Decision (EU) 2019/2215 of the European Central Bank of 28 November 2019 amending Decision (EU) 2016/2247 on the annual accounts of the European Central Bank (ECB/2019/35)
Date: 2019-11-28
Institutions: European Central Bank
Subjects: account, balance sheet, closing of accounts, financial legislation, standardised accounting system




L_2019332EN.01016801.xml










23.12.2019   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


L 332/168








            DECISION (EU) 2019/2215 OF THE EUROPEAN CENTRAL BANK
         
of 28 November 2019
         
amending Decision (EU) 2016/2247 on the annual accounts of the European Central Bank (ECB/2019/35)


THE GOVERNING COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN CENTRAL BANK,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,


Having regard to the Statute of the European System of Central Banks and of the European Central Bank, and in particular Article 26.2 thereof,

Whereas:







(1)


Decision (EU) 2016/2247 of the European Central Bank (ECB/2016/35) (1) lays down the rules for drawing up the annual accounts of the European Central Bank (ECB).












(2)


The scope of the provision established in Article 8 of Decision (EU) 2016/2247 (ECB/2016/35) should be extended to cover all financial risks.












(3)


Decision (EU) 2016/2247 (ECB/2016/35) needs to establish valuation rules for marketable investment funds distinct from those applicable to marketable equity shares, and clarify the reporting of reverse operations with financial institutions other than credit institutions.












(4)


Therefore, Decision (EU) 2016/2247 (ECB/2016/35) should be amended accordingly,





HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:



Article 1

Amendments

Decision (EU) 2016/2247 (ECB/2016/35) is amended as follows:






1.


Article 8 is replaced by the following:

‘Article 8
Provision for financial risks
Taking into due consideration the nature of the ECB’s activities, the Governing Council may establish a provision for financial risks in the balance sheet of the ECB. The Governing Council shall decide on the size and use of the provision on the basis of a reasoned estimate of the ECB’s risk exposure.’;











2.


Article 11 is replaced by the following:

‘Article 11
Marketable equity shares
Marketable equity shares shall be accounted for in accordance with Article 11 of Guideline (EU) 2016/2249 (ECB/2016/34).’;











3.


The following Article 11a is inserted:

‘Article 11a
Marketable investment funds
Marketable investment funds shall be accounted for in accordance with Article 11a of Guideline (EU) 2016/2249 (ECB/2016/34).’;











4.


Annex I is replaced by Annex I to this Decision.;










5.


Annex III is replaced by Annex II to this Decision.






Article 2

Entry into force

The Decision shall enter into force on 31 December 2019.




Done at Frankfurt am Main, 28 November 2019.


For the Governing Council


The President of the ECB

Christine LAGARDE
            





(1)  Decision (EU) 2016/2247 of the European Central Bank of 3 November 2016 on the annual accounts of the European Central Bank (ECB/2016/35) (OJ L 347, 20.12.2016, p. 1).




ANNEX I
Annex I to Decision (EU) 2016/2247 (ECB/2016/35) is replaced by the following:



‘ANNEX I
COMPOSITION AND VALUATION RULES FOR THE BALANCE SHEET
ASSETS








 


Balance sheet item


Categorisation of contents of balance sheet items


Valuation principle




1



Gold and gold receivables



Physical gold, i.e. bars, coins, plates, nuggets, in storage or ‘under way’. Non-physical gold, such as balances in gold sight accounts (unallocated accounts), term deposits and claims to receive gold arising from the following transactions: (a) upgrading or downgrading transactions; and (b) gold location or purity swaps where there is a difference of more than one business day between release and receipt


Market value




2



Claims on non-euro area residents denominated in foreign currency



Claims on counterparties resident outside the euro area including international and supranational institutions and central banks outside the euro area denominated in foreign currency


 




2.1



Receivables from the International Monetary Fund (IMF)









(a)



Drawing rights within the reserve tranche (net)

National quota minus balances in euro at the disposal of the IMF. The No 2 account of the IMF (euro account for administrative expenses) may be included in this item or under the item ‘Liabilities to non-euro area residents denominated in euro’












(a)



Drawing rights within the reserve tranche (net)

Nominal value, translated at the foreign exchange market rate














(b)



Special drawing rights (SDRs)

Holdings of SDRs (gross)












(b)



SDRs

Nominal value, translated at the foreign exchange market rate














(c)



Other claims

General arrangements to borrow, loans under special borrowing arrangements, deposits made to trusts under the management of the IMF












(c)



Other claims

Nominal value, translated at the foreign exchange market rate








2.2



Balances with banks and security investments, external loans and other external assets









(a)



Balances with banks outside the euro area other than those under asset item
11.3
‘Other financial assets’

Current accounts, fixed-term deposits, day-to-day money, reverse repo transactions












(a)



Balances with banks outside the euro area

Nominal value, translated at the foreign exchange market rate














(b)



Security investments outside the euro area other than those under asset item
11.3
‘Other financial assets’

Notes and bonds, bills, zero bonds, money market paper, equity shares, investment funds held as part of the foreign reserves, all issued by non-euro area residents












(b)








(i)



Marketable debt securities other than held-to-maturity

Market price and foreign exchange market rate
Any premiums or discounts are amortised










(ii)



Marketable debt securities
classified as held-to-maturity

Cost subject to impairment and foreign exchange market rate
Any premiums or discounts are amortised










(iii)



Non-marketable debt securities

Cost subject to impairment and foreign exchange market rate
Any premiums or discounts are amortised










(iv)



Marketable equity shares

Market price and foreign exchange market rate










(v)



Marketable investment funds

Market price and foreign exchange market rate


















(c)



External loans (deposits) to non-euro area residents other than those under asset item 11.3 ‘Other financial assets’













(c)



External loans

Deposits at nominal value, translated at the foreign exchange market rate














(d)



Other external assets

Non-euro area banknotes and coins












(d)



Other external assets

Nominal value, translated at the foreign exchange market rate








3



Claims on euro area residents denominated in foreign currency









(a)



Security investments inside the euro area other than those under asset item
11.3
‘Other financial assets’

Notes and bonds, bills, zero bonds, money market paper, equity shares, investment funds, held as part of the foreign reserves, all issued by euro area residents












(a)








(i)



Marketable debt securities other than held-to-maturity

Market price and foreign exchange market rate
Any premiums or discounts are amortised










(ii)



Marketable debt securities classified as held-to-maturity

Cost subject to impairment and foreign exchange market rate
Any premiums or discounts are amortised










(iii)



Non-marketable debt securities

Cost subject to impairment and foreign exchange market rate
Any premiums or discounts are amortised










(iv)



Marketable equity shares

Market price and foreign exchange market rate










(v)


Marketable investment funds
Market price and foreign exchange market rate


















(b)



Other claims on euro area residents other than those under asset item
11.3
‘Other financial assets’

Loans, deposits, reverse repo transactions, sundry lending












(b)



Other claims

Deposits and other lending at nominal value, translated at the foreign exchange market rate








4



Claims on non-euro area residents denominated in euro



 


 




4.1



Balances with banks, security investments and loans









(a)



Balances with banks outside the euro area other than those under asset item
11.3
‘Other financial assets’

Current accounts, fixed-term deposits, day-to-day money, reverse repo transactions in connection with the management of securities denominated in euro












(a)



Balances with banks outside the euro area

Nominal value














(b)



Security investments outside the euro area other than those under asset item
11.3
‘Other financial assets’

Equity shares, investment funds, notes and bonds, bills, zero bonds, money market paper, all issued by non-euro area residents












(b)








(i)



Marketable debt securities other than held-to-maturity

Market price
Any premiums or discounts are amortised










(ii)



Marketable debt securities classified as held-to-maturity

Cost subject to impairment
Any premiums or discounts are amortised










(iii)



Non-marketable debt securities

Cost subject to impairment
Any premiums or discounts are amortised










(iv)



Marketable equity shares

Market price










(v)



Marketable investment funds

Market price


















(c)



Loans to non-euro area residents other than those under asset item 11.3 ‘Other financial assets’













(c)



Loans outside the euro area

Deposits at nominal value














(d)



Securities issued by entities outside the euro area other than those under asset item
11.3
‘Other financial assets’ and asset item
7.1
‘Securities held for monetary policy purposes’

Securities issued by supranational or international organisations, e.g. the European Investment Bank, irrespective of their geographical location, and not purchased for monetary policy purposes












(d)








(i)



Marketable debt securities other than held-to-maturity

Market price
Any premiums or discounts are amortised










(ii)



Marketable debt securities classified as held-to-maturity

Cost subject to impairment
Any premiums or discounts are amortised










(iii)



Non-marketable debt securities

Cost subject to impairment
Any premiums or discounts are amortised












4.2



Claims arising from the credit facility under the Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM) II



Lending in accordance with the ERM II conditions


Nominal value




5



Lending to euro area credit institutions related to monetary policy operations denominated in euro



Items 5.1 to 5.5: transactions in accordance with the respective monetary policy instruments described in Guideline (EU) 2015/510 of the European Central Bank (ECB/2014/60) (*)



 




5.1



Main refinancing operations



Regular liquidity-providing reverse transactions with a weekly frequency and normally a maturity of one week


Nominal value or repo cost




5.2



Longer-term refinancing operations



Regular liquidity-providing reverse transactions normally with a monthly frequency, with a maturity longer than that of the main refinancing operations


Nominal value or repo cost




5.3



Fine-tuning reverse operations



Reverse transactions, executed as ad hoc transactions for fine-tuning purposes


Nominal value or repo cost




5.4



Structural reverse operations



Reverse transactions adjusting the structural position of the Eurosystem vis-à-vis the financial sector


Nominal value or repo cost




5.5



Marginal lending facility



Overnight liquidity facility at a pre-specified interest rate against eligible assets (standing facility)


Nominal value or repo cost




5.6



Credits related to margin calls



Additional credit to credit institutions, arising from value increases of underlying assets regarding other credit to these credit institutions


Nominal value or cost




6



Other claims on euro area credit institutions denominated in euro



Current accounts, fixed-term deposits, day-to-day money, reverse repo transactions in connection with the management of security portfolios under the asset item 7 ‘Securities of euro area residents denominated in euro’, including transactions resulting from the transformation of former foreign currency reserves of the euro area, and other claims. Correspondent accounts with non-domestic euro area credit institutions. Other claims and operations unrelated to monetary policy operations of the Eurosystem


Nominal value or cost




7



Securities of euro area residents denominated in euro



 


 




7.1



Securities held for monetary policy purposes



Securities held for monetary policy purposes (including securities purchased for monetary policy purposes issued by supranational or international organisations, or multilateral development banks, irrespective of their geographical location). European Central Bank (ECB) debt certificates purchased for fine-tuning purposes








(a)



Marketable debt securities

Accounted for depending on monetary policy considerations:






(i)


Market price
Any premiums or discounts are amortised










(ii)


Cost subject to impairment (cost when the impairment is covered by a provision under liability item 13(b) ‘Provisions’)
Any premiums or discounts are amortised














(b)



Non-marketable debt securities

Cost subject to impairment
Any premiums or discounts are amortised








7.2



Other securities



Securities other than those under asset item 7.1 ‘Securities held for monetary policy purposes’ and under asset item 11.3 ‘Other financial assets’: notes and bonds, bills, zero bonds, money market paper held outright, including government securities stemming from before Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), denominated in euro. Equity shares and investment funds








(a)



Marketable debt securities other than held-to-maturity

Market price
Any premiums or discounts are amortised










(b)



Marketable debt securities classified as held-to-maturity

Cost subject to impairment
Any premiums or discounts are amortised










(c)



Non-marketable debt securities

Cost subject to impairment
Any premiums or discounts are amortised










(d)



Marketable equity shares

Market price










(e)



Marketable investment funds

Market price








8



General government debt denominated in euro



Claims on government stemming from before EMU (non-marketable securities, loans)


Deposits/loans at nominal value, non-marketable securities at cost




9



Intra-Eurosystem claims



 


 




9.1



Claims related to the issuance of ECB debt certificates



Intra-Eurosystem claims vis-à-vis national central banks (NCBs), arising from the issuance of ECB debt certificates


Cost




9.2



Claims related to the allocation of euro banknotes within the Eurosystem



Claims related to the ECB’s banknote issue, in accordance with Decision ECB/2010/29 of the European Central Bank (**)



Nominal value




9.3



Other claims within the Eurosystem (net)



Net position of the following sub-items:






(a)


net claims arising from balances of TARGET2 accounts and correspondent accounts of NCBs, i.e. the net figure of claims and liabilities. See also liability item 10.2 ‘Other liabilities within the Eurosystem (net)’












(a)


Nominal value














(b)


other intra-Eurosystem claims denominated in euro that may arise, including the interim distribution of ECB income to NCBs












(b)


Nominal value








10



Items in course of settlement



Settlement account balances (claims), including the float of cheques in collection


Nominal value




11



Other assets



 


 




11.1



Coins of euro area



Euro coins


Nominal value




11.2



Tangible and intangible fixed assets



Land and buildings, furniture and equipment including computer equipment, software


Cost less depreciation




Depreciation is the systematic allocation of the depreciable amount of an asset over its useful life. The useful life is the period over which a fixed asset is expected to be available for use by the entity. Useful lives of individual material fixed assets may be reviewed on a systematic basis, if expectations differ from previous estimates. Major assets may comprise components with different useful lives. The lives of such components should be assessed individually
The cost of intangible assets includes the price for the acquisition of the intangible asset. Other direct or indirect costs are to be expensed
Capitalisation of expenditure: limit based (below EUR 10 000  excluding VAT: no capitalisation)




11.3



Other financial assets









—


Participating interests and investments in subsidiaries, equity shares and investment funds held for strategic/policy reasons










—


Securities including equity shares and investment funds, and other financial instruments and balances including fixed-term deposits and current accounts held as an earmarked portfolio










—


Reverse repo transactions with financial institutions in connection with the management of securities portfolios under this asset item










—


Euro denominated reverse repo transactions with euro area financial institutions other than credit institutions in connection with the management of securities portfolios other than those held under this item












(a)



Marketable equity shares

Market price










(b)



Marketable investment funds

Market price










(c)



Participating interests and illiquid equity shares, and any other equity instruments held as permanent investments

Cost subject to impairment










(d)



Investment in subsidiaries or significant interests

Net asset value










(e)



Marketable debt securities other than held-to-maturity

Market price Premiums/discounts are amortised










(f)



Marketable debt securities classified as held-to-maturity or held as a permanent investment

Cost subject to impairment
Any premiums or discounts are amortised










(g)



Non-marketable debt securities

Cost subject to impairment










(h)



Balances with banks and loans

Nominal value, translated at the foreign exchange market rate if the balances/deposits are denominated in foreign currencies








11.4



Off-balance-sheet instruments revaluation differences



Valuation results of foreign exchange forwards, foreign exchange swaps, interest rate swaps (unless daily variation margin applies), forward rate agreements, forward transactions in securities, foreign exchange spot transactions from trade date to settlement date


Net position between forward and spot, at the foreign exchange market rate




11.5



Accruals and prepaid expenditure



Income not due in, but assignable to the reported period. Prepaid expenditure and accrued interest paid, i.e. accrued interest purchased with a security


Nominal value, foreign exchange translated at market rate




11.6



Sundry









(a)


Advances, loans and other minor items. Loans on a trust basis












(a)


Nominal value or cost














(b)


Investments related to customer gold deposits












(b)


Market value














(c)


Net pension assets












(c)


As per Article 25(2)














(d)


Outstanding claims arising from the default of Eurosystem counterparties in the context of Eurosystem credit operations












(d)


Nominal/recoverable value (before/after settlement of losses)














(e)


Assets or claims (vis-à-vis third parties) appropriated and/or acquired in the context of the realisation of collateral submitted by Eurosystem counterparties in default












(e)


Cost (converted at the foreign exchange market rate at the time of the acquisition if financial assets are denominated in foreign currencies)








12



Loss for the year



 


Nominal value




LIABILITIES








 


Balance sheet item


Categorisation of contents of balance sheet items


Valuation principle




1



Banknotes in circulation



Euro banknotes issued by the ECB, in accordance with Decision ECB/2010/29


Nominal value




2



Liabilities to euro area credit institutions related to monetary policy operations denominated in euro



Items 2.1, 2.2, 2.3 and 2.5: deposits in euro as described in Guideline (EU) 2015/510 (ECB/2014/60)


 




2.1



Current accounts (covering the minimum reserve system)



Euro accounts of credit institutions that are included in the list of financial institutions subject to minimum reserves in accordance with the Statute of the European System of Central Banks and of the European Central Bank (the ‘Statute of the ESCB’). This item contains primarily accounts used in order to hold minimum reserves


Nominal value




2.2



Deposit facility



Overnight deposits at a pre-specified interest rate (standing facility)


Nominal value




2.3



Fixed-term deposits



Collection for liquidity absorption purposes owing to fine-tuning operations


Nominal value




2.4



Fine-tuning reverse operations



Monetary policy-related transactions with the aim of liquidity absorption


Nominal value or repo cost




2.5



Deposits related to margin calls



Deposits of credit institutions, arising from value decreases of underlying assets regarding credits to these credit institutions


Nominal value




3



Other liabilities to euro area credit institutions denominated in euro



Repo transactions with credit institutions for the management of securities portfolios under asset item 7 ‘Securities of euro area residents denominated in euro’. Other operations unrelated to Eurosystem monetary policy operations. No current accounts of credit institutions


Nominal value or repo cost




4



ECB debt certificates issued



Debt certificates as described in Guideline (EU) 2015/510 (ECB/2014/60). Discount paper, issued with the aim of liquidity absorption


Cost
Any discounts are amortised




5



Liabilities to other euro area residents denominated in euro



 


 




5.1



General government



Current accounts, fixed-term deposits, deposits repayable on demand


Nominal value




5.2



Other liabilities



Current accounts of staff, companies and clients including financial institutions listed as exempt from the obligation to hold minimum reserves (see liability item 2.1); repo transactions with financial institutions other than credit institutions for the management of securities other than those under asset item 11.3 ‘Other financial assets’; fixed-term deposits, deposits repayable on demand


Nominal value




6



Liabilities to non-euro area residents denominated in euro



Current accounts, fixed-term deposits, deposits repayable on demand including accounts held for payment purposes and accounts held for reserve management purposes: of other banks, central banks, international/supranational institutions including the European Commission; current accounts of other depositors. Repo transactions for the management of securities denominated in euro. Balances of TARGET2 accounts of central banks of Member States whose currency is not the euro


Nominal value or repo cost




7



Liabilities to euro area residents denominated in foreign currency



Current accounts. Liabilities under repo transactions; usually investment transactions using foreign currency assets or gold


Nominal value, translated at year-end foreign exchange market rate




8



Liabilities to non-euro area residents denominated in foreign currency



 


 




8.1



Deposits, balances and other liabilities



Current accounts. Liabilities under repo transactions; usually investment transactions using foreign currency assets or gold


Nominal value, translated at the year-end foreign exchange market rate




8.2



Liabilities arising from the credit facility under ERM II



Borrowing in accordance with the ERM II conditions


Nominal value, translated at the year-end foreign exchange market rate




9



Counterpart of special drawing rights allocated by the IMF



SDR-denominated item which shows the amount of SDRs that were originally allocated to the respective country/NCB


Nominal value, translated at the year-end foreign exchange market rate




10



Intra-Eurosystem liabilities



 


 




10.1



Liabilities equivalent to the transfer of foreign reserves



ECB balance sheet item, denominated in euro


Nominal value




10.2



Other liabilities within the Eurosystem (net)



Net position of the following sub-items:






(a)


net liabilities arising from balances of TARGET2 accounts and correspondent accounts of NCBs, i.e. the net figure of claims and liabilities. See also asset item 9.3 ‘Other claims within the Eurosystem (net)’












(a)


Nominal value














(b)


other intra-Eurosystem liabilities denominated in euro that may arise, including the interim distribution of ECB income to NCBs












(b)


Nominal value








11



Items in course of settlement



Settlement account balances (liabilities), including the float of giro transfers


Nominal value




12



Other liabilities



 


 




12.1



Off-balance-sheet instruments revaluation differences



Valuation results of foreign exchange forwards, foreign exchange swaps, interest rate swaps (unless daily variation margin applies), forward rate agreements, forward transactions in securities, foreign exchange spot transactions from trade date to settlement date


Net position between forward and spot, at the foreign exchange market rate




12.2



Accruals and income collected in advance



Expenditure falling due in a future period but relating to the reporting period. Income received in the reported period but relating to a future period


Nominal value, foreign exchange translated at market rate




12.3



Sundry









(a)


Taxation suspense accounts. Foreign currency credit or guarantee cover accounts. Repo transactions with financial institutions for the management of securities portfolios under asset item 11.3 ‘Other financial assets’. Compulsory deposits other than reserve deposits. Other minor items. Liabilities on a trust basis.












(a)


Nominal value or (repo) cost














(b)


Customer gold deposits.












(b)


Market value














(c)


Net pension liabilities












(c)


As per Article 25(2)








13



Provisions









(a)


For financial risks, and for other purposes, e.g. expected future expenses and contributions in accordance with Article 48.2 of the Statute of the ESCB with respect to central banks of Member States whose derogations have been abrogated












(a)


Cost/nominal value














(b)


For counterparty or credit risks arising from monetary policy operations












(b)


Nominal value (based on a valuation at year end by the Governing Council)








14



Revaluation accounts









(a)


Revaluation accounts related to price movements for gold, for every type of euro-denominated securities, for every type of foreign currency-denominated securities, for options; market valuation differences related to interest rate risk derivatives; revaluation accounts related to foreign exchange rate movements for every currency net position held, including foreign exchange swaps/forwards and SDRs
Special revaluation accounts stemming from contributions in accordance with Article 48.2 of the Statute of the ESCB with respect to central banks of Member States whose derogations have been abrogated. See Article 14(2)












(a)


Revaluation difference between average cost and market value, foreign exchange translated at market rate














(b)


Remeasurement results of the net defined benefit liability (asset) in respect of post-employment benefits, which are the net position of the following sub-items:






(i)


Actuarial gains and losses in the present value of the defined benefit obligation










(ii)


Return on plan assets, excluding amounts included in net interest on the net defined benefit liability (asset)










(iii)


Any change in the effect of the asset ceiling, excluding amounts included in net interest on the net defined benefit liability (asset)
















(b)


As per Article 25(2)








15



Capital and reserves



 


 




15.1



Capital



Paid-up capital


Nominal value




15.2



Reserves



Legal reserves, in accordance with Article 33 of the Statute of the ESCB, and contributions in accordance with Article 48.2 of the Statute of the ESCB with respect to central banks of Member States whose derogations have been abrogated


Nominal value




16



Profit for the year



 


Nominal value






            ’
         


(*)  Guideline (EU) 2015/510 of the European Central Bank of 19 December 2014 on the implementation of the Eurosystem monetary policy framework (ECB/2014/60) (OJ L 91, 2.4.2015, p. 3).

(**)  Decision ECB/2010/29 of the European Central Bank of 13 December 2010 on the issue of euro banknotes (OJ L 35, 9.2.2011, p. 26).’.





ANNEX II
Annex III to Decision (EU) 2016/2247 (ECB/2016/35) is replaced by the following:



‘ANNEX III
PUBLISHED PROFIT AND LOSS ACCOUNT OF THE ECB








(EUR million)




Profit and loss account for the year ending 31 December …


Reporting year


Previous year





1.1.1.




Interest income on foreign reserve assets



 


 





1.1.2.




Interest income arising from the allocation of euro banknotes within the Eurosystem



 


 





1.1.3.




Other interest income



 


 





1.1.




Interest income



 


 





1.2.1.




Remuneration of NCBs’ claims in respect of foreign reserves transferred



 


 





1.2.2.




Other interest expense



 


 





1.2.




Interest expense



 


 




1


Net interest income


 


 





2.1.




Realised gains/losses arising from financial operations



 


 





2.2.




Write-downs on financial assets and positions



 


 





2.3.




Transfer to/from provisions for financial risks



 


 




2


Net result of financial operations, write downs and risk provisions


 


 





3.1.




Fees and commissions income



 


 





3.2.




Fees and commissions expense



 


 




3


Net income/expense from fees and commissions (2)



 


 




4


Income from equity shares and participating interests


 


 




5


Other income


 


 





Total net income



 


 




6


Staff costs (3)



 


 




7


Administrative expenses (3)



 


 




8


Depreciation of tangible and intangible fixed assets


 


 




9


Banknote production services (4)



 


 




10


Other expenses


 


 





(Loss)/profit for the year



 


 






            ’
         


(1)  The ECB may alternatively publish exact euro amounts, or amounts rounded in a different manner.

(2)  The breakdown between income and expenses may alternatively be provided in the explanatory notes to the annual accounts.

(3)  This includes administrative provisions.

(4)  This item is used in the case of outsourced banknote production (for the cost of the services provided by external companies in charge of the production on behalf of the central banks). It is recommended that the costs incurred in connection with the issue of euro banknotes are taken to the profit and loss account as they are invoiced or otherwise incurred, see also Guideline (EU) 2016/2249 (ECB/2016/34).