. 1 to 7 above regarding the performance of inspections of credit institutions apply in the same way to inspections of undertakings within a group of credit institutions and of third parties, to which credit institutions other undertakings in groups of credit institutions or groups of affiliated credit institutions have outsourced operational functions or activities, including ICT third-party service providers pursuant to Chapter V of Regulation (EU) 2022/2554.
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Cooperation between Authorities
Article 72. (1) All authorities must assist the Federal Minister of Finance as well as the
Oesterreichische Nationalbank in fulfilling their legal obligations pursuant to this federal act. (2) Bundesrechenzentrum GmbH must cooperate in the conduct of business for which the Federal Ministry of Finance is responsible pursuant to this federal act where such cooperation is in the interest of simplicity, expedience or cost-effectiveness. (3) In cases where Bundesrechenzentrum GmbH cooperates pursuant to para. 2, the Federal Minister of Finance must issue a regulation defining which areas are covered by this cooperation. Notification
Article 73. (1) Credit institutions must notify the FMA of the following immediately and in writing,
without waiting, in the case of a resolution being taken, for the subject of the resolution to take effect:
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Genossenschaftsrevisionsrechtsänderungsgesetz – Federal Law Gazette I No. 127/1997) in cases where the credit institution is organised as a cooperative society or belongs to a cooperative auditing association on the basis of a submission pursuant to Article 92 (Article 8a Banking Act – KWG; Kreditwesengesetz, Federal Law Gazette No. 63/1979);
14. any change in the identity, address or place of incorporation of the agents indicated in Article 4
para. 3 no. 7;
15. the intention to use a risk classification organisation; this notification must include the
participating credit institutions and the risk classification organisation's company name, place of incorporation, legal form, qualifying owners and directors as well as the methods to be developed by the organisation; likewise, the FMA must be notified immediately of any changes in this information; this notification may also be submitted by the risk classification organisation itself on behalf of the participating credit institutions;
16. the intention to use the Standardised Method pursuant to Article 276 of Regulation (EU)
No 575/2013;
17. the intention to issue capital instruments which are to be included in Tier 1 capital;
18. the intention to use contractual netting agreements pursuant to Article 295 of Regulation (EU)
No 575/2013.
(1a) Financial holding companies and mixed financial holding companies must notify the FMA of the following immediately and in writing, without waiting, in the case of a resolution being taken, for the subject of the resolution to take effect:
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3. the special officer pursuant to Article 23 para. 3 of the Financial Markets Anti-Money
Laundering Act (FM-GwG), stating details about the satisfying the conditions set out in
Article 23 para. 3 final sentence FM-GwG as well as any change in their person, and any
changes in the conditions set out in Article 23 para. 3 last sentence FM-GwG in the case of existing special officers pursuant to Article 23 para. 3 FM-GwG;
4. the compliance officer pursuant to Article 22 (3) point (b) of Delegated Regulation (EU)
2017/565 supplementing Directive 2014/65/EU as regards organisational requirements and operating conditions for investment firms and defined terms for the purposes of that Directive, OJ L 87, 31.03.2017 p. 1, as well as any change in their person. All documentation should be submitted with the notifications to the FMA that are necessary so that the professional qualification and personal suitability is able to be reviewed. (2) Representative offices must report the following to the FMA:
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171 / 290 and mixed financial holding companies as defined in Article 11 of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 to the European Commission, the EBA and to the competent authorities of the other Member States. (4) Credit institutions must notify the FMA of the following immediately and in writing:
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Electronic Transmission
Article 73a. After consultation with the Oesterreichische Nationalbank, the FMA may stipulate by
regulation that any notification, communication, information, apprising of and submission pursuant to Article 9 para. 5, Article 10 paras. 2, 5 and 6, last sentence of Article 11 para. 3, Article 13 para. 3,
Article 20 para. 3, Article 25 para. 5, Article 28a para. 4, Article 63 para. 1, Article 70a para. 5,
Article 73 para. 1 nos. 1 to 18, para. 1a, para. 1b, para. 2, para. 3, para. 4, para. 4a, para. 5 and para. 6
of this federal act, pursuant to Article 12 para. 1 and Article 21 para. 1 of the Bank Recovery and Resolution Act - (BaSAG; Bundesgesetz über die Sanierung und Abwicklung von Banken), as published in Federal Law Gazette I No. 98/2014, pursuant to Article 13 para. 2, Article 29 paras. 1 and 2 and Article 30 of the Pfandbrief Act (PfandBG; Pfandbriefgesetz) published in Federal Law Gazette I No. 199/2021, pursuant to Article 2 para. 2 of the Regulation on the Protection of Money Held in Trust (Mündelsicherheitsverordnung), Federal Law Gazette No. 650/1993 as amended by the version of the regulation in Federal Law Gazette II No. 219/2003, as well as pursuant to Article 143(4), Article 312(1) and (3), Article 363(3), Article 366(5) and Article 396(1) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 shall be made or provided only electronically and in compliance with specific formats, technical minimum requirements and procedures for transmission. In this context, the FMA shall be guided by the principles of economy and expediency, ensuring that the data is electronically available to the FMA and the OeNB at all times and supervisory interests are not compromised. Moreover, in this regulation, the FMA may enable bank auditors to participate in the electronic data transmission system pursuant to the first sentence for the purpose of certificates and reports pursuant to
Article 63 para. 1c and Article 63 para. 3. The FMA shall adopt appropriate arrangements to allow
individuals subject to reporting requirements or, where applicable, individuals they have charged with submitting the reports on their behalf, to verify over an appropriate period of time whether the reporting data submitted by them or by the person charged with submitting the reports is correct and complete. Reporting
Article 74. (1) Irrespective of the reporting obligations pursuant to Part 7a of Regulation (EU) No
575/2013 credit institutions and responsible undertakings pursuant to Article 30 para. 6 shall submit reports without delay after the end of each calendar quarter in accordance with the regulation pursuant to para. 6. Responsible undertakings pursuant to Article 30 para. 6 must additionally prepare the reports set forth in this paragraph for the foreign credit institutions that are fully consolidated in the audited consolidated financial statements pursuant to Article 59 and Article 59a. (2) Credit institutions must submit reports in accordance with the regulation pursuant to para. 6 to the FMA on company-related master data as well as the master data of the foreign credit institutions that are fully consolidated in the audited consolidated financial statements pursuant to Article 59 and Article 59a immediately after the end of each calendar half-year. Regardless of this requirement, credit institutions must notify any changes in master data immediately. The institution’s number of
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173 / 290 employees need only be reported as of the end of each year by no later than 31 January of the following year. (3) Credit institutions must submit reports on the basis of paras. 1 and 2 or Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 in aggregate form to the FMA. Responsible undertakings pursuant to Article 30 para. 6 must prepare these reports on behalf of the group of credit institutions (Article 30). (4) The Oesterreichische Nationalbank shall provide expert opinions on the reports pursuant to
Article 430 (1) (a), (c) and (d) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013.
(5) The reports pursuant to paras. 1 and 2 must be submitted in a standardised format by electronic means. The submissions must meet certain minimum requirements to be announced by the FMA after consultation with the Oesterreichische Nationalbank. (6) The FMA:
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Valuation of Assets and Off-Balance Sheet Items
Article 74b. (1) Credit institutions and groups of credit institutions shall value assets and off-balance
sheet items or reporting purposes as well as for calculating the total risk exposure amount (Article 92(3) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013) in accordance with Articles 55 to 58 and Articles 201 to 211 UGB, unless para. 2 applies. (2) The FMA may, pursuant to Article 24(2) in conjunction with Article 466 of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013, stipulate by administrative decision that credit institutions and groups of credit institutions that affect the valuation of assets and off-balance sheet items also in accordance with International Accounting Standards as applicable under Regulation (EC) No 1606/2002 or that are included in a consolidation in accordance with International Accounting Standards as applicable under Regulation (EC) No 1606/2002 apply International Accounting Standards as defined in Regulation (EC) No 1606/2002 for reporting purposes as well as for calculating the total risk exposure amount (Article 92(3) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013) and for determining own funds, provided that this ensures an appropriate quality of data. (3) Credit institutions and groups of credit institutions that effect the valuation of assets and off-balance sheet items in accordance with International Accounting Standards as applicable under Regulation (EC) No 1606/2002 shall be required to apply Article 64 para. 1 nos. 16 and 17. Collection of Credit Data and Credit Risk Data
Article 75. (1) CRR credit institutions and CRR financial institutions, with the exception of financial
holding companies and mixed financial holding companies shall submit the following information monthly on an individual basis to the Oesterreichische Nationalbank about:
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175 / 290 of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 as well as the report pursuant to para. 2 no. 2 shall not apply in the case of CRR financial institutions. (1a) Every group of credit institutions shall report securitisations (Article 4 (1) point 61 of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013) as well as related risk information on an individual basis on a quarterly basis. This report must include any fully or proportionately consolidated companies where the book or market value of the respective total of exposures resulting from securitisations reaches the amount of EUR 10 million or an equivalent value, or the ratio of the book or market values of the total of said exposures and the respective total assets is greater than 5%. (2) In addition to the reports pursuant to para. 1 CRR credit institutions and CRR financial institutions, with the exception of financial holding companies and mixed financial holding companies, shall report the following master data and any amendments thereto without delay:
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176 / 290 for such reports; it shall take the national economic interest in maintaining an functioning banking system into consideration when issuing the regulation;
2. may prescribe a longer interval than that prescribed in para. 1 for reports for individual
reporting areas by means of a Regulation;
3. shall determine the scope of the group of connected clients pursuant to para. 2 no. 2 for the
purpose of collecting credit and credit risk data.by means of a Regulation. The scope of the group of connected clients may in particular be restricted in particular to customers who are borrowers of the credit institution making the report; furthermore, it is also possible to differentiate by the respective country of incorporation of the group member. (5) The reports pursuant to paras. 1 and 2 shall be submitted in a standardised format by electronic means. State Commissioner
Article 76. (1) Unless otherwise specified by law, the Federal Minister of Finance must appoint a state
commissioner and a deputy state commissioner for a maximum term of five years in the case of credit institutions whose total assets exceed EUR 1 billion; re-appointments are permissible in this context. The state commissioners and their deputies are to act as functionaries of the FMA and, in this capacity, are exclusively subject to the instructions of the FMA. (2) The persons appointed to the position of state commissioner and deputy state commissioner must be legally competent natural persons with their principal place of residence in the EEA who
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177 / 290 board. Upon request, they must be allowed to speak at any time. All written records of the meetings of the bodies indicated above must be conveyed to the state commissioner and deputy state commissioner. (5) The state commissioner, or in cases where the state commissioner cannot do so, the deputy state commissioner, must immediately raise objections to resolutions of the bodies indicated in para. 4 which they consider to breach legal or other provisions or administrative decisions of the Federal Minister of Finance or the FMA, and report to the FMA accordingly. In such objections, they must indicate the provisions which, in their opinion, are breached by the resolution. Such objections postpone the effectiveness of the resolution until a decision is issued by the supervisory authority. Within one week from the time at which the objection is raised, the credit institution may request a decision on the part of the FMA. If no decision is made within one week ofreceipt of this request, the objection is to be rendered ineffective. If the objection is confirmed, then the execution of the resolution is not permissible. (6) Resolutions of a body indicated in para. 4 which are made outside of a meeting or outside of Austria must be communicated to the state commissioner and the deputy state commissioner immediately. In such cases, the state commissioner, or in cases where the state commissioner cannot do so, the deputy state commissioner, may only raise an objection in writing within two banking days after the delivery of the resolution. (7) The state commissioner and deputy state commissioner have the right to inspect the documents and data media of the credit institution to the extent necessary in order to fulfil the duties set forth in para. 5. Documents made available to participants in meetings of the bodies indicated in para. 4 must be conveyed to the participants at the latest two banking days before the meeting. (8) The state commissioner and deputy state commissioner shall be required to report facts about which they have been made aware, on the basis of which the credit institution's fulfilment of its obligations towards its creditors and especially the security of the assets entrusted to it are no longer ensured, to the FMA without delay. The state commissioner and their deputy shall submit a written report about their activities to the FMA at the end of every quarter of the financial year as well as on an annual basis for the entire financial year. (9) The state commissioner and deputy state commissioner are to be remunerated by the Federal Minister of Finance with a fee (function fee) which is commensurate to the work involved in supervision and the expenses incurred for this purpose. An annual lump sum (supervision fee) to be determined by and paid to the Federal Ministry of Finance must be charged to each credit institution in which a state commissioner and deputy state commissioner have been appointed. The supervision fee must be
in reasonable proportion to the expenses associated with supervision. (10) If the state commissioner or the deputy state commissioner is prevented from being able to perform their function due to an accident (except for a work-related accident) or due to illness, then the state commissioner or deputy state commissioner shall receive an allowance of 50% of the amount that the state commissioner or the deputy state commissioner would have received had this incapacitation not occurred from a duration of incapacitation of 182 calendar days. In the event that
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178 / 290 within six months of resumption of their function they are subsequently incapacitated as a result of illness or as a consequence of the same accident, then this incapacitation shall be considered as a continuous of the previous incapacitation. The reduction of the allowance shall begin on the day on which the respective incapacitation occurs, at earliest, however, on the day following the expiry of the timeframe of 182 calendar days, and shall be effective until the day that immediately precedes the resumption of their function. If consequently there are days within the same calendar month where different claims to an allowance exist, then for every day that the reduction applies, the pro rata amount of the reduction shall be taken into account for the calculation of the allowance. For the period of time, during which the reduction in the allowance for the state commissioner is effective, the deputy state commissioner shall receive an allowance equal to the amount of the full functional allowance of the state commissioner. (11) During their appointment period, the state commissioner and their deputy shall be required to prove that they have completed the necessary training for the expert performance of their supervisory activities. Cooperation and Data Processing
Article 77. (1) The FMA may provide competent authorities outside of Austria with official
information if
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179 / 290 in order to ensure that all activities of this third-country group is subject to comprehensive supervision, and in order to prevent the circumventing of the applicable requirements for thirdcountry groups pursuant to Directive 2013/36/EU and Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 as well as a negative impact on the financial stability of the European Union. (3) The provisions of paras. 1 and 2 are only applicable where not stipulated otherwise in paras. 5 to 7 or in intergovernmental agreements. (4) The FMA is authorised to process personal data as defined in Regulation (EU) 2016/679, provided that this is necessary for the performance of its duties in accordance with this federal act; this includes:
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(5) The provision of information and submission of documents, including the communication of data pursuant to para. 4, as well as data which the FMA may request in accordance with its powers, is permissible in the context of administrative assistance and to:
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12. deposit guarantee schemes pursuant to Directive 2014/49/EU or investor compensation
schemes pursuant to Directive 97/9/EC.
The provision and transmission of information pursuant to nos. 1 to 3 shall be admissible if required for the purpose of fulfilling the duties of the authorities in accordance with Article 53(2), Articles 112, 113, 117, 118 and Articles 124 to 126 of Directive 2013/36/EU, Article 11(1) of Directive 2002/87/EC, Regulation (EU) No 575/2013, or for other statutory duties of the requesting authority or institution within the scope of financial market supervision; the provision and transmission of information pursuant to no. 10 shall occur provided that the information are relevant for the duties of the authorities under the FM-GwG, Article 117 (5) of Directive 2013/36/EU or Directive 2015/849/EU and provided that this provision and exchange of information would not affect any ongoing investigations, enquiries or procedures under Austrian criminal or administrative law. The provision and transmission of information pursuant to nos. 4 and 5 shall only be permissible where required in crisis situations pursuant to Article 114 of Directive 2013/36/EU, and pursuant to no. 5 only to the extent that the information is relevant for the purposes of Article 140 of the aforementioned Directive. The exchange of information pursuant to nos. 2 and 3 must serve the purpose of fulfilling the supervisory duties of the requesting authorities and institutions in accordance with Article 55 of Directive 2013/36/EU, subject to professional secrecy requirements equivalent to those defined in
Article 53 of Directive 2013/36/EU and Article 15 of Directive (EU) 2019/2034 and which are consistent
with Chapter V of Regulation (EU) 2016/679. The exchange of information with ESFS authorities and institutions that do not fall under Article 2(2)(f) of Regulation (EU) No 1093/2010 may only be conducted subject to Articles 53 and 54 of Directive 2013/36/EU and Article 35 of Regulation (EU) No 1093/2010, as well as for the purpose of fulfilling the duties of the ESFS authorities and institutions and for fulfilling supervisory duties pursuant to Article 77b para. 5. The FMA may only pass on information pursuant to para. 4 no. 19 with the explicit permission of the authority that communicated the information in question. (5a) Provided that the conditions pursuant to para. 5b or 5c are met, the FMA may provide information and submit documentation to the following public bodies in the form stipulated in para. 5b or 5c:
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3. the enquiry is sufficiently precise with regard to the nature, scope and format of the requested
information and the medium for their disclosure or submission;
4. the requested information is essential to allow the enquiring body to perform specific duties
and do not exceed the duties statutorily conferred upon it;
5. the information is only submitted or disclosed to those people who are directly involved with
the performance of the specific duty;
6. Persons having access to the information are subject to professional secrecy that shall be at
least comparable to that listed in Article 53 (1) of Directive 2013/36/EU.
(5c) The FMA shall only be allowed to provide information to the bodies listed in para. 5a nos. 1 to 3 that contains personal data pursuant to para. 4, if
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(7) If the competent authorities
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184 / 290 have as a subsidiary a credit institution or subsidiary financial institution situated in Austria or hold participations in such institutions; and
3. the requirements and the permissibility of inspections of undertakings supervised on a
consolidated basis in a signatory country which are affiliated with a credit institution or a financial holding company incorporated in another signatory country by the competent authority of the latter signatory country. (4) Where the Council of the European Union has concluded a framework agreement with third countries in application of Article 48 of Directive 2013/36/EU, the principles contained in such an agreement must be taken into account in the conclusion of agreements pursuant to para. 3. Supervisory Colleges and Cooperation Agreements
Article 77b. (1) As the consolidating supervisor (Article 4 (1) (41) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013), the
FMA shall establish and chair colleges of supervisors to fulfil the duties set forth in Articles 112, 113 and 114(1) of Directive 2013/36/EU; this shall also apply, however restricted to the fulfilling the duties pursuant to Articles 112 (1), 114 (1) and 115 (1) of Directive 2013/36/EU in such cases in which all subsidiaries active on a cross-border basis of an EU parent institution, an EU parent financial holding company or an EU parent mixed financial holding company are domiciled in third countries. In this context, the FMA shall ensure appropriate coordination of and cooperation with the respective competent authorities of third countries, where required. The modalities for establishment and operation of the Colleges of Supervisors shall be determined after consultation with the competent authorities concerned. In connection with Colleges of Supervisors, the FMA may conclude cooperation agreements with competent authorities of other Member States and with competent authorities as defined in Article 55 of Directive 2013/36/EU. Such cooperation agreements may govern in particular the transfer of additional duties to the consolidating supervisor as defined in Article 115 of Directive 2013/36/EU and in accordance with Article 28 of Regulation (EU) No 1093/2010, and procedures for cooperation, in particular pursuant to Articles 7b and 77c, as well as the cooperation of the FMA with the competent authorities of the Member States with regard to the exchange of information as mentioned in Articles 21a and 50, Article 53 (2), Articles 116, 117, 118 and 124 to 126 of Directive 2013/36/EU or Article 11(1) of Directive 2002/87/EC, and the exchange of information with competent authorities as defined in Article 55 (1) of Directive 2013/36/EU under the conditions mentioned therein. The EBA shall be informed of the existence and contents of such cooperation agreements where they concern the Supervisory Colleges. (2) As the consolidating supervisory authority, the FMA shall decide which other competent authorities and institutions pursuant to para. 3 shall participate in a meeting or an activity of the College of Supervisors. In this decision, the FMA must take into account the relevance of the supervisory activity to be planned or coordinated for the authorities concerned, in particular the possible effects on the financial stability of the Member States concerned pursuant to Article 69
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185 / 290 para. 4 and the duties pursuant to Article 51(2) of Directive 2013/36/EU. The FMA shall provide all the members of the College of Supervisors with timely, constant and full information on the following:
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(5) The FMA shall keep the EBA informed of the activities of the Colleges of Supervisors over which it presides, both in normal situations and in situations of crisis and communicate all information to the EBA that is of particular relevance for the convergence of supervisory activities, subject to
Article 77 para. 5.
(6) Where the consolidating supervisory authority from another Member State does not properly fulfil the tasks set forth in para. 4 or where the other competent authorities do not cooperate with the FMA in its capacity as consolidating supervisor to the extent required for fulfilling said tasks, the FMA may refer the matter to the EBA. Cross-Border Decision-Making Procedure
Article 77c. (1) The FMA shall assess the appropriateness of the capital requirement of a group of
credit institutions annually in cooperation with the other competent authorities responsible for supervising subordinate credit institutions incorporated in other Member States and to decide, in coordination with these authorities, on the application of measures based on the assessment pursuant to Article 69 paras. 2 and 3 at the consolidated level and pursuant to Article 70 para. 4a no. 1, Article 70b and Article 70c. (1a) On the basis of the supervisory review process pursuant to Article 69 paras. 2 and 3, the FMA shall decide, together with the other competent authorities responsible for the supervision of subordinate credit institutions established in other Member States, on the application of measures within the scope of liquidity risk supervision, in particular with regard to the appropriateness of procedures for capturing liquidity risk pursuant to Article 39 para. 2, para. 2b no. 7 and para. 3 and the need for specific liquidity requirements pursuant to Article 70d. (2) On the basis of its supervisory activities pursuant to Article 69 paras. 2 and 3 with regard to Articles 70b and 70c, the FMA, in the capacity of consolidating supervisor, shall provide the other competent authorities with a report including a risk assessment of the group of credit institutions and shall, together with these authorities, decide on the measures mentioned in para. 1 within a period of four months. Such joint decisions shall adequately take into account the risk assessment of the subordinate institutions established in other Member States carried out by the other competent authorities pursuant to Articles 73, 97, 104a and 104b of Directive 2013/36/EU. On the basis of its supervisory activities pursuant to Article 69 paras. 2 and 3 with regard to the adequacy of procedures for capturing liquidity risk pursuant to Article 39 para. 2, para. 2b no. 7 and para. 3 as well as of the necessity of specific liquidity requirements pursuant to Article 70d, the FMA, in the capacity of consolidating supervisor, shall provide the other competent authorities with a report including an assessment of the liquidity risk profile of the group of credit institutions and shall, together with these authorities, decide on the measures mentioned in para. 1a within a period of four months. (2a) Joint decisions pursuant to para. 2 shall be presented in a document with a full statement of the underlying reasons and shall be served on the responsible undertaking pursuant to Article 30 para. 6
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187 / 290 by the FMA in the capacity of consolidating supervisor. In accordance with the joint decision, the FMA, in the capacity of consolidating supervisor, shall issue an administrative decision and serve it on the responsible undertaking pursuant to Article 30 para. 6. (3) A joint decision sent to the EEA parent credit institution pursuant to Article 113 (2) of Directive 2013/36/EU by a consolidating supervisory authority of another Member State is to be considered effective for subordinate institutions in Austria as soon as the joint decision has been delivered to the EEA parent credit institution and the latter has informed its subordinate institutions, but not before the administrative decision becomes effective in the country of establishment of the EEA parent credit institution. (4) In case of disagreement between the competent authorities within the time period set out in para. 2, the FMA may:
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(6) If a decision pursuant to the first subparagraph of Article 113(3) of Directive 2013/36/EU is taken by another competent authority (consolidating supervisor), the FMA shall decide on an individual or partially consolidated level on the application of measures pursuant to Article 69 paras. 2 and 3 and
Article 70 para. 4a no. 1, and Articles 70b to 70d to institutions subordinate to the EEA parent credit
institution and incorporated in Austria, appropriately taking into account the views and reservations of the consolidating supervisor. The FMA shall send a copy of the administrative decision to the consolidating supervisor for the purposes of the third subparagraph of Article 113(3) of Directive 2013/36/EU. (7) A decision taken by a consolidating supervisory authority under the laws of another Member State pursuant to the first subparagraph of Article 113(3) of Directive 2013/36/EU is to be considered effective for subordinate institutions incorporated in Austria as soon as the decision of the consolidating supervisory authority incorporated in another Member State has been delivered to the EEA parent credit institution and it has informed its subordinate institutions thereof, but not before the administrative decision takes effect in the country of establishment of the EEA parent credit institution. (8) The FMA as the consolidating supervisor shall update joint decisions pursuant to para. 1 or decisions pursuant to paras. 5 or 9 annually, as well as in those exceptional cases, in which another competent authority has requested the FMA as the consolidating supervisor in writing and stating all reasons to update the decision about the application of Article 104 (1) point a, Article 104b or
Article 105 of Directive 2013/36/EU; in the latter extraordinary cases, the FMA may conduct the
procedure alone with the competent authorities requesting the update.
(9) Where no joint decision is reached within the periods referred to in para. 2 or Article 113(2) of Directive 2013/36/EU and one of the other competent authorities refers the matter to EBA pursuant to Article 19 of Regulation (EU) No 1093/2010, the FMA shall defer its decision as consolidating supervisor pursuant to para. 5 or as competent authority pursuant to para. 6 until EBA has taken the decision pursuant to Article 19(3) of that Regulation. In that case, the FMA shall take its decision in accordance with the EBA decision, or in the event that no EBA decision has been made once one month has passed following the referral of the issue to EBA pursuant to Article 19 of Regulation (EU) No 1093/2010, in accordance with paras. 5 or 6. Supervision by the European Central Bank – Single Supervisory Mechanism
Article 77d. (1) The FMA and the Oesterreichische Nationalbank shall perform the tasks, powers and
obligations conferred upon them by this federal act only to the extent that exercising these is not reserved to the European Central Bank under provisions set forth in Regulation (EU) No 1024/2013. (2) Inasmuch as the FMA has been entrusted by this federal act, implementing relevant Union law as defined in Article 4(3) of Regulation (EU) No 1024/2013 to exercise powers assigned to it by regulation and these powers are exercised by the European Central Bank pursuant to Article 4 of Regulation (EU) No 1024/2013 on the basis of national legislation, the procedures set forth in this
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189 / 290 federal act for the FMA with regard to exercising these powers shall not apply to the European Central Bank. (3) For the purpose of effectively carrying out the tasks and powers conferred upon them by this federal act within the scope of the Single Supervisory Mechanism pursuant to Article 6 of Regulation (EU) No 1024/2013, the FMA and the Oesterreichische Nationalbank must coordinate their activities within the Single Supervisory Mechanism and exchange any and all information, enquiries and requests without delay. (4) The provisions stipulated in this federal act obliging the FMA and the Oesterreichische Nationalbank to enter data into the joint database of banking supervision analyses to be maintained by the Oesterreichische Nationalbank pursuant to Article 79 para. 3 shall not apply, provided this data is to be entered into a database set up by the European Central Bank within the scope of the Single Supervisory Mechanism and the data is accessible to both the FMA and the Oesterreichische Nationalbank at all times. Accessibility of information in the European Single Access Point
Article 77e. (1) The FMA shall make the information pursuant Article 23c para. 9 and Article 99c
paras. 2 and 3 available to the European Single Access Point (ESAP) in its capacity as a ESAP collector pursuant to Article 2 point 2 of Regulation (EU) 2023/2859. This information is to be submitted in a data extractable format pursuant to Article 2 point 3 of Regulation (EU) 2023/2859 and shall contain the following meta data:
Austrian Banking Act (BWG; Bankwesengesetz)
190 / 290 economy, especially with regard to Article 69 para. 1 (last half sentence) or the maintenance of a functioning payments system, the federal government may issue a regulation stipulating that all credit institutions
Austrian Banking Act (BWG; Bankwesengesetz)
191 / 290
3. data relevant to banking supervision in anonymised form on the basis of reports pursuant to
the Foreign Exchange Act (DevG; Devisengesetz);
4. analysis data and results pursuant to para. 4a;
5. institution-related data obtained and processed pursuant to Article 12 para. 3 of the Sanctions
Act 2024;
6. reports pursuant to Article 4a BaSAG;
7. reports pursuant to Article 15 of the Credit Servicers and Credit Purchasers Act (KKG;
Kreditdienstleister- und Kreditkäufergesetz), published in Federal Law Gazette I No. 6/2025. The Oesterreichische Nationalbank and the FMA shall be the joint controllers pursuant to Article 26 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 regarding this database. Furthermore, the Oesterreichische Nationalbank shall act as contact point for data subjects pursuant to the final sentence of
Article 26 (1) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679.
(4) The Oesterreichische Nationalbank must conduct inspections commissioned pursuant to
Article 70 para. 1 no. 3 and Article 70a para. 2, prepare opinions in the context of banking
supervision, and conduct analyses pursuant to para. 4a on its own responsibility and on its own behalf. The FMA must rely to the greatest possible extent on the inspections, opinions and analyses of the Oesterreichische Nationalbank as well as the data stored in the database pursuant to para. 3, and may rely on the accuracy and completeness of such data unless the FMA has reason to doubt their accuracy or completeness. The Oesterreichische Nationalbank must communicate the results of these inspections to the FMA immediately; in addition, the Oesterreichische Nationalbank must forward to the FMA the comments of the credit institutions concerned immediately. In procedures, the inspection findings of the Oesterreichische Nationalbank are to be regarded as expert opinions; however, instructions to the Oesterreichische Nationalbank pursuant to Article 70 para. 1 no. 3 and
Article 70a para. 2 do not preclude any necessary collection of supplementary evidence through
inspections conducted by the FMA, by external auditors or by other experts. The Oesterreichische Nationalbank is empowered to provide the bank auditor of the credit institution concerned with necessary information on the results of inspections conducted by the Oesterreichische Nationalbank. (4a) The FMA must store all relevant information arising from its banking supervision activities in the joint database. For the purposes of this provision, relevant information includes data pursuant to
Article 77 para. 4, banking supervision data pursuant to Article 14 FKG, reports from State
Commissioners, information related to specific institutions arising from banking supervision activities in accordance with the FM-GwG, the results of investigations and other observations regarding specific institutions which are within the FMA's area of responsibility. (From 01.01.2026 the previous two sentences shall read: The FMA must store all relevant information arising from its banking supervision activities in the joint database. Relevant information in this context consists of data pursuant to Article 77 para. 4, data in relation to banking supervision pursuant to Article 14 of the Financial Conglomerates Act (FKG; Finanzkonglomerategesetz), reports by state commissioners, institutional information arising from the FMA’s supervisory activities under the FM-GwG and in
Austrian Banking Act (BWG; Bankwesengesetz)
192 / 290 accordance with the Sanctions Act 2024, the findings of investigations and other observations related to institutions, provided that they relate to the FMA’s scope of competence.) Information which is available to both institutions is to be stored in the joint database by the Oesterreichische Nationalbank. The Oesterreichische Nationalbank must subject the data pursuant to para. 3 and the other supervisory information stored in the database by the Oesterreichische Nationalbank or the FMA to ongoing comprehensive evaluation for the purposes of banking supervision and for the purpose of preparing supervisory investigations (individual bank analysis). The Oesterreichische Nationalbank must make all analysis results and relevant information available to the FMA; these analysis results and relevant information must contain clear statements on whether the risk situation has changed materially or whether a breach of supervisory provisions is suspected. Cases in which the risk situation has changed materially or a breach of supervisory provisions is suspected must be communicated to the FMA immediately. At the FMA's request, the Oesterreichische Nationalbank must also prepare and submit specified individual bank analyses and provide additional explanations on the results of analyses. The Oesterreichische Nationalbank is authorised to evaluate individual bank analysis data in light of the individual and overall economic situation, especially for the purpose of performing its duties in connection with financial stability. In any case, all of the individual bank analyses conducted by the Oesterreichische Nationalbank are to be made available to the FMA. The Oesterreichische Nationalbank is permitted to perform statistical evaluations of these data with the objective of generating results which are not related to specific persons. (4b) The Oesterreichische Nationalbank shall
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Source: Finanzmarktaufsicht — original document · Summary generated with machine assistance and reviewed before publication; the authoritative text is the regulator's original document. How RegAlert works