Ifølge Rådets direktiv 89/647/EØF om solvensnøgletal for kreditinstitutter (herefter »solvensdirektivet«) og Rådets direktiv 89/299/EØF om kreditinstitutters egenkapital (herefter »egenkapitaldirektivet«), ved hvilke Kreditwesengesetz (»KWG«) blev ændret, skal banker råde over ansvarlig kapital på mindst 8 % af deres risikovægtede aktiver. Heraf skal mindst 4 % være såkaldt kernekapital (tier 1-kapital), hvad der omfatter kapitalkomponenter, som kreditinstituttet straks og uden begrænsning skal kunne anvende som sikkerhed for risici eller tab på det tidspunkt, hvor sådanne indtræder.
The German Banking Act (Kreditwesengesetz, or KWG) was amended in line with Council Directive 89/647/EEC on a solvency ratio for credit institutions (the ‘Solvency Directive’) and Council Directive 89/299/EEC on the own funds of credit institutions (the ‘Own Funds Directive’), which require banks to have own funds equivalent to 8 % of their risk-adjusted assets, of which at least 4 percentage points must consist of what is termed core capital, or ‘tier I’ capital, meaning capital items which are at the credit institution's disposal without restriction and immediately in order to cover risks or losses as soon as they arise.