meta_id 3172513

On May 19, 2026, the National Bank of Belgium (NBB) published guidance from the European Banking Authority (EBA) on proportionate methods for diversifying retail customer bases under Article 123(1) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (EBA/GL/2026/02). The guidance, originally issued by the EBA on February 13, 2026, addresses how credit institutions should implement proportionate diversification strategies for their retail customer portfolios. Article 123(1) of the Capital Requirements Regulation (CRR) establishes requirements for credit institutions to diversify their retail exposures to mitigate concentration risk. The EBA guidance provides credit institutions with practical methodologies to ensure their diversification approaches are proportionate to their business models, risk profiles, and operational capacity. The guidance applies to all credit institutions operating in Belgium and across the European Union that are subject to CRR requirements. It is particularly relevant for institutions managing significant retail customer concentrations or those seeking to enhance their risk management frameworks around customer diversification. The NBB's publication of this EBA guidance reinforces its supervisory expectations for credit institutions under its oversight and ensures consistent implementation across the EU banking sector. Credit institutions should review the guidance to assess their current diversification practices and implement any necessary adjustments to align with the EBA's recommended proportionate methodologies. The guidance is effective immediately upon publication. **Reference:** National Bank of Belgium, "NBB_2026_07 / Orientations de l'ABE du 13 février 2026 sur les méthodes de diversification proportionnées de la clientèle de détail," May 19, 2026.