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Frameworks from Portugal

Questions Mortgage CB (Obrigações Hipotecárias) Public Sector CB (Obrigações sobre o Sector Público)
I. STRUCTURE OF THE ISSUER
1. Who is the issuer?
  • Universal credit institution
  • Specialized credit institution
  • Universal credit institution
  • Specialized credit institution
(1) Comments: Mortgage Credit Institutions (MCI) (2) Comments: Mortgage Credit Institutions (MCI).
2. Does the bondholder have recourse to the credit institution?
  • Yes, direct
  • Yes, direct
3. Who owns the cover assets?
  • The issuer directly
  • The issuer directly
4. Is the issuer the originator of the assets?
  • Yes
  • Yes
(3) Comments: If the assets are transferred from the Parent House to a Mortgage Credit Institution (Specialized credit institution), the Issuer is not the originator of the assets.
II. FRAMEWORK
1. Are the bonds governed by a special covered bond Legislation?
  • Yes
  • Yes
2. What is the legal framework for bankruptcy of the issuer of covered bonds?
  • Specific legal framework superseding the general insolvency law
  • Specific legal framework superseding the general insolvency law
III. COVER ASSETS
1. What types of assets may be included in cover pools?
  • Mortgage loans (Mortgage loans for the purpose of this question are taken to include guaranteed real-estate loans.)
  • Group originated Senior MBS
  • Senior MBS issued by third parties
  • Exposures to public sector entities
  • Group originated Senior MBS
  • Senior MBS issued by third parties
(4) Comments: Mortgage loans (Credit loans guaranteed by first mortgages created upon real-estate; Credits guaranteed by lower ranking mortgages are also elegible provided that all credits benefiting from a higher ranking mortgage on the asset are held by the issuer and assigned to the asset pool and credits guaranteed by surety from a credit institution or by an adequated insurance contrat, counter guaranteed by a mortgage).
The Pool may also contain substitution assets up to 20% : Deposits with the Bank of Portugal in the form of cash, government bonds or bonds eligible for credit operations within Central Banks European System ( could include Senior MBS eligible within the scope of credit operation of Eurosystem); Time deposits in credit institutions with a minimum “A-” rating and or Other low risk and high quality assets to be defined by the Bank of Portugal.
(5) Comments: The Cover Pool may contain credit assets over the central administration, regional or local authorities as well as credits secured by an express and legally binding guarantee issued by any of such entities. Senior MBS eligible within the scope of credit operation of Eurosystem.
The Pool may also contain substitution assets up to 20% : Deposits with the Bank of Portugal in the form of cash, government bonds or bonds eligible for credit operations within Central Banks European System ( could include Senior MBS eligible within the scope of credit operation of Eurosystem); Time deposits in credit institutions with a minimum “A-” rating and or Other low risk and high quality assets to be defined by the Bank of Portugal.
2. What is the geographical scope for public sector assets?
  • EEA
  • EEA
3. What is the geographical scope for mortgage assets?
  • EEA
  • EEA
4. Are regular covered bond specific disclosure requirements to the public mandatory?
  • No
  • No
IV. VALUATION OF THE MORTGAGE COVER POOL & LTV CRITERIA
1. LTV is calculated using which valuation?[4]
  • Market value
  • Other
(6) Comments: LTV doesn’t apply to Public Sector Bonds. The nominal value of the public loans is value to be considered to enter the pool (LTV = 100%).
2. Are there any special LTV limits used solely for calculating collateralisation rates for the cover pool (if yes, specify)?
  • Residential      
    80%
  • Commercial      
    60%
(7) Comments: There is no separate methodology used solely for calculating collateralisation rates for the cover pool. (8) Comments: LTV doesn´t apply to Public Sector Bonds.
3. Do bondholders get the benefit of that portion of the loan which exceeds the LTV cap?
  • No
4a. Is there an LTV cap which makes the entire loan ineligible to be put in the cover pool (if yes, specify)?
  • Residential      
  • Commercial      
(9) Comments: 80% for residential mortgages and 60% for commercial mortgages. (10) Comments: LTV doesn´t apply to Public Sector Bonds.
4b. Is there an LTV cap which would require a loan to be removed from the cover pool?
  • Residential      
    80%
  • Commercial      
    60%
(11) Comments: An LTV of 80% for residential mortgages and 60% for commercial mortgages is the eligibility limit to enter and /or to stay in the pool, if limits are breached, loans will be removed and substituted for an eligible ones. (12) Comments: LTV doesn´t apply to Public Sector Bonds.
5. Is there any additional LTV limit on a portfolio basis?
  • No
V. ASSET-LIABILITY GUIDELINES
. Exposure to market risk
1. Is exposure to market risk (e.g. interest rate, currency risks) required to be mitigated by law or contract?
  • Yes
  • Yes
(13) Comments: Mitigation of exposure to market risk is not directly required in the Decree-Law or contrat. However secondary legislation states that currency risk hedging is mandatory and aims at mitigating market risk. Each issuer must put in writting the specific policies for risk management, namely exchange risk, liquidity risk and interest rate risk and any other procedures aimed at ensuring compliance with the applicable regulatory regime. When the assets in the cover pool and the Mortgage Bonds are denominated in different currencies it´s mandatory for the issuer to ensure hedging for the currency exchange risk, being the reference exchange rates published by the European Central Bank used for this purpose. (14) Comments: Mitigation of exposure to market risk is not directly required in the Decree-Law or contrat, however secondary legislation states that currency risk hedging is mandatory and aims at mitigating market risk. Each issuer must put in writting the specific policies for risk management, namely exchange risk, liquidity risk and interest rate risk and any other procedures aimed at ensuring compliance with the applicable regulatory regime.
2. What is the primary method for the mitigation of market risk?
  • Use of derivative hedge instruments
  • Use of derivative hedge instruments
3. If the answer to the above question on market risk mitigation is “Use of derivative hedge instruments”, please specify whether those instruments are entered into:
  • By the time of issue of covered bonds or entry of asset in the cover pool
  • By the time of issue of covered bonds or entry of asset in the cover pool
4. What type of coverage test is applied?
  • Nominal cover
  • Present value cover
  • Nominal cover
  • Present value cover
5. What is the frequency of coverage calculations?
  • Monthly
  • Monthly
6. What types of stress scenarios are applied?
  • Static
  • Dynamic
  • Static
  • Dynamic
7. What is the frequency of stress test calculations?
  • Monthly
  • Monthly
. Exposure to liquidity risk
8. Is exposure to liquidity risk required to be mitigated by law or contract?
  • No
  • No
9. What is the primary method for the mitigation of liquidity risk on interest payments?
  • “Natural” matching (matching without the use of off-balance sheet instruments) and stress testing (Natural matching is taken to include replacing CBs with new issues, as well as substitute assets.)
  • “Natural” matching (matching without the use of off-balance sheet instruments) and stress testing (Natural matching is taken to include replacing CBs with new issues, as well as substitute assets.)
(15) Comments: The law establishes the possibility of credit facilities to be activated as needed, with funds applied solely for redemption and interest payments associated with covered bonds. (16) Comments: The law establishes the possibility of credit facilities to be activated as needed, being this funds solely applied for redemption and interest payments associated with covered bonds.
10. What is the primary method for the mitigation of liquidity risk on principal payments?
  • Liquidity facilities
  • Contractual arrangements, e.g. maturity extension or prematurity test
  • Liquidity facilities
  • Contractual arrangements, e.g. maturity extension or prematurity test
(17) Comments: The law establishes the possibility of credit facilities to be activated as needed, as mentioned above, and Covered Bond Programmes may include contractual arrangements, as for example maturity extensions, normally up to one year, in order for that the issuer may manage liquidity risk on principal and interest payments. (18) Comments: The law establishes the possibility of credit facilities to be activated as needed, as mentioned above, and Covered Bond Programmes may include contractual arrangements, as for example maturity extensions, normally up to one year, in order for that the issuer may manage liquidity risk on principal and interest payments.
11. Is there any grace period in case of a breach of liquidity risk mitigants?
  • No
  • No
12. What is the consequence of not fixing a breach of liquidity risk mitigants?
  • Other regulatory or rule-based action
  • Other regulatory or rule-based action
(19) Comments: If the limits are breached, the issuer shall settle immediately this situation by assigning new mortgage credits, purchasing outstanding bonds in the secondary market and /or assign other eligible assets. These will, in turn, be exclusively assigned to the debt service of the covered bond.
The Bank of Portugal may also make use of its regulatory role to require additional steps by the issuers to meet with all the asset-liability criteria that it sets out.
(20) Comments: If the limits are breached, the issuer shall settle immediately this situation by assigning new public loans, purchasing outstanding bonds in the secondary market and /or assign other eligible assets. These will, in turn, be exclusively assigned to the debt service of the bond.
The Bank of Portugal may also make use of its regulatory role to require additional steps by the issuers to meet with all the asset-liability criteria that it sets out.
. Monitoring of exposures to market and liquidity risk
13. Who monitors the maintenance of coverage tests?
  • Supervisory authority
  • Trustee/cover pool monitor
  • Supervisory authority
  • Trustee/cover pool monitor
(21) Comments: Annual Report sent to Supervisory Authorities ( Bank of Portugal and CMVM – Capital Market Regulator). (22) Comments: Annual Report sent to Supervisory Authorities ( Bank of Portugal and CMVM – Capital Markets Regulator).
14. Are there any regular public reporting requirements for market and liquidity risk?
  • No
  • No
(23) Comments: The issuer has to send a liquidity map quarterly as well as the exposure to interest rate risk of the aggregated assets and liabilities, in terms of net present value. (24) Comments: The issuer has to send a liquidity map quarterly as well as the exposure to interest rate risk of the aggregated assets and liabilities, in terms of net present value.
. Overcollateralisation
15. Is mandatory minimum overcollateralisation required?
  • By legislation/regulation
16. What is the level of minimum mandatory overcollateralisation?

  • 5.26%

  • 0%
17. If mandatory overcollateralisation is required, are the amounts above the minimum OC level protected?
  • Yes
  • Yes
18. Is there any grace period in case of a breach of the coverage test?
  • No
  • No
19. What is the consequence of not fixing a breach of the coverage test?
  • Other regulatory or rule-based actions
  • Other regulatory or rule-based actions
(25) Comments: Bank of Portugal may intervene.
(26) Global comments for this chapter:Voluntary Over Collateralization is protected by law.
VI. COVER POOL MONITOR & BANKING SUPERVISION
1. Is a special license required for the issuing of covered bonds?
  • No
  • No
2. Are there special reporting duties of the covered bond issuer to the supervision authority concerning covered bonds and the cover pool, which go beyond the regular banking supervision?
  • Periodic reporting required
  • Periodic reporting required
(27) Comments: The issuer has to send a liquidity map quarterly as well as the exposure to interest rate risk of the aggregated assets and liabilities, in terms of net present value. (28) Comments: The issuer has to send a liquidity map quarterly as well as the exposure to interest rate risk of the aggregated assets and liabilities, in terms of net present value.
3. What is the role of the banking supervision regarding covered bonds?
  • To check whether eligibility criteria are fulfilled and documented
  • Monitoring of exposure to market risk and liquidity risk
  • To check whether eligibility criteria are fulfilled and documented
  • Monitoring of exposure to market risk and liquidity risk
  • To check minimum mandatory overcollateralisation requirements
(29) Comments: To check (when applicable) minimum mandatory or voluntary overcollateralisation.
4. Is there a special role of banking supervision in crisis regarding covered bonds?
  • Involvement in transfer of cover assets and covered bonds to another credit institution
  • Involvement in transfer of cover assets and covered bonds to another credit institution
5. Is there a cover pool monitor independent from the issuer?
  • Yes
  • Yes
6. If there is an independent cover pool monitor, what are its duties?
  • Performing audits of the cover pool
  • Reporting duties to the supervision authority
  • Verification of coverage tests
  • Performing audits of the cover pool
(30) Comments: The independent auditor has two different roles, one for the auditing of the assets and one of verifying of compliance to applicable legal and regulatory requisites regarding mortgages bonds and public sector bonds, and of reporting to the Bank of Portugal on an annual basis. (31) Comments: The independent auditor has two different roles, one for the auditing of the assets and one of verifying of compliance to applicable legal and regulatory requisites regarding mortgages bonds and public sector bonds, and of reporting to the Bank of Portugal on an annual basis.
VII. SEGREGATION OF ASSETS & BANKRUPTCY REMOTENESS OF COVERED BONDS
1. Do covered bonds automatically accelerate when the credit institution goes insolvent?
  • No
  • No
(32) Comments: Investors may decide at a bondholder’s Assembly a majority of 2/3 to call the mortgage bonds, otherwise the original maturity remains unchanged. (33) Comments: Investors may decide at a bondholder’s Assembly a majority of 2/3 to call the mortgage bonds, otherwise the original maturity remains unchanged.
2. What is the cover pool?
  • All assets on the cover register
  • All assets on the cover register
3. How are the covered bondholders protected against claims from other creditors in case of insolvency of the issuer?
  • Preferential claim by law
  • Preferential claim by law
4. Is there recourse to the credit institution’s insolvency estate upon a cover pool default?
  • Yes, pari passu with unsecured creditors
  • Yes, pari passu with unsecured creditors
5. Are there provisions that require derivatives to continue in case of insolvency of the credit institution?
  • Yes
  • Yes
6. If derivatives are permitted in the cover pool, what is their ranking?
  • Pari passu to covered bond holders
  • Pari passu to covered bond holders
VIII. RISK WEIGHTING & COMPLIANCE WITH EUROPEAN LEGISLATION
1. Does the covered bond fulfil the criteria of UCITS 22(4)?
  • Yes
  • Yes
2. Does the covered bond legislation completely fall within the criteria of the Annex VI, Part 1, Paragraph 68 (a) to (f) of the Capital Requirements Directive (CRD)?
  • Yes
  • Yes
3. Are listed covered bonds eligible in repo transactions with the national central bank?
  • Yes
  • Yes
4. Are there any special investment regulations regarding covered bonds?
  • Yes
  • Yes
(34) Comments: Investment funds can invest a maximum of 25% of their own funds in a single issuer’s covered bonds. 10% BIS weighting since it meets UCITS 22(4) criteria. (35) Comments: Investment funds can invest a maximum of 25% of their own funds in a single issuer’s covered bonds. 10% BIS weighting since it meets UCITS 22(4) criteria.
IX. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
1. Link to National Association representing covered bond interests
  • Association

    GOH Portugal

  • Association

    GOH Portugal

2. Link to national regulators and supervisors
3. Fact Book Country Chapter
  • Chapter
  • Chapter
 
4. Hypostat Country Chapter
  • Chapter
  • Chapter
 

Comments for your selection

  • 1: Mortgage Credit Institutions (MCI)
  • 2: Mortgage Credit Institutions (MCI).
  • 3: If the assets are transferred from the Parent House to a Mortgage Credit Institution (Specialized credit institution), the Issuer is not the originator of the assets.
  • 4: Mortgage loans (Credit loans guaranteed by first mortgages created upon real-estate; Credits guaranteed by lower ranking mortgages are also elegible provided that all credits benefiting from a higher ranking mortgage on the asset are held by the issuer and assigned to the asset pool and credits guaranteed by surety from a credit institution or by an adequated insurance contrat, counter guaranteed by a mortgage). The Pool may also contain substitution assets up to 20% : Deposits with the Bank of Portugal in the form of cash, government bonds or bonds eligible for credit operations within Central Banks European System ( could include Senior MBS eligible within the scope of credit operation of Eurosystem); Time deposits in credit institutions with a minimum “A-” rating and or Other low risk and high quality assets to be defined by the Bank of Portugal.
  • 5: The Cover Pool may contain credit assets over the central administration, regional or local authorities as well as credits secured by an express and legally binding guarantee issued by any of such entities. Senior MBS eligible within the scope of credit operation of Eurosystem. The Pool may also contain substitution assets up to 20% : Deposits with the Bank of Portugal in the form of cash, government bonds or bonds eligible for credit operations within Central Banks European System ( could include Senior MBS eligible within the scope of credit operation of Eurosystem); Time deposits in credit institutions with a minimum “A-” rating and or Other low risk and high quality assets to be defined by the Bank of Portugal.
  • 6: LTV doesn’t apply to Public Sector Bonds. The nominal value of the public loans is value to be considered to enter the pool (LTV = 100%).
  • 7: There is no separate methodology used solely for calculating collateralisation rates for the cover pool.
  • 8: LTV doesn´t apply to Public Sector Bonds.
  • 9: 80% for residential mortgages and 60% for commercial mortgages.
  • 10: LTV doesn´t apply to Public Sector Bonds.
  • 11: An LTV of 80% for residential mortgages and 60% for commercial mortgages is the eligibility limit to enter and /or to stay in the pool, if limits are breached, loans will be removed and substituted for an eligible ones.
  • 12: LTV doesn´t apply to Public Sector Bonds.
  • 13: Mitigation of exposure to market risk is not directly required in the Decree-Law or contrat. However secondary legislation states that currency risk hedging is mandatory and aims at mitigating market risk. Each issuer must put in writting the specific policies for risk management, namely exchange risk, liquidity risk and interest rate risk and any other procedures aimed at ensuring compliance with the applicable regulatory regime. When the assets in the cover pool and the Mortgage Bonds are denominated in different currencies it´s mandatory for the issuer to ensure hedging for the currency exchange risk, being the reference exchange rates published by the European Central Bank used for this purpose.
  • 14: Mitigation of exposure to market risk is not directly required in the Decree-Law or contrat, however secondary legislation states that currency risk hedging is mandatory and aims at mitigating market risk. Each issuer must put in writting the specific policies for risk management, namely exchange risk, liquidity risk and interest rate risk and any other procedures aimed at ensuring compliance with the applicable regulatory regime.
  • 15: The law establishes the possibility of credit facilities to be activated as needed, with funds applied solely for redemption and interest payments associated with covered bonds.
  • 16: The law establishes the possibility of credit facilities to be activated as needed, being this funds solely applied for redemption and interest payments associated with covered bonds.
  • 17: The law establishes the possibility of credit facilities to be activated as needed, as mentioned above, and Covered Bond Programmes may include contractual arrangements, as for example maturity extensions, normally up to one year, in order for that the issuer may manage liquidity risk on principal and interest payments.
  • 18: The law establishes the possibility of credit facilities to be activated as needed, as mentioned above, and Covered Bond Programmes may include contractual arrangements, as for example maturity extensions, normally up to one year, in order for that the issuer may manage liquidity risk on principal and interest payments.
  • 19: If the limits are breached, the issuer shall settle immediately this situation by assigning new mortgage credits, purchasing outstanding bonds in the secondary market and /or assign other eligible assets. These will, in turn, be exclusively assigned to the debt service of the covered bond. The Bank of Portugal may also make use of its regulatory role to require additional steps by the issuers to meet with all the asset-liability criteria that it sets out.
  • 20: If the limits are breached, the issuer shall settle immediately this situation by assigning new public loans, purchasing outstanding bonds in the secondary market and /or assign other eligible assets. These will, in turn, be exclusively assigned to the debt service of the bond. The Bank of Portugal may also make use of its regulatory role to require additional steps by the issuers to meet with all the asset-liability criteria that it sets out.
  • 21: Annual Report sent to Supervisory Authorities ( Bank of Portugal and CMVM – Capital Market Regulator).
  • 22: Annual Report sent to Supervisory Authorities ( Bank of Portugal and CMVM – Capital Markets Regulator).
  • 23: The issuer has to send a liquidity map quarterly as well as the exposure to interest rate risk of the aggregated assets and liabilities, in terms of net present value.
  • 24: The issuer has to send a liquidity map quarterly as well as the exposure to interest rate risk of the aggregated assets and liabilities, in terms of net present value.
  • 25: Bank of Portugal may intervene.
  • 26: Voluntary Over Collateralization is protected by law.
  • 27: The issuer has to send a liquidity map quarterly as well as the exposure to interest rate risk of the aggregated assets and liabilities, in terms of net present value.
  • 28: The issuer has to send a liquidity map quarterly as well as the exposure to interest rate risk of the aggregated assets and liabilities, in terms of net present value.
  • 29: To check (when applicable) minimum mandatory or voluntary overcollateralisation.
  • 30: The independent auditor has two different roles, one for the auditing of the assets and one of verifying of compliance to applicable legal and regulatory requisites regarding mortgages bonds and public sector bonds, and of reporting to the Bank of Portugal on an annual basis.
  • 31: The independent auditor has two different roles, one for the auditing of the assets and one of verifying of compliance to applicable legal and regulatory requisites regarding mortgages bonds and public sector bonds, and of reporting to the Bank of Portugal on an annual basis.
  • 32: Investors may decide at a bondholder’s Assembly a majority of 2/3 to call the mortgage bonds, otherwise the original maturity remains unchanged.
  • 33: Investors may decide at a bondholder’s Assembly a majority of 2/3 to call the mortgage bonds, otherwise the original maturity remains unchanged.
  • 34: Investment funds can invest a maximum of 25% of their own funds in a single issuer’s covered bonds. 10% BIS weighting since it meets UCITS 22(4) criteria.
  • 35: Investment funds can invest a maximum of 25% of their own funds in a single issuer’s covered bonds. 10% BIS weighting since it meets UCITS 22(4) criteria.