The Guarantee Scheme for Bank Funding in Finland (Finland GFC)

As the global financial crisis raged in October 2008, its severe impact on global credit markets impelled governments to enact stabilization measures to calm and protect their domestic economies. The Republic of Finland, though not directly affected, designed preemptive interventions to mitigate disruption to its financial system. Among them was the Guarantee Scheme for Bank Funding in Finland (the Guarantee Scheme), announced on October 22, 2008, and implemented on February 12, 2009, which aimed to support banks and mortgage institutions with their short- and medium-term financing needs. Under the program, the Finnish State Treasury made up to EUR50 billion available to guarantee new debt issued by any Finnish deposit bank or mortgage institution considered to be solvent by authorities. Initially, types of debt covered by the Guarantee Scheme included new certificates of deposit, unsecured bonds, and other non-subordinated instruments with maturities of greater than 90 days but less than three years. Covered bonds with maturities of up to five years were also eligible. Although the Guarantee Scheme was amended and prolonged twice, it was never utilized and concluded with the expiration of the issuance window on June 30, 2010.