Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/500 of 24 March 2015 laying down implementing technical standards with regard to the procedures to be followed for the supervisory approval of the application of a matching adjustment in accordance with Directive 2009/138/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council Text with EEA relevance

• Published date: 25 March 2015
• Official Gazette Publication: Official Journal of the European Union, L 79, 25 March 2015

25.3.2015 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 79/18

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COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2015/500

of 24 March 2015

laying down implementing technical standards with regard to the procedures to be followed for the supervisory approval of the application of a matching adjustment in accordance with Directive 2009/138/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council

(Text with EEA relevance)

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

Having regard to Directive 2009/138/EC of 25 November 2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the taking-up and pursuit of the business of Insurance and Reinsurance (Solvency II) (1) and in particular Article 86(3) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Article 77b of Directive 2009/138/EC allows insurance and reinsurance undertakings to apply a matching adjustment to the relevant risk-free interest rate term structure, subject to prior approval by the supervisory authorities where certain conditions are met. Rules are to be established regarding the procedures to be followed for the approval of the application of a matching adjustment.

(2) In order for an application to be considered complete, it should include all relevant information necessary for the assessment and decision by the supervisory authorities. To provide a harmonised basis for the assessment and decision by supervisory authorities, an application should include evidence demonstrating that each of the conditions set out in Article 77b of Directive 2009/138/EC have been met.

(3) The application for a matching adjustment is a strategic decision for risk management and capital planning purposes. Based on the ultimate responsibility of the administrative, management or supervisory body for compliance as set out in Article 40 of Directive 2009/138/EC, its involvement in the decision-making process on the application should be carefully considered.

(4) In addition to Article 77b of Directive 2009/138/EC, that Directive contains other requirements in Article 44, 45 and 77c which apply to all insurance or reinsurance undertakings using a matching adjustment. An application should therefore include evidence that all of these requirements will be satisfied if approval is granted.

(5) The procedures to be followed for the approval of the matching adjustment envisage ongoing communication between the supervisory authorities and insurance and reinsurance undertakings. This includes communication before a formal application is submitted to the supervisory authorities and, after an application has been approved, through the supervisory review process. Such ongoing communication is necessary to ensure that supervisory judgements are based on relevant and up-to-date information and evidence.

(6) To ensure a smooth and efficient process, supervisory authorities should be able to request that insurance and reinsurance undertakings make modifications to an application in order to address areas where the submitted evidence is insufficient to demonstrate compliance with the relevant conditions set by Article 77b of Directive 2009/138/EC, before deciding whether to finally accept or reject the application.

(7) In addition to considering the evidence included within an application, supervisory authorities should also consider other factors that are relevant when reaching a decision as to whether the requirements of Directive 2009/138/EC have been satisfied.

(8) Since matching portfolios may be managed on a going concern basis, undertakings that have received approval to use a matching adjustment to value the corresponding liabilities should also be allowed to use that adjustment to value future insurance obligations, to the extent that those obligations and the assets matching them possess the same features as the obligations and assets included in the initial matching portfolio and, consequently, entail the same risks for the undertaking concerned.

(9) Due to interdependencies between different approval applications under Directive 2009/138/EC, when applying for approval of matching adjustment the insurance or reinsurance undertaking should inform the supervisory authority of other applications concerning items in Article 308a(1) of Directive 2009/138/EC, which are currently ongoing or foreseen within the next six months. Such requirement is necessary to ensure supervisory assessments are based on transparent and unbiased information.

(10) This Regulation is based on the draft implementing technical standards submitted by the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority to the European Commission.

(11) The European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority has conducted open public consultations on the draft implementing technical standards on which this Regulation is based, analysed the potential related costs and benefits and requested the opinion of the Insurance and Reinsurance Stakeholder Group established in accordance with Article 37 of Regulation (EU) No 1094/2010 of the European Parliament and of the Council (2),

(12) In order to enhance legal certainty about the supervisory regime during the phasing-in period provided for in Article 308a of Directive 2009/138/EC, which will start on 1 April 2015, it is important to ensure that this Regulation enters into force as soon as possible, on the day after that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

Application to use a matching adjustment

1. Insurance and reinsurance undertakings applying to use a matching adjustment shall submit a written application for prior approval to the supervisory authorities.

2. The application shall be submitted in one of the official languages of the Member State in which the insurance or reinsurance undertaking has its head office, or in a language previously agreed by the...