(AGENPARL) - Roma, 8 Marzo 2024 - (AGENPARL) – ven 08 marzo 2024 Press Release
By the Communications Directorate
Rome, 8 March 2024
Launch of consultation
The Bank of Italy launches a public consultation on a proposal to activate a systemic risk buffer
(SyRB) of 1.0 per cent of domestic exposures weighted for credit and counterparty credit risks; the
buffer requirement would apply to all Italian banks and banking groups. The buffer rate target would
be reached gradually: 0.5 per cent would need to be set aside by 31 December 2024, and the remaining
0.5 per cent by 30 June 2025.
The activation of the SyRB – a capital buffer envisaged by the European legislation and
immediately releasable by macroprudential authorities when deemed necessary – is aimed at further
increasing the resilience of the Italian banking system to shocks – including those originating outside
of the financial system – and at enhancing the capacity of banks to absorb possible losses and continue
to finance Italian firms and households. Analyses by the Bank of Italy show that the costs of
introducing the buffer would be extremely low in the current macroeconomic environment, and that
in any case they would be largely offset by the benefits associated with the release of the buffer by
the macroprudential authority in case of shocks.
The consultation document (only in Italian) gives information on the rationale for the
introduction of the buffer, on its calibration and on the cost-benefit analysis.
29 March 2024.
Media relations Division – Bank of Italy