25.2.2015   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 53/24

(1)

Decision ECB/2010/24 (1) lays down how the European Central Bank (ECB) distributes to the NCBs: (a) its income on euro banknotes in circulation accrued each financial year; and (b) its income arising from securities purchased under the securities markets programme (SMP) earned in each financial year.

(2)

Decision ECB/2010/24 needs to be amended to take account of the interim distribution of the ECB's income arising from covered bonds and asset-backed securities purchases undertaken in accordance with Decision ECB/2014/40 (2) and Decision ECB/2014/45 (3). It should therefore be recast in the interests of clarity.

(3)

Decision ECB/2010/29 (4) establishes the allocation of euro banknotes in circulation to the NCBs in proportion to their paid-up shares in the ECB's capital. Article 4 of Decision ECB/2010/29 and the Annex to that Decision allocate to the ECB 8 % of the total value of euro banknotes in circulation. The ECB holds intra-Eurosystem claims on NCBs in proportion to their shares in the subscribed capital key, for a value equivalent to the value of euro banknotes that it issues.

(4)

Under Article 2(2) of Decision ECB/2010/23 (5), the intra-Eurosystem balances on euro banknotes in circulation are remunerated at the reference rate. Under Article 2(3) of Decision ECB/2010/23, this remuneration is settled by TARGET2 payments.

(5)

Recital 7 of Decision ECB/2010/23 states that the income accruing to the ECB on the remuneration of its intra-Eurosystem claims on NCBs related to its share of euro banknotes in circulation should in principle be distributed to the NCBs, in proportion to their shares in the subscribed capital key in the same financial year it accrues, in accordance with decisions of the Governing Council.

(6)

In the same manner, the ECB's income arising from securities purchased under the SMP, the third covered bond purchase programme (hereinafter 'CBPP3') and the asset-backed securities purchase programme (ABSPP) should in principle be distributed to the NCBs in proportion to their shares in the subscribed capital key in the same financial year it accrues.

(7)

In distributing the ECB's income on euro banknotes in circulation and the ECB's income arising from securities purchased under the SMP, the CBPP3 and the ABSPP, the ECB should take into account an estimate of its financial result for the year that makes due allowance for the need to allocate funds to a provision for foreign exchange rate, interest rate, credit and gold price risks, and for the availability of provisions that may be released to offset anticipated expenses.

(8)

In determining the amount of the ECB's net profit to be transferred to the general reserve fund pursuant to Article 33.1 of the Statute of the European System of Central Banks and of the European Central Bank (hereinafter the 'Statute of the ESCB'), the Governing Council should consider that any part of that profit which corresponds to income on euro banknotes in circulation and income arising from securities purchased under the SMP, the CBPP3 and the ABSPP should be distributed to the NCBs in full,

(a)

‘NCB’ means the national central bank of a Member State whose currency is the euro;

(b)

‘intra-Eurosystem balances on euro banknotes in circulation’ means the claims and liabilities arising between an NCB and the ECB and between an NCB and the other NCBs as a result of the application of Article 4 of Decision ECB/2010/29;

(c)

‘ECB's income on euro banknotes in circulation’ means the income accruing to the ECB on the remuneration of its intra-Eurosystem claims on NCBs related to its share of euro banknotes in circulation as a result of the application of Article 2 of Decision ECB/2010/23;

(d)

‘ECB's income arising from securities’ means the net income arising from purchases by the ECB of (i) securities under the SMP in accordance with Decision ECB/2010/5 (6), (ii) covered bonds under the CBPP3 in accordance with Decision ECB/2014/40, and (iii) asset-backed securities under the ABSPP in accordance with Decision ECB/2014/45.