The NBU Has Eased Regulations for Businesses: What Will Change for Loans, Farmers, and Banks
7 August 22:39
The National Bank of Ukraine has adopted a new package of regulatory changes aimed at supporting Ukrainian businesses affected by Russian aggression. This was reported by "Komersant Ukrainian", citing the National Bank of Ukraine.
Banks Will Not Recognize Defaults Following Restructuring
The main change applies to companies that have temporarily lost the ability to make timely loan payments due to the war.
The NBU has allowed banks not to recognize a borrower’s default if:
- a short-term loan restructuring of up to one year has been carried out;
- the financial difficulties arose specifically as a result of the war;
- the bank sees a realistic prospect of the company regaining its solvency.
The new rules will apply to restructurings carried out from July 1, 2026, through September 1, 2027.
Why the NBU Adopted These Changes
The regulator explained that the decision is based on the positive experience of anti-crisis restructurings implemented following the economic shocks of 2020 and 2022.
According to the National Bank’s assessment, the new relaxations:
- will not pose risks to financial stability;
- help viable businesses resume operations;
- allow businesses to maintain access to bank financing.
Watch us on YouTube: important topics – without censorship
Specific Easing Measures for Farmers
Against the backdrop of the challenging situation with export logistics, the National Bank has also revised the lending rules for the agricultural sector.
Specifically:
- the liquidity ratio for collateral in the form of agricultural products has been raised from 0.4 to 0.75;
- the maximum loan term secured by such collateral has been extended from 12 to 18 months;
- banks have been allowed to evaluate collateral based on actual product inventories at the time of credit risk assessment.
These changes are intended to make it easier for agricultural producers to access financing amid challenges with logistics and exports.
Rules for banks will also change
In addition to supporting businesses, the National Bank:
- has standardized the rules for using guarantee instruments on a portfolio basis;
- clarified the procedure for calculating delinquent debt on individual loans to individuals.
What Andriy Pyshnyy Said
Andriy Pyshnyy, Head of the National Bank, emphasized that the regulator is not relaxing risk assessment requirements but is merely creating conditions to support businesses that have the potential to recover.
According to him, these decisions have become particularly relevant following large-scale Russian attacks on maritime export infrastructure, logistics centers, and businesses.
“Our task is to respond in a timely manner and prevent temporary difficulties from depriving viable businesses of access to financing,” Andriy Pyshnyy emphasized.
Read us on Telegram: important topics – without censorship
