Tier 1 — Features determining classification

1. The features referred to in Article 69 shall be the following:

(a) the basic own fund item:

(i) in the case of items referred to in points (a) (i) and (ii) of Article 69, ranks after all other claims in the event of winding-up proceedings regarding the insurance or reinsurance undertaking;

(ii) in the case of items referred to in points (a)(iii) and (v) and point (b) of Article 69, ranks to the same degree as, or ahead of, the items referred to in points (a)(i) and (ii) of Article 69, but after items listed in Articles 72 and 76 that display the features set out in Article 73 and 77 respectively and after the claims of all policy holders and beneficiaries and non-subordinated creditors;

(b) the basic own-fund item does not include features which may cause the insolvency of the insurance or reinsurance undertaking or may accelerate the process of the undertaking becoming insolvent;

(c) the basic own fund item is immediately available to absorb losses;

(d) the basic own-fund item absorbs losses at least once there is non-compliance with the Solvency Capital Requirement and does not hinder the recapitalisation of the insurance or reinsurance undertaking;

(e) the basic own-fund item, in the case of items referred to in points (a)(iii) and (v) and point (b) of Article 69, possesses one of the following principal loss absorbency mechanisms to be triggered at the trigger event specified in paragraph 8:

(i) the nominal or principal amount of the basic own-fund item is written down as set out in paragraphs 5 and 5a;

(ii) the basic own-fund item automatically converts into a basic own-fund item listed in point (a)(i) or (ii) of Article 69 as set out in paragraphs 6 and 6a of this Article;

(iii) a principal loss absorbency mechanism that achieves an equivalent outcome to the principal loss absorbency mechanisms set out in points (i) or (ii);

(f) the basic own-fund item meets one of the following criteria:

(i) in the case of items referred to in points (a)(i) and (ii) of Article 69, the item is undated or, where the insurance or reinsurance undertaking has a fixed maturity, is of the same maturity as the undertaking;

(ii) in the case of items referred to in points (a)(iii) and (v) and point (b) of Article 69, the item is undated; the first contractual opportunity to repay or redeem the basic own-fund item does not occur before 5 years from the date of issuance;

(g) the basic own-fund item referred to in points (a)(iii) and (v) and point (b) of Article 69 may only allow for repayment or redemption of that item between 5 and 10 years after the date of issuance where the undertaking's Solvency Capital Requirement is exceeded by an appropriate margin taking into account the solvency position of the undertaking including the undertaking's medium-term capital management plan;

(h) the basic own-fund item, in the case of items referred to in points (a)(i), (ii), (iii) and (v) and point (b) of Article 69, is only repayable or redeemable at the option of the insurance or reinsurance undertaking and the repayment or redemption of the basic own-fund item is subject to prior supervisory approval;

(i) the basic own-fund item, in the case of items referred to in points (a)(i), (ii), (iii) and (v) and point (b) of Article 69, does not include any incentives to repay or redeem that item that increase the likelihood that an insurance or reinsurance undertaking will repay or redeem that basic own-fund item where it has the option to do so;

(j) the basic own-fund item, in the case of items referred to in points (a)(i), (ii), (iii) and (v) and point (b) of Article 69, provides for the suspension of repayment or redemption of that item where there is non-compliance with the Solvency Capital Requirement or repayment or redemption would lead to such non-compliance until the undertaking complies with the Solvency Capital Requirement and the repayment or redemption would not lead to non-compliance with the Solvency Capital Requirement;

(k) notwithstanding point (j), the basic own-fund item may only allow for repayment or redemption of that item where there is non-compliance with the Solvency Capital Requirement or repayment or redemption would lead to such non-compliance, where all of the following conditions are met:

(i) the supervisory authority has exceptionally waived the suspension of repayment or redemption of that item;

(ii) the item is exchanged for or converted into another Tier 1 own-fund item of at least the same quality;

(iii) the Minimum Capital Requirement is complied with after the repayment or redemption.

(l) the basic own-fund item meets one of the following criteria:

    (i) in the case of items referred to in points (a)(i) and (ii) of Article 69(1), either the legal or                    contractual arrangements governing the basic own-fund item or national legislation allow for            the cancellation of distri­ butions in relation to that item where there is non-compliance with the          Solvency Capital Requirement or the distribution would lead to such non-compliance until the          undertaking complies with the Solvency Capital Requirement and the distribution would not              lead to non-compliance with the Solvency Capital Requirement;

    (ii) in the case of items referred to in points (a)(iii) and (v) and point (b) of Article 69 the terms of           the contractual arrangement governing the basic own-fund item provide for the cancellation             of distributions in relation to that item where there is non-compliance with the Solvency                     Capital Requirement or the distribution would lead to such non-compliance until the                           undertaking complies with the Solvency Capital Requirement and the distribution would not             lead to non-compliance with the Solvency Capital Requirement;

(m) the basic own-fund item may only allow for a distribution to be made where there is non-                  compliance with the Solvency Capital Requirement or the distribution on a basic-own fund                item would lead to such non-compliance, where all of the following conditions are met:

      (i) the supervisory authority has exceptionally waived the cancellation of distributions;

      (ii) the distribution does not further weaken the solvency position of the insurance or                               reinsurance undertaking;

      (iii) the Minimum Capital Requirement is complied with after the distribution is made.

(n) the basic own fund item, in the case of items referred to in points (a)(i), (ii), (iii) and (v) and               point (b) of Article 69, provides the insurance or reinsurance undertaking with full flexibility over       the distributions on the basic own-fund item;

(o) the basic own-fund item is free from encumbrances and is not connected with any other                   transaction, which when considered with the basic own-fund item, could result in that basic               own-fund item not complying with Article 94(1) of Directive 2009/138/EC.

2. For the purposes of this Article, the exchange or conversion of a basic own-fund item into another Tier 1 basic own-fund item or the repayment or redemption of a Tier 1 own-fund item out of the proceeds of a new basic own-fund item of at least the same quality shall not be deemed to be a repayment or redemption, provided that the exchange, conversion, repayment or redemption is subject to the approval of the supervisory authority.

3. For the purposes of point (n) of paragraph 1, in the case of basic own-fund items referred to in points (a)(i) and (ii) of Article 69, full flexibility over the distributions is provided where all of the following conditions are met:

(a) there is no preferential distribution treatment regarding the order of distribution payments and the terms of the contractual arrangement governing the own-fund item do not provide preferential rights to the payment of distributions;

(b) distributions are paid out of distributable items;

(c) the level of distributions is not determined on the basis of the amount for which the own-fund item was purchased at issuance and there is no cap or other restriction on the maximum level of distribution;

(d) notwithstanding point (c), in the case of instruments issued by mutual and mutual-type undertakings, a cap or other restriction on the maximum level of distribution may be set, provided that cap or other restriction is not an event linked to distributions being made, or not made, on other own fund items;

(e) there is no obligation for an insurance or reinsurance undertaking to make distributions;

(f) non-payment of distributions does not constitute an event of default of the insurance or reinsurance undertaking;

(g) the cancellation of distributions imposes no restrictions on the insurance or reinsurance undertaking.

4. For the purposes of point (n) of paragraph 1, in the case of basic own-fund items referred to in points (a)(iii) and (a)(v) and point (b) of Article 69 full flexibility over the distributions is provided where all of the following conditions are met:

(a) distributions are paid out of distributable items;

(b) insurance and reinsurance undertakings have full discretion at all times to cancel distributions in relation to the own-fund item for an unlimited period and on a non-cumulative basis and the undertakings may use the cancelled payments without restriction to meet its obligations as they fall due;

(c) there is no obligation to substitute the distribution by a payment in any other form;

(d) there is no obligation to make distributions in the event of a distribution being made on another own fund item;

(e) non-payment of distributions does not constitute an event of default of the insurance or reinsurance undertaking;

(f) the cancellation of distributions imposes no restrictions on the insurance or reinsurance undertaking.

5. For the purposes of paragraph (1)(e)(i), the nominal or principal amount of the basic own-fund item shall be written down in such a way that all of the following are reduced:

(a) the claim of the holder of that item in the event of winding-up proceedings;

(b) the amount required to be paid on repayment or redemption of that item;

(c) the distributions paid on that item.

6. For the purposes of paragraph (1)(e)(ii), the provisions governing the conversion into basic own-fund items listed in points (a) (i) or (ii) of Article 69 shall specify either of the following:

(a) the rate of conversion and a limit on the permitted amount of conversion;

(b) a range within which the instruments will convert into the basic own funds item listed in points (a)(i) or (ii) of Article 69.

7. The nominal or principal amount of the basic own-fund item shall absorb losses at the trigger event. Loss absorbency resulting from the cancellation of, or a reduction in, distributions shall not be deemed to be sufficient to be considered to be a principal loss absorbency mechanism in accordance with paragraph (1)(e).

8. The trigger event referred to in paragraph (1)(e) shall be significant non-compliance with the Solvency Capital Requirement.

For the purposes of this paragraph, non-compliance with the Solvency Capital Requirement shall be considered significant where any of the following conditions is met:

(a) the amount of own-fund items eligible to cover the Solvency Capital Requirement is equal to or less than the 75 % of the Solvency Capital Requirement;

(b) the amount of own-fund items eligible to cover the Minimum Capital Requirement is equal to or less than Minimum Capital Requirement;

(c) compliance with the Solvency Capital Requirement is not re-established within a period of three months of the date when non-compliance with the Solvency Capital Requirement was first observed.

Insurance and reinsurance undertakings may specify, in the provisions governing the instrument, one or more trigger events in addition to the events referred to in points (a) to (c).

9. For the purposes of points (d), (j) and (l) of paragraph 1, references to the Solvency Capital Requirement shall be read as references to the Minimum Capital Requirement where non-compliance with the Minimum Capital Requirement occurs before non-compliance with the Solvency Capital Requirement.