Recital 9

(9)Evidence which has emerged in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic has made it apparent that the possibility of temporarily excluding certain exposures to central banks from the calculation of an institution’s total exposure measure, as laid down in Article 429a of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 as amended by Regulation (EU) 2019/876, could prove essential during a crisis situation. However, the discretion to exclude such exposures only becomes applicable on 28 June 2021. Therefore, before that date, the competent authorities would not be able to make use of that instrument to address the increase in exposures to central banks that is expected to occur as a result of monetary policy measures employed to mitigate the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, the effectiveness of that instrument appears to be hampered by the reduced flexibility stemming from the offsetting mechanism attached to such temporary exclusions, which would constrain the ability of institutions to increase exposures to central banks in a crisis situation. That could ultimately result in forcing an institution to reduce its level of lending to households and businesses. Therefore, in order to avoid any undesired consequences related to the offsetting mechanism and to ensure the effectiveness of that exclusion in the face of possible future shocks and crises, the offsetting mechanism should be modified. In addition, in order to ensure the availability of that discretion during the current COVID-19 pandemic, the possibility of temporarily excluding certain exposures to central banks should already be available before the leverage ratio requirement set out in point (d) of Article 92(1) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 becomes applicable on 28 June 2021. Pending the application of the amended provisions on the calculation of the leverage ratio as introduced by Regulation (EU) 2019/876, Article 429a should continue to apply in the wording as introduced by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/62 ¹¹ .