PKO Bank Polski and PKO Bank Hipoteczny, as the first banks in Poland, have joined the Energy Efficient Mortgages (EEM) Pilot Scheme. The Initiative aims at creating standardized, pan-European solutions for mortgage loans for residential mortgages both apartments and houses, including energy-efficient solutions.
Szymon Wałach, Director of Retail Customer’s Division in PKO Bank Polski, said:
“By joining the EEM initiative, we have the opportunity to participate in shaping European standards, including future EU regulatory solutions. We then want to use this experience to build the basis for the functioning of energy-efficient mortgages in the Polish market”.
The purpose of the EEM initiative is, among others, creating a preference package for borrowers that will encourage them to buy energy-efficient properties or to improve the energy efficiency of existing buildings. In the long run, the activities carried out under the initiative may translate into lowering the risk weights for banks. This is to be an incentive for banks to play a key role in stimulating activities related to climate change in the European construction sector. Currently, there are 45 lending institutions from various European countries taking part in the initiative.
Paulina Strugała, CEO of PKO Bank Hipoteczny, concluded:
“Our participation in this initiative will allow us to actively engage in the development of standardized, pan-European solutions for energy-efficient mortgages, while giving us the opportunity to share experiences and use the vast knowledge of experts in finance, construction and real estate valuation across Europe. In the future, this may significantly affect the development of the market for energy-saving mortgages in Poland”
The PKO Bank Polski Group is the undisputed leader of the Polish mortgages market with a portfolio valued at nearly PLN 108.5 billion at the end of 2018 and the largest and most active issuer of covered bonds in Poland.
Luca Bertalot, Energy Efficient Mortgages Initiative Coordinator, said:
“We are delighted to welcome PKO Bank Polski and PKO Bank Hipoteczny in the pilot EEMI Pilot Scheme. I am glad that the first representatives of the Polish market have joined the initiative. This is a strong support for our initiative.
I am convinced that these banks will play a key role in shaping the effective energy framework of mortgages in the Polish market. I do hope that, following the market leaders, more Polish banks will soon join our initiative”.
***
PKO Bank Hipoteczny specializes in PLN- denominated residential mortgage loans. PKO Bank Hipoteczny’s main goal is to provide long-term financing by issuing covered bonds.
PKO Bank Hipoteczny is 100% owned by PKO Bank Polski the largest Polish bank. In August 2014, PKO Bank Polski received approval from Poland's Financial Supervision Authority to set up a mortgage bank, which began its operations in April 2015.
Thanks to the dynamic development of PKO Bank Hipoteczny quickly gained the position of the leader of the mortgage market and is currently the largest mortgage bank and the most active issuer of covered bonds in Poland. As the only issuer from Poland, PKO Bank Hipoteczny since October 2016 has regularly performed benchmark issues of covered bonds denominated in euro, which are dedicated to institutional investors from the international market. PKO Bank Hipoteczny is also an active issuer of covered bonds denominated in domestic currency. The total value of outstanding covered bonds of PKO Bank Hipoteczny as of the end of 2018 amounted to PLN 12.8 billion.
PKO Bank Hipoteczny is a member of The European Covered Bond Council (ECBC). In February 2018 PKO Bank Hipoteczny became the first Polish issuer to join the Covered Bond Label.. The Covered Bond Label is a quality label, the purpose of which is to highlight the security and quality of covered bonds to investors and to further enhance recognition of and trust in the covered bond asset class.
For further information, please contact:
Bogumiła Laudowicz-Burda
Investor Relation Manager
PKO Bank Hipoteczny
02-515 Warsaw,
Puławska St. 15
t: +48 22 521 57 77
m: +48 721 200 519
e-mail: bogumila.laudowicz-burda@pkobh.pl