http://www.legislation.gov.uk/eudn/2015/4/article/2Decision (EU) 2015/656 of the European Central Bank of 4 February 2015 on the conditions under which credit institutions are permitted to include interim or year-end profits in Common Equity Tier 1 capital in accordance with Article 26(2) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (ECB/2015/4)Decision (EU) 2015/656 of the European Central BankDecision (EU) 2015/656 of the European Central Bank of 4 February 2015 on the conditions under which credit institutions are permitted to include interim or year-end profits in Common Equity Tier 1 capital in accordance with Article 26(2) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (ECB/2015/4)King's Printer of Acts of Parliamenthttps://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/eu-exit/https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32015D0004texttext/xmlen2023-12-13Expert Participation2023-07-11 Definitions Article 2 For the purposes of this Decision, the following definitions shall apply: ‘credit institution’ means a credit institution as defined in point 1 of Article 4(1) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 and which is supervised by the ECB. ‘consolidated basis’ has the same meaning as defined in point 48 of Article 4(1) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013. ‘sub-consolidated basis’ has the same meaning as defined in point 49 of Article 4(1) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013. ‘consolidating entity’ means the credit institution which shall comply with the requirements laid down in Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 on consolidated basis or sub-consolidated basis, as applicable, in accordance with Articles 11 and 18 of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013. ‘interim profits’ means profits as laid down in the applicable accounting framework, computed for a reference period shorter than a full financial year, and before the credit institution has taken a formal decision confirming such a profit or loss of the institution. ‘year-end profits’ means profits as defined in the applicable accounting framework, computed for a reference period equal to a full financial year, and before the credit institution has taken a formal decision confirming such a profit or loss of the institution. ‘pay-out ratio at consolidated level’ means the ratio between: (a) dividends, other than those paid in a form that does not reduce CET1 capital (e.g. scrip-dividends), distributed to owners of the consolidating entity; and (b) profit after tax attributable to owners of the consolidating entity. If for a given year the ratio between (a) and (b) is negative or above 100 %, the pay-out ratio shall be deemed to be 100 %. If for a given year (b) is zero, the pay-out ratio shall be deemed to be 0 % if (a) is zero, and 100 % if (a) is above zero. ‘pay-out ratio at solo level’ means the ratio between: (a) dividends, other than those paid in a form that does not reduce CET1 capital (e.g. scrip-dividends), distributed to owners of the entity; and (b) profit after tax. If for a given year the ratio between (a) and (b) is negative or above 100 %, the pay-out ratio shall be deemed to be 100 %. If for a given year (b) is zero, the pay-out ratio shall be deemed to be 0 % if (a) is zero and 100 % if (a) is above zero.