Scope Ratings GmbH (Scope) monitors and reviews its credit ratings on an ongoing basis and at least annually, or every six months in the case of sovereigns, sub-sovereigns and supranational organisations.

Scope performs monitoring reviews to determine whether material changes and/or changes in macroeconomic or financial market conditions could have an impact on the credit ratings. Scope considers all available and relevant information when undertaking the monitoring review.

Monitoring reviews are conducted by performing a peer comparison, benchmarking against the rating-change drivers, and/or reviewing the credit ratings’ performance over time, as deemed appropriate by the Lead Analyst or Analytical Team Head, in addition to an assessment of all aspects of the relevant methodology/ies, including key rating assumptions and model(s). Scope publicly announces the completion of each monitoring review on its website.

Scope completed the monitoring review for the European Financial Stability Facility (AA+/Stable; S-1+/Stable) on 24 January 2022.

This monitoring note does not constitute a credit rating action, nor does it indicate the likelihood that Scope will conduct a credit rating action in the short term. Information about the latest credit rating action connected with this monitoring note along with the associated rating history can be found on www.scoperatings.com.

Key rating factors

Scope’s AA+ rating on the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) reflects the supranational’s highly rated key shareholders, strong guarantee mechanism and excellent capital markets access. However, the EFSF’s mandate to lend to crisis-hit countries and lack of preferred creditor status results in moderate asset quality, and its shareholder base is highly concentrated.

The Stable Outlook reflects Scope’s assessment that risks are broadly balanced. The ratings/Outlooks could be downgraded if, individually or collectively: i) key shareholders are downgraded; ii) the cash buffer decreases significantly; and/or iii) access to capital markets is meaningfully impaired. The ratings/Outlooks could be upgraded if, individually or collectively: i) key shareholders are upgraded; and/or ii) the EFSF’s liquidity buffers increase significantly and permanently.

For the associated Appendix, click here.

The methodology applicable for the reviewed rating(s) and/or rating Outlook(s) (Supranational Rating Methodology, 7 September 2021) is available on https://www.scoperatings.com/#!methodology/list.
This monitoring note is issued by Scope Ratings GmbH, Lennéstraße 5, D-10785 Berlin, Tel +49 30 27891-0.
Lead analyst: Eiko Sievert, Director

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