The EU’s sixth Capital Requirements Directive (Directive (EU) 2024/1619), known as CRD VI, as well as the Basel III international standards, developed by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, have recently been transposed into Slovak law by Act No. 30/2026 Coll., Amending and Supplementing Act No. 483/2001 Coll. on Banks, as amended (the “Amendment”).

The aim is to strengthen the resilience of the banking sector and ensure the better protection of financial stability.

The Amendment introduces several significant changes in the banking sector. In particular, it introduces:

• harmonized requirements for the provision of banking services by foreign banks from third countries outside the European Economic Area (EEA); such banks will be required to obtain a license granted by the National Bank of Slovakia (the “NBS”) and to establish a branch in Slovakia; however, they will not be permitted to provide certain banking services;
• new competences for the NBS in several areas (e.g., transfers of assets or liabilities, acquisition and disposal of material holdings by banks, mergers, amalgamations, and demergers);
• stricter rules for persons involved in the management and administration of banks (e.g., regarding their professional competence and trustworthiness);
• new supervisory powers for the NBS (e.g., the power to review and assess banks’ plans and processes relating to environmental and social risks, governance and management risks, as well as risks related to the banks’ exposure to cryptoassets and the provision of related services).

Furthermore, the Amendment also:

• specifies rules and restrictions applicable to NBS employees involved in supervisory activities, with the aim of ensuring the independence of supervision and preventing conflicts of interest;
• tightens the existing administrative sanctions for banks and introduces new ones (e.g., periodic penalties).

Certain provisions of the Amendment came into force on February 27, 2026 or March 1, 2026. In line with CRD VI, most provisions regulating Slovak branches of foreign banks with their registered seats outside the EEA will become effective on January 11, 2027.