The Basel Committee produces publications relating to capital adequacy (the best known of which is Basel III), accounting and auditing, banking problems, cross-border issues, core principles for effective banking supervision, credit risk and securitisation, market risk, the combating of money laundering and terrorist financing, operational risk, and transparency and disclosure.
Description of the types of material published by the Basel Committee: standards, guidelines, sound practices and more
Standards are designed to provide a common set of requirements in banking regulation and supervision for internationally active banks. Full implementation of the Committee's standards by BCBS members is expected. However, as BCBS standards constitute minimum requirements BCBS members may decide to go beyond them, including by applying them to a broader group of banks.
Guidelines supplement standards in many areas, including risk management, corporate governance, anti-money laundering and supervisory cooperation. BCBS members are encouraged to adopt guidelines, particularly with respect to internationally active banks.
Sound practices describe observed practices to promote common understanding and improve supervisory or banking practices. Committee members and banks are encouraged to compare these practices with those applied in their own jurisdictions to identify potential areas for improvement.
Implementation reports on progress being made to implement agreed reforms in accordance with the required timelines, detailed assessments of national regulations against agreed international standards and reviews of the consistency in the application of those regulations to individual banks.
The Committee periodically reviews FAQs on its standards and publishes the answers. FAQs clarify the intended interpretation of the standards and promote their consistent global implementation.
Consultative documents are published by the Committee to seek feedback from interested parties on policy proposals. Written comments provided within a specified time frame are published on the BCBS website unless confidential treatment is requested by respondents.
QIS reports describe the results of data collection exercises conducted by the Committee to assess the impact on banks of its agreed or proposed standards. Data are generally collected from banks twice a year via national supervisory agencies.
Working papers contain technical analysis on topical subjects carried out by Committee experts, working groups, BCBS member institutions or the Secretariat. The views expressed in the working papers are those of their authors and do not represent the official views of the Committee, its member institutions or the BIS.
Published occasionally, newsletters provide short updates on the Committee's views of risks or progress on its work programme.
Occasionally, the BCBS publishes other documents that do not fit into the categories above. Examples include reports to the G20 Leaders, surveys of the range of practice in supervision or bank behaviour or literature reviews.
All Basel Committee publications have an associated status, which vary according to the type of publication.
All current and future BCBS standards, brought together into a single consistent format called the Basel Framework. The framework has a modular structure that makes it easier to navigate the standards.
The publication has been finalised by the Committee and is currently in effect.
The publication has been finalised by the Committee, but is not yet in effect (the scheduled implementation date has not yet been reached).
The publication has ceased to be in effect, typically because there is a new version of the publication.
Parts of the publication are in effect, but parts have been superseded by other Committee publications.
The latest version in a series of publications on a given topic.
An older version in a series of documents on a given topic.
The comment period for the consultative document is open.
The comment period for the consultative document is closed.
The publication timeline which provides information on previous and subsequent versions of the publication that is being viewed.
The publication that is currently being viewed.
The version of the publication that immediately precedes the one currently being viewed. For example, where a standard has developed over time, the previous version will show the standard that was applicable immediately before the version being viewed.
The version of the publication that first updated, amended or replaced the one currently being viewed. For example, where a standard has developed over time, the subsequent version will show the standard applicable immediately after the version being viewed.
The consultative document that immediately precedes the standard, guideline or sound practices publication being viewed. If the publication being viewed is a consultative document that is part of a series, it will show the immediately preceding consultative document in the series.
The consultative document that first proposes to change the standard, guideline or sound practices publication being viewed. If the publication being viewed is a consultative document that is part of a series, it will show the next consultative document in the series.