Philenews

No Distortion of Competition from Modification of Cooperative Bank Scheme

Published January 8, 2026, 11:18
No Distortion of Competition from Modification of Cooperative Bank Scheme

The Supervisor of State Aid Control, Stella Michaelidou, announced that the modification of the scheme for the Cooperative Cyprus Bank does not create additional distortions of competition. The modification concerns the possibility of KEDIPES to repurchase portfolios of non-performing loans covered by the Asset Protection Scheme (APS). The European Commission approved the modification, finding that the repurchase will be made with KEDIPES' own funds, without additional state funding. The Commission's assessment was based on three pillars: clearance costs, distortions of competition, and burden sharing. The Commission concluded that the modification does not affect the initial balance of the 2018 decision and does not create new state aid. The modification allows for the maximization of asset value and the limitation of long-term costs.