What were the conditions attached to the financial assistance?

In the case of Spain, conditions were strictly directed to the banking sector. There were three main conditions: first, identifying individual bank capital needs through an asset quality review of the banking sector and a bank-by-bank stress test. Second, recapitalising and restructuring weak banks based on plans to address any capital shortfalls identified in the stress test. Finally, problematic assets in those banks receiving public support (without any credible plans to address their capital shortfalls by private means) were to be segregated and transferred to an external asset management company (Sociedad de Gestión de Activos Procedentes de la Reestructuración Bancaria – SAREB).

In addition, conditionality was also applied in order to strengthen the banking sector as a whole. This included regulatory capital targets, bank governance rules, an upgrade of reporting requirements and improved supervisory procedures.