(7)To ensure that the approach taken in this Regulation fully complies with the principle of proportionality and to eliminate any disproportionate burden, it should be possible for small credit institutions to be quantitatively assessed on the basis of their size only. Competent and resolution authorities should therefore be able to conclude that the failure of a small credit institution would not be likely to have a significant negative effect on financial markets, other institutions or funding conditions, without applying the total quantitative score, provided that their qualitative assessment supports that conclusion. For those small credit institutions, the assessment of the qualitative criteria should also be conducted in a proportionate manner.