Equivalence concerning related third-country insurance and re-insurance undertakings

1.  When calculating the group solvency of an insurance or reinsurance undertaking which is a participating undertaking in a third-country insurance or reinsurance undertaking, in accordance with Article 233, the third-country insurance or reinsurance undertaking shall, solely for the purposes of that calculation, be treated as a related insurance or reinsurance undertaking.

However, where the third country in which that undertaking has its head office makes it subject to authorisation and imposes on it a solvency regime at least equivalent to that laid down in Title I, Chapter VI, Member States may provide that the calculation take into account, as regards that undertaking, the Solvency Capital Requirement and the own funds eligible to satisfy that requirement as laid down by the third country concerned.

2.  Where no delegated act has been adopted in accordance with paragraph 4 or 5 of this Article, the verification of whether the third-country regime is at least equivalent shall be carried out by the group supervisor at the request of the participating undertaking or on its own initiative. EIOPA shall assist the group supervisor in accordance with Article 33(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1094/2010.

The group supervisor, assisted by EIOPA, shall consult the other supervisory authorities concerned before taking a decision on equivalence. That decision shall be taken in accordance with the criteria adopted in accordance with paragraph 3. The group supervisor shall not take any decision in relation to a third country that is contradicting any decision taken vis-à-vis that third country previously save where it is necessary to take into account significant changes to the supervisory regime laid down in Title I, Chapter VI and to the supervisory regime in the third country.

Where supervisory authorities disagree with the decision taken in accordance with subparagraph 2, they may refer the matter to EIOPA and request its assistance in accordance with Article 19 of Regulation (EU) No 1094/2010 within three months after notification of the decision by the group supervisor. In that case, EIOPA may act in accordance with the powers conferred on it by that Article.

3.  The Commission may adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 301a specifying the criteria for assessing whether the solvency regime of a third country is equivalent to that laid down in Title I, Chapter VI.

4.  If the criteria adopted in accordance with paragraph 3 have been fulfilled by a third country, the Commission may, in accordance with Article 301a, and assisted by EIOPA in accordance with Article 33(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1094/2010, adopt delegated acts determining that the supervisory regime of that third country is equivalent to that laid down in Title I, Chapter VI.

Those delegated acts shall be regularly reviewed, to take into account any significant changes to the supervisory regime laid down in Title I, Chapter VI, and to the supervisory regime in the third country.
EIOPA shall publish and keep up to date on its website a list of all third countries referred to in the first subparagraph.

5.  By way of derogation from paragraph 4, and even where the criteria specified in accordance with paragraph 3 have not been fulfilled, the Commission may, for the period referred to in paragraph 6, in accordance with Article 301a, and assisted by EIOPA in accordance with Article 33(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1094/2010, adopt delegated acts determining that the solvency regime of a third country applied to undertakings with the head office in that third country is provisionally equivalent to that laid down in Title I, Chapter VI, where:

(a) it can be shown that a solvency regime capable of being assessed equivalent in accordance with paragraph 4 is currently in place or may be adopted and applied by the third country;

(b) the third country has a solvency regime that is risk based and establishes quantitative and qualitative solvency requirements and requirements relating to supervisory reporting and transparency;

(c) the third country's law, in principle, allows cooperation, and exchange of confidential supervisory information, with EIOPA and supervisory authorities;

(d) the third country has an independent system of supervision; and

(e) the third country has established obligations on professional secrecy for all persons acting on behalf of its supervisory authorities.

EIOPA shall publish and keep up to date on its website a list of all third countries referred to in the first subparagraph.

6.  The initial period of provisional equivalence referred to in paragraph 5 shall be 10 years, unless before the expiry of that period:

(a) that delegated act has been revoked; or

(b) a delegated act has been adopted in accordance with paragraph 4 to the effect that the supervisory regime of that third country has been deemed to be equivalent to that laid down in Title I, Chapter VI.
Provisional equivalence shall be subject to renewals for further periods of 10 years where the criteria referred to in paragraph 5 continue to be met. The Commission shall adopt any such delegated act in accordance with Article 301a and assisted by EIOPA in accordance with Article 33(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1094/2010.
Any delegated acts determining provisional equivalence shall take into account the reports by the Commission in accordance with Article 177(2). Such delegated acts shall be reviewed regularly by the Commission. EIOPA shall assist the Commission in the assessment of those decisions. The Commission shall inform the Parliament of any reviews taking place and shall report to the European Parliament on its conclusions.

7.  Where, in accordance with paragraph 5, a delegated act determining that the supervisory regime of a third country is provisionally equivalent has been adopted, that third country shall be deemed to be equivalent of the purposes of the second subparagraph of paragraph 1.