vdp sets a common covered bond standard

Recent amendments to Germany’s Pfandbrief Act have stirred the interest of covered bond market participants. Transparency requirements have been fine-tuned to enable like-for-like comparison between different cover pools. New powers have been granted to the cover pool administrator allowing it to issue Pfandbrief in its own right and access central bank funding in the event of an issuer’s insolvency. Onerous third party liquidity arrangements are avoided, ensuring full and timely payment. Jens Tolckmitt, chief executive of The Association of German Pfandbrief Banks (Verband deutscher Pfandbriefbanken — vdp) talked to EuroWeek’s Bill Thornhill about the amendments and how they tie in with the association’s own initiatives.