European Financial Stability Facility and Euro Area Loan Facility (Amendment) Act 2011

Type Act
Publication 2011-09-23
Last updated 2019-05-28
State In force
Text Latest available text
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This is the most recent text the official source publishes. It is not a snapshot of the law as it stood on the date of each change.

4 amending acts · 2019-05-28, revised-IE-2011-act-25@2019-05-28

Act to further facilitate, in the public interest, the financial stability of the European Union and the safeguarding of the financial stability of the Euro Area as a whole and for those purposes—(a) having regard to the participation by the State in the European Financial Stability Facility, to enable effect to be given to the Amendment to the EFSF Framework Agreement entered into by certain Member States of the European Union on the one part and the European Financial Stability Facility on the other part,(b) to enable effect to be given, in so far as it relates to the State, to the Amendment to the EUR 80 000 000 000 Loan Facility Agreement done in Brussels on 14 June 2011 and in Athens on 10 June 2011,(c) to amend the Euro Area Loan Facility Act 2010 and the European Financial Stability Facility Act 2010, and(d) to provide for related matters

Reform history JSON API

AN ACT TO FURTHER FACILITATE, IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST, THE FINANCIAL STABILITY OF THE EUROPEAN UNION AND THE SAFEGUARDING OF THE FINANCIAL STABILITY OF THE EURO AREA AS A WHOLE AND FOR THOSE PURPOSES—

[23rd September, 2011]

BE IT ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS AS FOLLOWS:

1. Amendment of European Financial Stability Facility Act 2010.

1.— (1) The references to the EFSF Framework Agreement in the European Financial Stability Facility Act 2010 include the Amendment to the EFSF Framework Agreement and that Act shall be construed accordingly.

“Amendment to the EFSF Framework Agreement” means the Amendment to the EFSF Framework Agreement entered into by certain Member States of the European Union (including the State) on the one part and the Company on the other part that was signed by the Minister for Finance on behalf of the State on 8 September 2011, the text of which (including the Annexes) is set out in Schedule 1;

“Company” has the same meaning as in the European Financial Stability Facility Act 2010;

“EFSF Framework Agreement” has the same meaning as in the European Financial Stability Facility Act 2010.

2. Amendment of Euro Area Loan Facility Act 2010.

2.—F1[(1) The references to the Loan Facility Agreement in the Euro Area Loan Facility Act 2010 include—

and that Act shall be construed accordingly.

“Amendment to the Loan Facility Agreement of June 2011” means the Amendment to the EUR 80 000 000 000 Loan Facility Agreement done in Brussels on 14 June 2011 and in Athens on 10 June 2011 entered into by—

the text of which (including the Annexes) is set out in Schedule 2;

F2[ ‘Amendment to the Loan Facility Agreement of February 2012’ means the Amendment to the EUR 80 000 000 000 Loan Facility Agreement done in Brussels on 27 February 2012 and in Athens on 24 February 2012 entered into by—

the text of which (including the Annexes) is set out in Schedule 3; ]

F3[ ‘Amendment to the Loan Facility Agreement of December 2012’ means the Amendment to the EUR 80 000 000 000 Loan Facility Agreement done in Brussels on 19 December 2012 and in Athens on 18 December 2012 entered into by—

the text of which (including the Annexes) is set out in Schedule 4;]

“Intercreditor Agreement” has the same meaning as in the Euro Area Loan Facility Act 2010;

“Loan Facility Agreement” has the same meaning as in the Euro Area Loan Facility Act 2010.

3. Short title.

3.— This Act may be cited as the European Financial Stability Facility and Euro Area Loan Facility (Amendment) Act 2011.

SCHEDULE 1 Amendment to EFSF Framework Agreement

Section 1.

Execution Version

AMENDMENT TO THE

EFSF FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT

between

KINGDOM OF BELGIUM

FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY

REPUBLIC OF ESTONIA

IRELAND

HELLENIC REPUBLIC

KINGDOM OF SPAIN

FRENCH REPUBLIC

ITALIAN REPUBLIC

REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS

GRAND DUCHY OF LUXEMBOURG

REPUBLIC OF MALTA

KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS

REPUBLIC OF AUSTRIA

PORTUGUESE REPUBLIC

REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA

SLOVAK REPUBLIC

REPUBLIC OF FINLAND

AND

EUROPEAN FINANCIAL STABILITY FACILITY

THIS AMENDMENT (the “Amendment”) TO THE EFSF FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT

is made by and between:

PREAMBLE

Whereas:

Now, therefore, the Parties have agreed as follows:

1.AMENDMENTS TO THE FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT

With effect from the Effective Date of the Amendments (as defined below) , the Framework Agreement shall be amended as follows:

“EFSF has been incorporated on 7 June 2010 for the purpose of making stability support to euro-area Member States. In a statement dated 21 July 2011 the Heads of State or Government of the euro area and EU institutions stated their intention to improve the effectiveness of EFSF and address contagion and they had agreed to increase the flexibility of EFSF linked to appropriate conditionality. As a consequence, whilst originally financial assistance was provided solely by way of loan facility agreements, financial assistance may now be granted in the form of financial assistance facility agreements (“Financial Assistance Facility Agreements”, each a “Financial Assistance Facility Agreement”) to provide financial assistance by way of loan disbursements, precautionary facilities, facilities to finance the recapitalisation of financial institutions in a euro-area Member State (through loans to the governments of such Member States including in non-programme countries) , facilities for the purchase of bonds in the secondary markets on the basis of an ECB analysis recognizing the existence of exceptional financial market circumstances and risks to financial stability or facilities for the purchase of bonds in the primary market (each such utilization of a Financial Assistance Facility Agreement being a “Financial Assistance”) with the Financial Assistance to be made under all Financial Assistance Facility Agreements being financed with the benefit of guarantees in an amount of up to EUR 779,783.14 million to be used within a limited period of time. This is intended to result in an effective capacity for EFSF to provide Financial Assistance of EUR 440,000 million. The availability of such Financial Assistance Facility Agreements will be conditional upon the relevant euro-area Member States which request such Financial Assistance Facility Agreements entering into memoranda of understanding (each an “MoU”) with the European Commission, acting on behalf of the euro-area Member States, including conditions such as budgetary discipline and economic policy guidelines and their compliance with the terms of such MoU. With respect to each Financial Assistance Facility Agreement, the relevant beneficiary euro-area Member State shall be referred to as the “Beneficiary Member State”. If Financial Assistance is in the form of facilities for the purchase of bonds in the primary or secondary market, the nature and terms, including as to pricing, policy conditionality, conditions to utilization and documentation of such arrangements shall be in accordance with guidelines adopted by the board of directors of EFSF acting unanimously pursuant to Article 2(1)(b). Similarly, if Financial Assistance is in the form of precautionary facilities and facilities to finance the recapitalisation of financial institutions of a euro-area Member State, the board of directors of EFSF acting unanimously shall adopt guidelines under Article 2(1)(c) in relation to such arrangements. The terms of an MoU shall impose appropriate policy conditionality for the full duration of a Financial Assistance Facility Agreement and not just limited to the period in which Financial Assistance is made available. The conditions attached to the provision of Financial Assistance by EFSF as well as the rules which apply to monitoring compliance must be fully consistent with the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and the acts of EU law.

(2)(a) On 20 June 2011, euro area Finance Ministers agreed that the pricing structure for EFSF loan facility agreements should be as follows:

  • “(a) EFSF Cost of Funding; plus

  • (b) the Margin.

The margin shall be equal to 200 basis points with such Margin being increased to 300 basis points in respect of any Loan which remains outstanding after the third anniversary of the date of disbursement.

In respect of fixed rated Loans with a scheduled maturity which exceeds three (3) years, the Margin shall be equal to the weighted average of 200 basis points for the first three (3) years and 300 basis points for the period from (and including) the third anniversary of its drawdown and ending on (but excluding) the scheduled maturity date of such Loan.”

Subsequently, on 21 July 2011, Heads of State or Government of the euro area stated:

“We have decided to lengthen the maturity of future EFSF loans to Greece to the maximum extent possible from the current 7.5 years to a minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years with a grace period of 10 years. In this context, we will ensure adequate post programme monitoring. We will provide EFSF loans at lending rates equivalent to those of the Balance of Payments facility (currently approx. 3.5%) , close to, without going below, the EFSF funding cost. We also decided to extend substantially the maturities of the existing Greek facility. This will be accompanied by a mechanism which ensures appropriate incentives to implement the programme.”

They also stated:

“The EFSF lending rates and maturities we agreed upon for Greece will be applied also for Portugal and Ireland.” ”

“The pricing which will apply to each Loan is intended to cover the cost of funding and operations incurred by EFSF and shall include a margin (the “Margin”).”;

“This shall provide remuneration for the Guarantors and shall be specified in the relevant Financial Assistance Facility Agreement. The EFSF shall review periodically the pricing structure applicable to its Financial Assistance Facility Agreements and any changes thereto shall be agreed by the Guarantors acting unanimously in accordance with Article 10(5).”

“In respect of Financial Assistance disbursed after the Effective Date of the Amendments, if on the date of disbursement of such Financial Assistance, the Notes issued to finance such Loan obtain the highest credit ratings (without any additional credit enhancement) , then, unless otherwise agreed:

  • (a) subject to Article 2(9)(c) , the Margin shall be payable on such Financial Assistance in arrear at the end of each interest period;

  • (b) an amount calculated as being 50 basis points on the aggregate principal amount of each Financial Assistance shall be charged to the Borrower as an advance payment of a portion of the Margin on such Financial Assistance (the “Advance Margin”) and shall be deducted from the cash amount to be remitted to the Beneficiary Member State in respect of such Financial Assistance;

  • (c) on the first (and/or subsequent) interest payment date(s) of a Financial Assistance the amount payable in respect of Margin shall be reduced by an amount equal to the Advance Margin and the interest cost related to the funding of the Advance Margin; and

  • (d) the only deduction from the cash amount of the Financial Assistance shall be the amount of the Advance Margin and any fees and costs incurred in connection with the issue of Funding Instruments to finance such Financial Assistance and any adjustment for Funding Instruments being issued for an issue price less than par value (“Issuance Costs”) and the Net Disbursement Amount shall be equal to the principal amount of the Financial Assistance less (i) the amount of Advance Margin and (ii) the Issuance Costs.

The deduction of an amount equal to the Issuance Costs and the amount of Advance Margin shall not reduce the principal amount of a Financial Assistance that the Borrower is liable to repay and on which interest accrues.

Advance Margin and Margin amounts retained or received in respect of a Financial Assistance shall be credited to the Cash Reserve.

If, on the date of disbursement of a Financial Assistance, the Notes issued to finance such Loan would not obtain the highest quality credit ratings (without any additional credit enhancement) , then the euro-area Member States may adopt additional credit enhancement mechanisms under Article 5(3) of this Agreement and make consequent modifications to the relevant Financial Assistance Facility Agreement.”

“In respect of Financial Assistance disbursed after the Effective Date of the Amendments:

  • (a) the Beneficiary Member States shall cover Issuance Costs (as described in Article 2(9) ;

  • (b) EFSF shall cover costs and expenses incurred in relation to a Financial Assistance Facility Agreement out of the Cash Reserve; Provided that, EFSF may not use any of the Cash Reserve established prior to the Effective Date of the Amendments to cover costs or expenses incurred in relation to Financial Assistance Facility Agreements entered into after such date unless the Cash Reserve is no longer required to serve as credit enhancement; and

  • (c) This Article 5(7) shall be without prejudice to any undertaking of the Borrower under the Financial Assistance Facility Agreement to cover costs and expenses of EFSF.”

“The euro-area Member States may, by a decision made pursuant to Article 10(6) , agree that EFSF may use part of the sums credit to the Cash Reserve under Article 2(9) to cover the general non-loan specific operating expenses or exceptional costs of EFSF. Provided that, EFSF may not release any Prepaid Margin which has been credited to the Cash Reserve to constitute credit enhancement prior to the Effective Date of the Amendments to cover such operating or exceptional costs so long as such portion of the Cash Reserve is needed to constitute credit enhancement.”

“Following the constitution of the European Stability Mechanism (the “ESM”) , EFSF may, with the approval of a decision of the euro-area Member States acting with unanimity and after obtaining any requisite consents from investors in Funding Instruments, transfer all and any of its rights, obligations and liabilities, including under Financial Instruments, Financial Assistance Facility Agreements and/or Financial Assistance, to ESM.”

2.GOVERNING LAW AND JURISDICTION

3.ENTRY INTO FORCE AND TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS

4.EXECUTION OF THE AMENDMENT

This Amendment may be executed in any number of counterparts signed by one or more of the Parties. The counterparts each form an integral part of the original Amendment and the signature of the counterparts shall have the same effect as if the signatures on the counterparts were on a single copy of the Amendment.

EFSF shall promptly after the signature of this Amendment supply conformed copies of the Amendment to each of the Parties, together with consolidated versions of the Framework Agreement including the amendments effected under this Amendment.

5.ANNEXES

The Annexes to this Amendment shall constitute an integral part hereof:

1.List of Guarantors with their respective Guarantee Commitments;

2.Contribution Key; and

3.Template for Amendment Confirmation.

ANNEX 1

LIST OF GUARANTOR EURO-AREA MEMBER STATES WITH THEIR RESPECTIVE GUARANTEE COMMITMENTS AS FROM THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE AMENDMENTS

Country Guarantee Commitments EUR (millions)
Kingdom of Belgium 27,031.99
Federal Republic of Germany 211,045.90
Ireland 12,378.15 *
Kingdom of Spain 92,543.56
French Republic 158,487.53
Italian Republic 139,267.81
Republic of Cyprus 1,525.68
Grand Duchy of Luxembourg 1,946.94
Republic of Malta 704.33
Kingdom of the Netherlands 44,446.32
Republic of Austria 21,639.19
Portuguese Republic 19,507.26 *
Republic of Slovenia 3,664.30
Slovak Republic 7,727.57
Republic of Finland 13,974.03
Hellenic Republic 21,897.74 *
Republic of Estonia 1,994.86
Total Guarantee Commitments __ 779,783.14

*The Hellenic Republic, Ireland and the Portuguese Republic have become Stepping-Out Guarantors. Portugal remains liable as Guarantor in respect of Notes issued prior to the time it became a Stepping-Out Guarantor. The Republic of Estonia is only a Guarantor in respect of Notes issued after the Effective Date of the Amendments.

This means that as of the Effective Date of the Amendments the aggregate of the active Guarantee Commitments for the Guarantors which are not Stepping-Out Guarantors is EUR 726,000.00 million.

ANNEX 2

CONTRIBUTION KEY IN RESPECT OF FUNDING INSTRUMENTS ISSUED OR ENTERED INTO AS FROM THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE AMENDMENTS

Member State ECB Capital subscription key% Contribution Key
Kingdom of Belgium 2.4256 3.4666%
Federal Republic of Germany 18.9373 27.0647%
Republic of Estonia 0.1790 0.2558%
Ireland* 1.1107 1.5874%
Hellenic Republic* 1.9649 2.8082%
Kingdom of Spain 8.3040 11.8679%
French Republic 14.2212 20.3246%
Italian Republic 12.4966 17.8598%
Republic of Cyprus 0.1369 0.1957%
Grand Duchy of Luxembourg 0.1747 0.2497%
Republic of Malta 0.0632 0.0903%
Kingdom of the Netherlands 3.9882 5.6998%
Republic of Austria 1.9417 2.7750%
Portuguese Republic* 1.7504 2.5016%
Republic of Slovenia 0.3288 0.4699%
Slovak Republic 0.6934 0.9910%
Republic of Finland 1.2539 1.7920%
______ ______
Total 69.9705 100.0000%

*As at the Effective Date of the Amendments, the Hellenic Republic, Ireland and Portugal have become Stepping-Out Guarantors.

ANNEX 3

TEMPLATE FOR AMENDMENT CONFIRMATION

[Letter-head of Authorities of Euro Area Member State]

By fax followed by registered mail:

European Financial Stability Facility

43, avenue John F. Kennedy, L-1855 Luxembourg

Fax: +352 260 962 62

Copy to:

Secretariat of the Eurogroup Working Group

DG ECFIN BU-24 03/027, 1049 Brussels, Belgium

Fax: +32-2-295 68 41

Re: European Financial Stability Facility (“EFSF”) — Amendment Confirmation

Dear Sirs,

We refer to (i) the EFSF Framework Agreement between the Kingdom of Belgium, Federal Republic of Germany, Ireland, Kingdom of Spain, French Republic, Italian Republic, Republic of Cyprus, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Republic of Malta, Kingdom of the Netherlands, Republic of Austria, Portuguese Republic, Republic of Slovenia, Slovak Republic, Republic of Finland, the Hellenic Republic and EFSF (the “Parties”) , and (ii) to the Amendment to the EFSF Framework Agreement between the Parties and the Republic of Estonia.

We hereby notify you that we are duly authorised under our national laws to permit us to be bound by the Amendment to the EFSF Framework Agreement with effect from [date].

Yours faithfully,

[Name of euro-area Member State]

[.] [.]

SCHEDULE 2 Amendment to Loan Facility Agreement of June 2011

Section 2.

AMENDMENT TO THE

EUR 80 000 000 000

LOAN FACILITY AGREEMENT

between

THE FOLLOWING MEMBER STATES WHOSE

CURRENCY IS THE EURO:

KINGDOM OF BELGIUM, IRELAND,

KINGDOM OF SPAIN, FRENCH REPUBLIC,

ITALIAN REPUBLIC, REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS,

GRAND DUCHY OF LUXEMBOURG,

REPUBLIC OF MALTA, KINGDOM OF THE

NETHERLANDS, REPUBLIC OF AUSTRIA,

PORTUGUESE REPUBLIC, REPUBLIC OF

SLOVENIA and REPUBLIC OF FINLAND

and

KfW, acting in the public interest, subject to the instructions of and with the benefit of the guarantee of the Federal Republic of Germany,

as Lenders

and

THE HELLENIC REPUBLIC

as Borrower

THE BANK OF GREECE

as Agent to the Borrower

14 JUNE 2011

THIS AMENDMENT (the “Amendment”) TO THEEUR 80 000 000 000 LOAN FACILITY AGREEMENT DATED 8 MAY 2010

is made by and between:

PREAMBLE

Whereas:

Now, therefore, the parties hereto have agreed as follows:

1.AMENDMENTS TO THE LOAN FACILITY AGREEMENT

The Agreement is hereby amended as follows:

“the requested grace period for such Loan, if any, during which no repayments of principal have to be made by the Borrower and which may not exceed a period of four years and six months from the Disbursement Date (the “Grace Period”)”.

“the term of the requested Loan which may not exceed ten years from the Disbursement Date of the Loan and the last day of which must be an Interest Payment Date (as defined below) (the “Term”) ; and”.

“a margin equal to:

  • (i) 200 basis points, in respect of any Interest Periods commencing on or after the Disbursement Date of a Loan up to and including the Interest Period ending on the third anniversary of such Disbursement Date or, if this is not an Interest Payment Date, the first Interest Payment Date after the third anniversary of such Disbursement Date; and

  • (ii) 300 basis points in respect of any subsequent Interest Periods.”

2.GOVERNING LAW AND JURISDICTION

3.ENTRY INTO FORCE AND TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS

on which date this Amendment shall enter into effect and be binding on and between the Borrower, the Borrower’s Agent and all Lenders. The Commission shall notify the Borrower, the Borrower’s Agent and the Lenders about the date of entry into force.

It is acknowledged and agreed that the authorization of a Lender to be bound under this Amendment may be of provisional application in accordance with the national laws and legislation of the relevant Member State.

4.EXECUTION OF THE AGREEMENT

This Amendment may be executed in any number of counterparts signed by one or more of the parties. The counterparts each form an integral part of the original Amendment and the signature of the counterparts shall have the same effect as if the signatures on the counterparts were on a single copy of the Amendment.

The Commission shall promptly after the signature of this Amendment supply conformed copies of the Amendment to each of the parties.

5.INTERPRETATION AND ANNEXES

1.Form of Legal Opinion.

2.Amended Scheduled Principal Repayments.

3.List of Contacts.

Done in Brussels on 14 June 2011 and in Athens 10 June 2011.

HELLENIC REPUBLIC as Borrower Represented by George Papaconstantinou Minister of Finance The following Euro Area Member States KINGDOM OF BELGIUM, IRELAND, KINGDOM OF SPAIN, FRENCH REPUBLIC, ITALIAN REPUBLIC, REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS, GRAND DUCHY OF LUXEMBOURG, REPUBLIC OF MALTA, KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS, REPUBLIC OF AUSTRIA, PORTUGUESE REPUBLIC, REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA and REPUBLIC OF FINLAND as Lenders represented by: EUROPEAN COMMISSION Represented by Olli Rehn
BANK OF GREECE as the Borrower’s Agent Represented by George Provopoulos Governor of the Bank of Greece KfW acting in the public interest, subject to the instructions of and with the benefit of the guarantee of the Federal Republic of Germany as Lender Represented by Rita Geyermann (First Vice President) Dr. Omar Ranné (Vice President)

ANNEX 1

FORM OF LEGAL OPINION

(official letterhead of the Legal Advisor to the State at the Ministry of Justice, Transparency and Human Rights and the Legal Advisor to the State at the Ministry of Finance)

[place, date]

To: European Commission[Insert address]

Re:Amendment dated [*] 2011 to the Loan Facility Agreement between certain Euro Area Member States and KfW (as Lenders) and the Hellenic Republic (as Borrower) and the Bank of Greece (as the Borrower’s Agent) signed on 8 May 2010 (the “Loan Facility Agreement”) Legal Opinion

Dear Sirs,

In our capacity as the Legal Advisor to the State at the Ministry of Justice, Transparency and Human Rights and the Legal Advisor to the State at the Ministry of Finance, we refer to the above referenced Amendment and its Annexes which constitute an integral part thereof (hereinafter together referred to as the “Amendment”) entered into between, amongs others, certain Euro Area Member States and KfW (hereinafter referred to as the “Lenders”) and the Hellenic Republic (hereinafter referred to as the “Borrower”) on [*] 2011.

We warrant that we are competent to issue this legal opinion in connection with the Amendment on behalf of the Borrower.

We have examined originals of the Amendment. We have also examined the relevant provisions of national and international law applicable to the Borrower and the Borrower’s Agent, the powers of signatories and such other documents as we have deemed necessary or appropriate. Furthermore, we have made such other investigations and reviewed such matters of law as we have considered relevant to the opinion expressed herein.

We have assumed (i) the genuineness of all signatures (except the Borrower and the Borrower’s Agent) and the conformity of all copies to originals, (ii) the capacity and power to enter into the Amendment of, and their valid authorisation and signing by, each party other than the Borrower and the Borrower’s Agent and (iii) the validity, binding effect and enforceability of the Amendment on each party under the laws of England.

Terms used and not defined in this opinion shall have the meaning set out in the Loan Facility Agreement and the Amendment.

This opinion is limited to Hellenic law as it stands at the date of this opinion.

Subject to the foregoing, we are of the opinion that:

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