(5)The final elements of the Basel III framework published on 7 December 2017 impose, in case of securitisation exposures, a minimum credit rating requirement upon a limited set of protection providers only, namely entities that are not sovereign entities, public sector entities, institutions or other prudentially regulated financial institutions. It is therefore necessary to amend Article 249(3) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 to align it with the Basel III framework in order to enhance the effectiveness of national public guarantee schemes that support institutions’ strategies to securitise non-performing exposures (NPEs) in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.