Title I - Subject matter, scope and definitions

These Joint Guidelines aim to clarify how competent authorities should consistently integrate ESG risks into their supervisory stress testing activities.

These Joint Guidelines are addressed to competent authorities.

Competent authorities should apply these Joint Guidelines when performing supervisory stress tests focusing on ESG risks, either as part of the relevant regulatory framework or as an ad-hoc assessment, in each case only where applicable according to the sectoral legislation.

Unless otherwise specified, the terms used in these Joint Guidelines have the same meaning as in the sectoral legislation listed below.

In addition, for the purposes of these Joint Guidelines, the following definitions apply:

• i. ‘ competent authority ’ means any of the following:
• a) the competent authorities identified in Article 4(2), point (i) of Regulation (EU) No 1093/2010 establishing the European Banking Authority ("EBA");
• b) the competent authorities identified in Article 4(2), point (i) of Regulation (EU) No 1094/2010 establishing the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority ("EIOPA"), namely the supervisory authorities defined in Directive 2009/138/EC on the taking up and pursuit of the business of insurance and reinsurance;
• ii. ‘ sectoral legislation ’ means collectively:

(a)Directive 2013/36/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council (² );

(b)Directive 2009/138/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (³ );

(c)Regulation (EU) 575/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council (⁴ ).

(² ) Directive 2013/36/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 June 2013 on access to the activity of credit institutions and the prudential supervision of credit institutions and investment firms, amending Directive 2002/87/EC and repealing Directives 2006/48/EC and 2006/49/EC (OJ L 176, 27.6.2013, p. 338, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2013/36/oj).

(³ ) Directive 2009/138/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2009 on the taking-up and pursuit of the business of Insurance and Reinsurance (Solvency II) (OJ L 335, 17.12.2009, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2009/138/oj).

(⁴ ) Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 June 2013 on prudential requirements for credit institutions and investment firms and amending Regulation (EU) No 648/2012 (OJ L 176, 27.6.2013, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2013/575/oj).