Systemic risk buffer

The systemic risk buffer (SRB) is a macroprudential instrument used to address systemic risks of a long-term, non-cyclical nature. In addition to strengthening the resilience of the banking sector to potential shocks, the SRB encourages banks to reduce exposure to identified risks. The key advantage of the SRB compared to other capital buffers is its high flexibility – there are no special criteria to determine risks which would require the introduction of this instrument, and it is allowed to introduce the buffer for one, several or all banks, with uniform or different rates. The lowest SRB rate equals 1% of risk-weighted assets and may be raised by increments of 0.5 pp. The obligation to maintain the SRB is reviewed at least every two years.

• Rate: The systemic risk buffer is set at 3% of total foreign currency and foreign currency-indexed placements of a bank approved to corporates and households in the Republic of Serbia.(Decision)
• Banks that are obliged to maintain it: all banks whose share of foreign currency and foreign currency-indexed placements approved to corporates and households in the Republic in Serbia in total placements of that bank approved to corporates and households in the Republic of Serbia exceeds 10%.
• Explanation: The systemic risk buffer is introduced to limit the risk of euroisation, one of the key structural non-cyclical systemic risks to the stability of the financial system of the Republic of Serbia.
• Start of application: 30 June 2017.
• Exposures: The systemic risk buffer recognises exposures in the Republic of Serbia.