Swiss Capital Rule Debate Moves to Upper House First

The Swiss government's proposal to increase capital requirements for systemically important banks will first be debated in the upper house of parliament. This procedural decision may influence the legislative outcome, potentially leading to a softening of the proposed regulations.

The upper house's Economic Affairs and Taxation Committee is scheduled to discuss the matter in May. The government is expected to publish its banking regulation bill before the end of April.

Proposed changes include increasing the capital requirement for foreign subsidiaries from 60% to 100%, a measure UBS has stated would negatively impact its competitiveness. A compromise proposal from lawmakers suggests allowing partial backing of foreign subsidiaries with AT1 bonds instead of Common Equity Tier 1 capital.

Other regulatory changes, including an ordinance on banking rules, are anticipated to take effect in 2027. Key capital requirement laws are expected by 2028, with additional "too big to fail" rules for large banks projected for 2029.