This is required by the Regulation and will apply to around 130 to 140 banking groups operating in the euro area. The assessment will involve an Asset Quality Review and Balance Sheet Assessment to be conducted by the ECB in the first quarter of 2014.
This will go a long way in funding infrastructure and other big-ticket investments. To support our financial inclusion agenda, we are championing an enabling environment for the digitalization of the payments system. Our flagship project is the National Retail Payments System (NRPS) which is expected to boost economic activities by making available an interoperable, safe, and efficient real-time digital payments system.