Belgium: Financial Sector Assessment Program-Financial System Stability Assessment

International Monetary Fund

No 2023/388, IMF Staff Country Reports from International Monetary Fund

Abstract: This paper focuses on the report on Belgium’s Financial Sector Assessment Program. Economic activity has slowed, core inflation remains high, and the fiscal outlook is challenging. The financial sector has remained resilient despite a series of shocks. Key financial stability risks emanate from the large, concentrated, and interconnected banking sector, private sector indebtedness, and high exposure to real estate. Bank solvency stress tests indicate that the financial sector is resilient under severe macroeconomic shocks. Although there is some heterogeneity across financial institutions, all banks would satisfy the minimum capital criteria. The authorities should enhance the National Bank of Belgium’s powers to set macroprudential policy in line with its financial stability mandate. In the near term, the extension/ setting of capital requirements should be streamlined, without the requirement for government approval. There is scope to strengthen the corporate governance framework and expectations for banks, and boost prudential supervisory staffing, especially given upcoming regulatory developments.

Keywords: bank solvency stress tests; insurance solvency stress test; NBB coordination; corporate governance framework; cash flow; B. bank Oversight; market share; Stress testing; Financial sector stability; Insurance companies; Financial Sector Assessment Program; Global; Europe (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 75
Date: 2023-12-08
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-eur
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