Recital 3

(3)Furthermore, Regulation (EU) 2019/876 of the European Parliament and of the Council ⁸ introduced in Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 some of the final elements of the Basel III framework. Those elements include, among other things, a new definition of the leverage ratio and a leverage ratio buffer, both of which prevent institutions from excessively increasing leverage, as well as provisions for the more favourable prudential treatment of certain software assets and for the more favourable treatment of certain loans backed by pensions or salaries, a revised supporting factor for loans to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) (the ‘SME supporting factor’), and a new adjustment to own funds requirements for credit risk for exposures to entities that operate or finance physical structures or facilities, systems and networks that provide or support essential public services (the ‘infrastructure supporting factor’).