List of Legislations > Ordinance 22 of 16 July 2009 on the Central Credit Register

Ordinance 22 of 16 July 2009 on the Central Credit Register

(Issued by the Bulgarian National Bank;
published in the Darjaven Vestnik, issue 62 of 4 August 2009;
effective as of 1 October 2009)

Chapter One

General Provisions

Article 1. This Ordinance shall determine the operation, provision and receipt of information from the Central Credit Register.

Article 2. The Central Credit Register shall be an information system of customers’ credit indebtedness to banks and financial institutions conducting operations on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria, which shall be organised and maintained by the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB).

Article 3. The Register shall provide:

1. centralization of the information on credit indebtedness of customers to banks and financial institutions;
2. use of the information on credit indebtedness of customers by banks and financial institutions;
3. consolidation of collected information to be used for the purposes of the BNB.

Article 4. Information on credit indebtedness of their customers shall be provided to and received from the Central Credit Register by the banks and financial institutions as follows:

1. a bank licensed by the BNB to conduct bank operations;
2. a Member State’s bank branch conducting operations on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria under the procedure of Articles 20 and 21 of the Law on Credit Institutions (LCI);
3. a foreign bank branch from a third country licensed by the BNB under Article 17 of the LCI;
4. a financial institution with a registered office in the Republic of Bulgaria recorded in the Register under Article 3, paragraph 2 of the LCI with a main subject under Article 2, paragraph 2, item 6 and/or under Article 3, paragraph 1, item 3 of the LCI;
5. a branch of a Member State’s foreign financial institution under Article 24 of the LCI, correspondingly under Article 27 of the LCI which conducts operations on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria under Article 2, paragraph 2, item 6 and/or under Article 3, paragraph 1, item 3 of the LCI, recorded in the Register under Article 3, paragraph 2 of the LCI.

Article 5. (1) Customer loans to banks or financial institutions shall be subject to reporting irrespective of their amount.

(2) The following loans shall not be subject to reporting:
1. loans to the government;
2. loans to the Bulgarian National Bank;
3. loans on which an admissible excess payment over the balance on payment accounts (overdraft) in the amount of under BGN 1000 has been agreed, where these loans are classified as a standard exposure under Ordinance No. 9 of the BNB on
the Evaluation and Classification of Risk Exposures of Banks and Allocation of Specific Provisions for Credit Risk (Ordinance No..9 of the BNB).

Chapter Two

Procedure for the Inclusion in and Exclusion from the Information System of the Central Credit Register

Article 6. The persons under Article 4 shall file a written application to the Deputy Governor heading the BNB Banking Department for the inclusion in the information system of the Central Credit Register which contains information on the company, registered and head office address. The following documents shall be attached to the application:

1. a copy of the registration document or applicant’s unified identification code;
2. internal rules establishing the terms and procedure for providing information to the Central Credit Register, as well as the rights and responsibilities of the officers who will process, provide and receive the information; these rules shall also include
the procedure and terms for controlling the accuracy of the information provided to the BNB and for correcting the inaccurate information;
3. information on the technical and software readiness for providing data to the Central Credit Register;
4. a document of a paid fee for the inclusion in the Central Credit Register in accordance
with the BNB Tariff.

Article 7. (1) When the applicant has submitted all documents under Article 6, the date of his inclusion in the information system of the Central Credit Register and his rights to access shall be determined by an order of the Deputy Governor heading the BNB Banking Department.

(2) When the applicant has not submitted the documents under Article 6 or the submitted documents contain incomplete, contradictory or inaccurate information, the BNB shall inform in writing the applicant thereof by sending a letter containing instructions for removing the inconsistencies.

Article 8. Banks and financial institutions shall be excluded from the information system of the Central Credit Register in case of:

1. a revocation of the license for conducting banking activity under the LCI or receipt of a notification from the competent supervisory authority of a Member State under Article 84 of the LCI on revoking the licence for conducting bank operations
by a bank which operates on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria through a branch;
2. a deletion of a financial institution registration under Article 9 of Ordinance No. 26 of the BNB on Financial Institutions;
3. a permission by the BNB for voluntary liquidation of a bank.

Article 9. The exclusion from the information system of the Central Credit Register shall be effected by an order of the Deputy Governor heading the BNB Banking Department.

Chapter Three

Provision and Correction of Information in the Central Credit Register

Article 10. (1) Banks and financial institutions shall collect and submit to the Central Credit Register on an electronic carrier information on all loans of their customers and on any changes which have occurred in these loans until their final redemption.

(2) Upon conclusion of a new loan agreement or amendment to a concluded agreement, banks and financial institutions shall provide information to the Central Credit Register within five working days from the date of concluding the loan agreement or from the date of the amendment thereto.
(3) Banks and financial institutions shall provide by the 15th day of the month following the reporting period information on the current state of all active loans of their customers by the last day of the reporting month. Banks and financial institutions shall also provide within the same term information on the corrections made on loans of their customers for previous reporting periods.

Article 11. (1) The debt amount on each individual loan shall be determined as the sum of principal, interest accrued, fees, commissions and other expenses on the loan, as well as value added tax due on the value added under the lease agreement.

(2) Foreign currency loans shall be recalculated in levs at the exchange rate quoted by the Bulgarian National Bank.
Article 12. Banks and financial institutions shall provide data on the amount of each individual loan under Article 11, as well as information on the amount of impairment in accordance with applicable accounting standards.

Article 13. (1) In providing information to the Central Credit Register, banks shall classify loans into classification groups under Ordinance No. 9 of the BNB and submit information on the amount of specific provisions. Transferred claims on loans to third parties under Article 15, which are serviced and administered by banks, shall be conditionally classified in accordance with Ordinance No. 9 of the
BNB dependent on the past due period.

(2) Financial institutions shall conditionally classify loans in accordance with Ordinance No. 9 of the BNB dependent on the past due period.
Article 14. In case of syndicated loans, any creditor bank or financial institution shall submit information to the Central Credit Register on its own share of the loan.

Article 15. (1) Where a bank or financial institution has transferred a claim on a loan to a person that is not a bank or a financial institution but continues to service and administer the repayment of the loan, information on this loan and amendments thereto shall be submitted to the Central Credit Register by the bank or financial institution which has transferred the claim on the loan.

(2) Where a bank or financial institution has transferred a claim on a loan to another bank or financial institution but it continues to service and administer the loan, information on this loan and the changes thereto shall be submitted to the Central Credit Register by the bank or financial institution which has acquired the claim.

Article 16. (1) Identification of the customers in the Central Credit Register shall be effected through the following identification codes:

1. for customers – natural persons: the unified registration number (URN);
2. for customers – sole proprietors and legal entities: the unified identification code or the BULSTAT code;
3. for customers – non-resident natural persons who have not been issued an identity number under the procedure set by the competent Bulgarian authorities – the identification code in the Central Credit Register shall be based on the personal
identity number or other identification data, and for non-resident legal entities which have not been registered in the Commercial Register – the identification code shall be based on the registered office registration data.
(2) Any other particulars as stated in the instruction on the enforcement of this
Ordinance may also be recorded in the Central Credit Register.

Article 17. (1) The Bulgarian National Bank may not correct the information as submitted by banks and financial institutions to the Central Credit Register.

(2) Banks and financial institutions shall be liable for the accurate and duly provided information under this Ordinance.

Article 18. (1) A bank or financial institution with a registered office in the Republic of Bulgaria, which has been declared insolvent or in liquidation, shall submit information to the Central Credit Register under the procedure established in this Ordinance until the date of Court ruling on its deletion from the Commercial Register.

(2) In case of bankruptcy or liquidation of a bank or financial institution with a registered office in a Member State or a bank with a registered office in a third state, operating in the Republic of Bulgaria through a branch, as well as in case of a decision for closing a branch of a bank or financial institution with a registered office in a Member State or of a bank with a registered office in a third state, information
to the Central Credit Register shall be provided until its deletion from the respective public register in the Member State where the bank or financial institution has been registered, until the deletion of the branch accordingly.

Chapter Four

Terms and Procedure for Obtaining Information from the Central Credit Register

Article 19. (1) The Central Credit Register shall provide banks and financial institutions with on-line information on an electronic carrier on credit indebtedness of customers to banks and financial institutions against fee payment according to a tariff approved by the BNB.

(2) The information on credit indebtedness of customers shall include both data on the current status of loans and arrears on active and repaid loans for a five-year historical period.
(3) Banks and financial institutions shall pay a fee for the statements on credit indebtedness of their customers issued until the fifteenth day of the month following the reporting month.
(4) Banks and financial institutions shall obtain and use the information from the Central Credit Register keeping the bank, professional and trade secret.
(5) Banks and financial institutions shall obtain and use the information from the Central Credit Register only for establishing the credit indebtedness of their customers.
They shall not disclose and submit the information to third persons and use it for commercial purposes, including as consolidated data.
(6) The Central Credit Register shall consolidate the information on total credit indebtedness of customers on a monthly basis until the twentieth day of the month following the reporting month and shall submit it on an electronic carrier to banks
and financial institutions.

Article 20. The monthly information on loans provided by banks and financial institutions under Article 10, paragraph 3 shall be stored in the Central Credit Register for a term of five years from the reporting period the information refers to.

Article 21. (1) Any person shall have the right to request from the Bulgarian National Bank information on his credit indebtedness in the Central Credit Register, including the names of banks and financial institutions which have provided information to the register system. The Bulgarian National Bank shall provide the required information issuing a statement from the register against a fee payment according
to a tariff approved by the BNB.

(2) Any person shall have the right to require information on his credit indebtedness also from the bank or financial institution which has submitted the information to the Central Credit Register.

(3) In case of death of a natural person, his heirs may request information on the credit indebtedness of the legator under paragraphs 1 and 2 upon submitting an inheritance certificate.

Article 22. (1) The right under Article 21, paragraph 1 shall be exercised by filing an application in writing to the Bulgarian National Bank. The application shall include data from applicant’s identity document and shall specify the manner of submitting the information to the applicant – personally or by mail. Upon filing the application in the BNB, the applicant or the person authorised by him shall identify
themselves by submitting an identity document.

(2) The application for information about a natural person shall be personally filed by the applicant or his representative explicitly authorized by notary verified power of attorney.
(3) Where information about a legal entity is requested, the application under paragraph 1 shall be submitted by the persons authorised to represent this legal entity or by the person explicitly authorised by him. The following documents shall be
enclosed to the application:
1. a current status certificate of registration or UIC of the applicant;
2. a financial standing certificate of the entities which are not recorded in the Commercial Register;
3. an explicitly certified power of attorney issued to the authorised person, provided the application has not been filed by the representatives.
(4) Non-residents shall attach to the application under paragraph 1 the following documents:
1. an updated document on registration of the legal entity – the applicant, a legalized
translation in Bulgarian;
2. an explicitly certified power of attorney issued to the authorised person, provided the application has not been filed personally; if the power of attorney has been certified by a notary public outside the Republic of Bulgaria, a legalized translation in Bulgarian shall be submitted.
(5) the documents under paragraphs 3 and 4 shall be original or notary certified
copies.

Article 23. (1) The information under Article 21 paragraph 1 shall be provided in writing against signature of the applicant or the person authorized by the applicant by an explicitly certified power of attorney to which Article 22, paragraph 5 shall apply.

(2) The information under Article 21, paragraph 1 may also be sent to the applicant by registered mail to the address specified by the applicant.
(3) The Bulgarian National Bank shall provide the requested information within seven working days from filing the application, if the applicant has submitted the required documents. In case of a refusal, the applicant shall be notified in writing within the same time limits, and the reasons for the refusal shall be specified.

Article 24. (1) If a person has established that the information related to himself or herself in the Central Credit Register is incorrect, this person may file a written request to the bank or financial institution which has submitted it to the Central Credit Register for this information to be corrected.

(2) Within seven working days from receipt of the request, the bank or financial institution shall consider the request and shall inform the applicant on its decision in writing. The reply shall be sent with a copy to the BNB to which a copy of the request
shall be attached.
(3) If the request is justified, the bank or financial institution shall correct the information and provide the corrected data to the Central Credit Register information system within the time limits and under the procedure provided for in Article 10, paragraph 3.
(4) If a customer of a bank or financial institution has legally disputed data contained in the Central Credit Register about himself/herself, this circumstance shall be entered by banks and financial institutions in the information system of the register.
Information on a dispute and on a Court decision on a dispute which has come into effect shall be provided by banks and financial institutions within the time limits and under the procedure provided for in Article 10, paragraph 2.
(5) The bank or financial institution shall not collect a fee for considering the request under paragraph 1.

Chapter Five

Control, Measures and Sanctions

Article 25. (1) The Bulgarian National Bank shall control the compliance with the terms and procedure for providing and using information from the Central Credit Register, for correcting inaccurately provided information and for meeting technical and software requirements.

(2) The Bulgarian National Bank may issue recommendations to banks and financial institutions for improving the reporting under this Ordinance, require information or any documents related to the information provided to the Central Credit
Register, and may also carry out on-site examinations.
(3) Banks and financial institutions shall submit the amendments to the rules under Article 6, paragraph 1, item 2 within ten days from the date of their adoption. Article 26. Where a bank or financial institution has not submitted the monthly information to the Central Credit Register within the set time limits under Article 10, paragraph 3 or has submitted information which does not meet the requirements
of this Ordinance, the BNB may discontinue its access to the Central Credit Regis ter for information about credit indebtedness of its customers until provision of the relevant information.

Article 27. In case of violation of the provisions of this Ordinance, measures and sanctions provided for in the LCI shall be imposed on banks and financial institutions.

Additional Provisions
§ 1. Within the meanings of this Ordinance:

1. ‘Customer’ shall be any natural person or legal entity, except for a bank, that is or wishes to be a party to legal relationship with a bank or financial institution in connection with drawing a loan.
2. ‘Loan’ shall be any undertaking or assuming of an obligation to one person, arising from extending money loan of any type, including acceptance credit, financial leasing, extension of credit facility in any form, discounting of bills, promissory
notes or checks, avals, surety, issuance of bank guarantees or extension of other collateral, claims acquired through cession, assuming of debt or underwriting of debt, transfer of bills of exchange, promissory notes or checks through endorsement, overdraft, other claims and commitments undertaken, irrespective of the instrument used.
3. ‘Credit indebtedness’ shall be the indebtedness of one natural person or legal entity to all banks and financial institutions within the meaning of this Ordinance.
4. ‘Syndicated loan’ shall be a loan approved simultaneously by two or more banks, by two or more financial institutions or by banks and their subsidiary financial institutions. Transitional and Final Provisions

§ 2. This Ordinance is issued on the grounds of Article 56, paragraph 4 and § 13 of the Law on Credit Institutions and is adopted by Resolution No. 88 of the Governing Council of the Bulgarian National Bank of 16 July 2009. The Ordinance shall come into force on 1 October 2009.

§ 3. Until enforcement of this Ordinance, banks included in the information system of the Central Credit Register shall reserve their rights and shall not file an application for inclusion under Article 6. They shall submit updated internal rules under Article 6, paragraph 1, item 2 within two months following the enforcement of this Ordinance.

§ 4. Banks’ subsidiary financial institutions with a main subject under Article 2, paragraph 2, item 6 and/or under Article 3, paragraph 1, item 3 of the Law on Credit Institutions, which have received information from the Central Credit Register through the parent bank until enforcement of this Ordinance and are subject to entry in the register under Ordinance No. 26 of the BNB on Financial Institutions
(Darjaven Vestnik, issue 36 of 2009), shall file an application for inclusion in the Central Credit Register under Articles 6 and 7 within two months following the en forcement of this Ordinance. The access to the Central Credit Register of the financial
institutions under the preceding sentence, which have not been recorded in the register under Ordinance No. 26 of the BNB on Financial Institutions or have not been included in the Central Credit Register within two months following the enforcement of this Ordinance, shall be discontinued.

§ 5. This Ordinance shall repeal BNB Ordinance No. 22 of 1998 on the Central Credit Register of Banks (published in the Darjaven Vestnik, issue 92 of 1998;
amended, issue 29 of 2004, issue 48 of 2006; supplemented, issue 84 of 2006;
amended, issue 22 of 2007).

§ 6. The Deputy Governor heading the Banking Department of the Bulgarian National Bank shall issue instructions on the enactment of this Ordinance.