Technical Assistance
As regards the provision of technical assistance, Národná banka Slovenska (NBS) focuses its activities on central banks situated in its immediate region, in line with the Slovak Republic's foreign policy priorities and with the European Union's common foreign policy - the so-called 'Neighbourhood Policy'. In 2006, as part of the EU Action Plan, and in the context of traditionally strong bilateral relations, NBS and the National Bank of Ukraine signed the first cooperation agreement between the two central banks. At the beginning of 2010, a similar agreement was signed between NBS and the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus. The technical assistance provided by NBS mainly takes the form of expert seminars, the topics of which reflect the needs of the partner institutions and cover all areas of central bank activities.
In addition to bilateral technical assistance, NBS participates in technical assistance programmes, which are implemented by the ECB in cooperation with Eurosystem central baks and other international institutions. NBS is a partner institution in a two-year programme of regional technical assistance entitled "Strengthening Macro and Micro-Prudential Supervision in EU Candidates and Potential Candidates" (further to programme), which is organised for the benefit of countries that either are, or aim to be, EU candidates. NBS is also active in a technical assistance programme for the benefit of the National Bank of Serbia (press release).
The technical assistance that NBS provides to central banks in the neighbouring region both contributes to their institutional development and supports networking and the exchange of experience with them.
Updated: August 2011