BAKGRUNN (fra EFTAs overvåkingsorgans pressemelding 27.11.2013, engelsk utgave)

State Aid: The Authority adapts crisis rules for banks
The EFTA Surveillance Authority has adapted its temporary state aid rules for assessing public support to financial institutions. According to the new guidelines, a bank needs to work out a restructuring plan, including a capital raising plan, demonstrating convincingly how it will become profitable in the long term, before it can receive state aid. If the viability of the bank cannot be restored, an orderly winding down plan needs to be submitted instead.

Thus, the 2013 Banking Guidelines adopted today introduces more discipline to the granting of state aid to banks as temporary rescue aid will in principle no longer be authorised.

Since the beginning of the financial crisis, the Authority has adopted five sets of temporary Guidelines – listed below – addressing specifically state aid measures to banks in different forms. The financial crisis guidelines were then extended twice, for 2011 and 2012.

The 2013 Banking Guidelines replace the 2008 Banking Guidelines.

They adapt and complement the Recapitalisation and Impaired Assets Guidelines as well as providing further guidance on how to assess the compatibility of liquidity support under state aid rules.