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Santander Consumer USA Hold

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FY2022 Annual Report · Santander Consumer USA Hold
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Santander Consumer Finance,
S.A. and Subsidiaries composing the
Santander Consumer Finance Group

Consolidated Financial Statements and Consolidated 
Management's Report for the year ended 31 December 
2022

Translation of consolidated financial statements originally issued in 
Spanish  and  prepared  in  accordance  with  the  regulatory  financial 
reporting framework applicable to the Group in Spain (see Notes 1 
to 47). In the event of a discrepancy, the Spanish-language version 
prevails.

Audit report on the consolidated annual accounts 
issued by an independent auditor 

To the shareholders of Santander Consumer Finance, S.A.: 

Report on the consolidated annual accounts 

Opinion 

We have audited the consolidated annual accounts of Santander Consumer Finance, S.A. (parent 
company) and its subsidiaries (the Group), consisting of the consolidated balance sheet at 31 
December 2022, consolidated income statement, consolidated statement of recognised income and 
expense, consolidated total statement of changes in equity, consolidated cash flow statement and 
notes to the consolidated accounts for the year then ended. 

In our opinion, the accompanying consolidated annual accounts present fairly, in all material respects, 
the Group's consolidated equity and financial position at 31 December 2022 and the consolidated 
results of its operations and consolidated cash flows for the year then ended in accordance with the 
International Financial Reporting Standards adopted by the European Union (IFRS-EU) and other 
provisions of the financial reporting framework applicable in Spain. 

Basis for opinion 

Our audit has been carried out in accordance with prevailing Spanish auditing regulations. Our 
responsibilities under said regulations are described below under Auditors’ responsibilities in relation 
to the audit of the consolidated annual accounts. 

We are independent of the Group in accordance with the ethical requirements, including those relating 
to independence, applicable to our audit of the consolidated annual accounts in Spain, as required by 
auditing regulations. In this respect, we have not provided any services other than audit services, nor 
have any situations or circumstances arisen that, in accordance with those regulations, might have 
undermined said independence. 

We consider that the audit evidence obtained provides a sufficient and appropriate basis for our 
opinion. 

Key audit matters 

Key audit matters are those that, based on our professional judgement, have been of the most 
significance in the audit of the consolidated annual accounts for the current period. These matters 
have been addressed in the context of our audit of the consolidated annual accounts as a whole and 
in the preparation of our opinion thereon, and we do not express a separate opinion on these matters. 

PricewaterhouseCoopers Auditores, S.L., Torre PwC, Pº de la Castellana 259 B, 28046 Madrid, Spain 
Tel.: +34 915 684 400 / +34 902 021 111, Fax: +34 915 685 400, www.pwc.es  

1 

R. M. Madrid, hoja 87.250-1, folio 75, tomo 9.267, libro 8.054, sección 3ª 
Inscrita en el R.O.A.C. con el número S0242 - CIF: B-79 031290 

 
 
  
  
  
  
 
 
Key audit matters 

How the matter was addressed in the audit 

Santander Consumer Finance, S.A. and subsidiaries 

Estimation of the impairment of financial assets 
at amortised cost – loans and advances to 
customers – determined collectively.  

The expected loss impairment calculation 
models required by International Financial 
Reporting Standard 9 (IFRS 9), imply a high 
degree of subjectivity when incorporating 
estimates and elements of judgement, especially 
those updates and adjustments to the models to 
determine the expected loss in the current 
macroeconomic environment of uncertainty. 

In this context, the main judgements and 
assumptions made by management are as 
follows:  

• 

• 

The main estimates employed to calculate 
the probability of default (PD) and loss 
given default (LGD) parameters of the 
recalibrated expected loss models. 

The updating of the prospective 
information in the forward looking models 
and the definition and evaluation of 
additional adjustments to the expected 
loss models to consider the effect of 
macroeconomic conditions in the current 
environment. 

These estimates involve a high degree of 
management judgement and uncertainty. They 
were therefore one of the most significant and 
complex estimates when preparing the 
accompanying consolidated annual accounts as 
at 31 December 2022. Therefore, these 
estimates have been identified as one of the key 
audit matters.  

See notes 2, 10 and 47 to the accompanying 
consolidated annual accounts as at 31 
December 2022. 

With the assistance of our credit risk specialists 
and our experts in macroeconomic forecasts, we 
have obtained an understanding of 
management's process for estimating the 
impairment of financial assets at amortised cost 
- loans and advances to customers, collectively 
estimated provisions. In addition, as part of our 
procedures, we made enquiries with 
management to gain an understanding of the 
extent of the impact of climate change on credit 
risk. 

With regards to internal control, we gained an 
understanding of and tested controls for the 
main steps of the estimation process, paying 
particular attention to the calculation of the most 
relevant assumptions used to estimate the 
parameters and, where appropriate, to the 
monitoring and assessment of model 
adjustments.  

We also performed the following tests of detail:  

• 

• 

• 

• 

Checks, for the main models, on: (i) 
calculation and segmentation methods; (ii) 
expected loss parameter estimation 
methods; (iii) data used and main 
estimates employed and (iv) loan staging 
approach.  

Evaluation of the main macroeconomic 
variables used in the scenarios of the 
forward looking models, including 
verification of the methodology, the 
assumptions used, the breakdown of the 
projection of the macroeconomic 
scenarios and their weighting. 

Recalculation of collective provisions 
using the parameters obtained from the 
expected loss models. 

Evaluation of additional adjustments to 
the expected loss models made by 
management derived from the current 
macroeconomic environment. 

No differences outside a reasonable 
range ere identified in the tests described 
above. 

2 

 
 
 
 
  
  
  
Santander Consumer Finance, S.A. and subsidiaries 

Key audit matters 

How the matter was addressed in the audit 

Assessment of goodwill impairment 

At least annually, the Group estimates the 
recoverable amount of each cash-generating 
unit (CGU) to which goodwill has been assigned, 
based primarily on independent expert 
valuations.  

With the assistance of our valuation experts, we 
obtained an understanding of management's 
process for estimating the recoverable amount 
and, where appropriate, calculating the 
impairment of goodwill.  

In view of the relevance to the Group, 
management pays particular attention to 
monitoring the goodwill of the cash-generating 
units in Germany, Austria and the Nordics 
(Scandinavia). 

In 2022, Group management included, in its 
estimates of the recoverable amount of the 
above-mentioned cash-generating units, value in 
use calculated by discounting cash flow 
projections.  

The most relevant assumptions used in the 
assessment of goodwill impairment, such as 
financial projections, the discount rate and the 
perpetuity growth rate, require complex 
estimation and involve a high degree of 
management judgement, so the assumptions 
made have been treated as a key audit matter. 

See Notes 2 and 14 to the accompanying 
consolidated annual accounts at 31 December 
2022. 

As regards internal control, we gained an 
understanding and tested controls of the steps in 
the goodwill measurement process, paying 
special attention to the budgeting process on 
which the projections are based, management's 
reliable forecasting ability and the assessment of 
the reasonableness of the discount rate and the 
perpetuity growth rate, as well as the evaluation 
of annual valuation reports prepared by 
management's experts on the impairment of 
goodwill. 

We also conducted the following tests of detail: 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Assessment of the reasonableness of the 
methods and main assumptions used by 
management's experts when analysing 
goodwill impairment, including financial 
projections, the discount rate and the 
growth rate.  

Verification of the mathematical accuracy 
of the calculation of goodwill impairment 
and of the discounting of cash flow 
projections. 

Specific sensitivity analysis of key 
parameters, such as: (i) financial 
projections for the coming years; (ii) the 
discount rate; and (iii) the perpetuity 
growth rate.  

Verification of the adequacy of the 
information disclosed in the 
accompanying consolidated annual 
accounts in accordance with applicable 
regulations.  

No differences outside a reasonable range were 
identified in the tests described above. 

3 

 
 
 
 
 
 
  
   
 
 
Key audit matters 

Information systems 

Santander Consumer Finance, S.A. and subsidiaries 

How the matter was addressed in the audit 

The Group’s financial information relies largely 
on the information technology (IT) systems in 
the geographies in which it operates, so suitable 
control over the systems is a key to assuring the 
correct processing of the information.  

Assisted by our IT systems specialists, our work 
consisted of assessing and checking internal 
controls over the systems, databases and 
applications that support the Group's financial 
reporting.  

The technology environment has been 
developed mainly by the Group, although a part 
has also been developed by External Partners. 
In this context, it is critical to assess aspects 
such as the organisation of the Group's 
Technology and Operations Area and External 
Partners, controls over application maintenance 
and development, physical and logical security 
and system operations, which was therefore 
treated as a key audit matter.  

Management continues to monitor internal 
control over IT systems, including access control 
supporting the Group's technology processes. 

We carried out procedures on internal controls 
and substantive tests, in the environment of both 
the Group and its External Partners, relating to:  

• 

• 

• 

• 

Functioning of the IT governance 
framework.  

Access control and logical security of the 
applications, operating systems and 
databases that support relevant financial 
information.  

Change management and application 
development.  

IT operation maintenance.  

In addition, considering management's 
monitoring of internal control over IT systems, 
our audit approach and plan focused on the 
following aspects:  

• 

• 

Assessment of management’s monitoring 
as part of the Group's internal control 
environment.  

Verification of the design and operability 
of controls implemented by management, 
including access control.  

The results of the above-mentioned procedures 
revealed no relevant exceptions in this regard. 

4 

 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
 
 
Santander Consumer Finance, S.A. and subsidiaries 

Other information: Consolidated Management Report 

The other information only relates to the consolidated management report for 2022, the preparation of 
which is the responsibility of the parent company’s directors and which does not form an integral part 
of the consolidated annual accounts. 

Our audit opinion on the consolidated annual accounts does not cover the consolidated management 
report. Our responsibility for the consolidated management report, in accordance with auditing 
legislation, consists of: 

a) 

b) 

Only checking that the non-financial information statement has been issued in the form required 
by applicable legislation and, if not, report it. 

Assessing and reporting on the consistency of the other information included in the consolidated 
management report with the consolidated annual accounts, based on our knowledge of the 
Group obtained during the audit of the accounts, as well as reporting on whether the content 
and presentation of the consolidated management report are in conformity with applicable 
legislation. If, based on the work carried out, we conclude that there are material misstatements, 
we are required to disclose them. 

On the basis of the work performed, as described above, we have verified that the information 
mentioned in paragraph a) above is furnished as envisaged in applicable legislation and that the other 
information contained in the consolidated management report is consistent with that of the 
consolidated annual accounts for 2022 and its content and presentation comply with application 
legalisation. 

Responsibility of the directors and the audit committee in relation to the consolidated annual 
accounts 

The directors of the parent company are responsible for the preparation of the accompanying 
consolidated annual accounts such that they present fairly the Group’s consolidated equity, financial 
situation and results in accordance with IFRS-EU and other provisions of the financial reporting 
framework applicable to the Group in Spain, and for the internal control which they consider necessary 
to enable the preparation of annual accounts free from material misstatements due to fraud or error. 

In the preparation of the consolidated annual accounts, the parent company’s directors are 
responsible for assessing the Group’s capacity to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as 
appropriate, any going concern-related issues and using the going concern basis of accounting, 
unless the directors intend to wind up the Group or to cease trading, or have no other realistic 
alternative but to do so. 

The parent company's audit committee is responsible for overseeing the preparation and presentation 
of the consolidated annual accounts. 

5 

 
 
 
 
 
Santander Consumer Finance, S.A. and subsidiaries 

Auditors’ responsibilities in relation to the audit of the consolidated annual accounts 

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance that the consolidated annual accounts as a whole 
are free from material misstatement due to fraud or error, and to issue an audit report containing our 
opinion. 

Reasonable assurance is a high degree of assurance but does not guarantee that an audit conducted 
in accordance with current Spanish auditing regulations will always detect a material misstatement 
when such exists. Misstatements may be due to fraud or error and are regarded as material if, 
individually or in aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of 
users taken on the basis of the consolidated annual accounts. 

As part of an audit conducted in accordance with prevailing Spanish audit regulations, we apply our 
professional judgement and maintain an attitude of professional scepticism throughout the audit. In 
addition: 

• 

• 

• 

• 

We identify and assess the risks of material misstatement in the consolidated annual accounts 
due to fraud or error; we design and apply audit procedures to respond to those risks and obtain 
sufficient and adequate audit evidence to provide a basis for our opinion. The risk of not 
detecting material misstatement due to fraud is higher than in the case of a material 
misstatement due to error, as fraud may involve collusion, falsification, deliberate omissions, 
misrepresentations or the override of internal control. 

We obtain knowledge of internal control mechanisms relevant for the audit in order to design the 
audit procedures which are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of 
expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Group’s internal control. 

We assess whether the accounting policies applied are adequate and the reasonableness of 
the accounting estimates and the relevant information disclosed by the parent company’s 
directors. 

We conclude on the appropriateness of the parent company’s directors’ use of the going 
concern basis of accounting and based on the audit evidence obtained, whether a material 
uncertainty exists related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the Group’s 
ability to continue as a going concern. If we conclude that a material uncertainty exists, we are 
required to draw attention in our auditor’s report to the related disclosures in the consolidated 
annual accounts or, if such disclosures are inadequate, to modify our opinion. Our conclusions 
are based on audit evidence obtained up to the date of our audit report. However, future events 
or conditions may cause the Group to cease to continue as a going concern. 

6 

 
 
 
 
Santander Consumer Finance, S.A. and subsidiaries 

• 

• 

We evaluate the overall presentation, structure and presentation of the consolidated annual 
accounts, including the disclosures, and assess whether the consolidated annual accounts 
represent the underlying transactions and events in a manner that achieves fair presentation. 

We obtain sufficient, adequate evidence relating to the financial information of the Group’s 
entities or business activities to express an opinion on the consolidated annual accounts. We 
are responsible for the direction, supervision and performance of the Group audit. We are solely 
responsible for our audit opinion. 

We communicate with the parent company's audit committee regarding, among other matters, the 
planned scope and timing of the audit and significant audit findings, as well as any significant internal 
control weakness that we identify in the course of the audit. 

We also provide the parent company’s audit committee with a statement to the effect that we have 
complied with applicable ethical requirements, including independence requirements, and we have 
communicated with the audit committee to report matters that could reasonably pose a threat to our 
independence and, where appropriate, related safeguards. 

Among the matters that are reported to the parent company's audit committee, we determine those 
that were of most significance in the audit of the consolidated annual accounts for the current period 
and which are therefore key audit matters. 

We describe these matters in our audit report unless legal or regulatory provisions prohibit the public 
disclosure of the matter concerned. 

Report on other legal and regulatory requirements 

European Single Electronic Format 

We have examined the European Single Electronic Format (ESEF) digital files of Santander 
Consumer Finance, S.A. and subsidiaries for 2022, comprising the XHTML file containing the 
consolidated annual accounts for the year and the XBRL files containing the entity's tags, which will 
form part of the annual financial report. 

The directors of Santander Consumer Finance, S.A. are responsible for presenting the 2022 annual 
financial report in accordance with the formatting and tagging requirements set out in Commission 
Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/815 of 17 December 2018 (hereinafter the ESEF Regulation). 

We are responsible for examining the digital files prepared by the parent company's directors in 
accordance with auditing legislation in force in Spain. This legislation requires that we plan and 
perform our audit procedures so as to check that the contents of the consolidated annual accounts 
included in the above-mentioned digital files fully match those of the consolidated annual accounts 
that we have audited, and that the formatting and tagging of the consolidated annual accounts and the 
above-mentioned digital files have been performed, in all material respects, in accordance with the 
requirements of the ESEF Regulation. 

In our opinion, the digital files examined fully match the audited consolidated annual accounts, which 
are presented and have been tagged, in all material respects, in accordance with the requirements of 
the ESEF Regulation. 

7 

 
 
 
  
  
 
Santander Consumer Finance, S.A. and subsidiaries 

Additional information for the parent company's audit committee 

The opinion expressed in this report is consistent with that of our additional report for the parent 
company's audit committee dated 23 February 2023. 

Term of engagement 

The General Shareholders’ Meeting of 3 March 2022 appointed us as the Group's auditors for a one-
year period for the financial year ended 31 December 2022. 

We were previously appointed by resolution of the Annual General Meeting for a period of three years 
and we have been auditing the accounts uninterruptedly since the financial year ended 31 December 
2016. 

Services rendered 

The non-audit services provided to the audited Group are disclosed in Note 40 to the consolidated 
annual accounts. 

PricewaterhouseCoopers Auditores, S.L. (S0242) 

Ignacio Martínez Ortiz (23834) 

23 February 2023 

8 

 
 
 
  
  
 
SANTANDER CONSUMER FINANCE, S.A. AND SUBSIDIARIES COMPOSING THE SANTANDER CONSUMER FINANCE GROUP
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET AT 31 DECEMBER  2022 AND 2021

(EUR Thousands)       

ASSETS

Note

31/12/2022

31/12/2021 (*)

Cash and balances at central banks

Financial assets held for trading

Derivatives

Non-trading financial assets mandatorily at fair value through profit or loss

Equity instruments

Debt instruments

Loans and advances - Customers

Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss

Financial assets at fair value through other comprehensive income

Equity instruments

Debt instruments

Financial assets at amortised cost

Debt instruments

Loans and advances

Central banks

Credit institutions

Customers

Derivatives – hedge accounting

Changes of the fair value of hedged items in an interest rate risk hedging portfolio

Investments in associates and joint-ventures

Joint-ventures

Associates

Assets under insurance and reinsurance contracts

Tangible assets

Property, plant and equipment

For own use

Leased out under operating leases

Investment property

Memorandum items: acquired through finance lease

Intangible assets

Goodwill

Other

Tax assets:

Current tax assets

Deferred tax assets

Other assets

Inventories

Other

Assets included in disposal groups classified as held for sale

Total assets

2

9

8

7

10

8

7

7

6

10

29

29

12

13

14

15

22

16

11

6,826,225

18,965,097

494,664

494,664

1,876

45

1,444

387

—

51,476

51,476

2,998

26

2,593

379

—

748,469

21,961

726,508

1,077,351

22,591

1,054,760

113,094,548

103,663,354

6,185,061

3,472,396

106,909,487

100,190,958

19,736

390,306

10,452

621,223

106,499,445

99,559,283

1,131,071

121,585

(709,133)

(46,269)

724,777

281,915

442,862

682,414

260,115

422,299

—

—

3,163,609

3,163,609

367,958

2,795,651

—

2,306,339

2,306,339

400,330

1,906,009

—

264,104

289,600

2,097,941

1,712,426

385,515

1,675,146

1,116,612

558,534

985,164

8,880

976,284

2,063,513

1,707,480

356,033

1,280,479

692,567

587,912

712,466

3,777

708,689

45,337

50,386

130,279,694

130,931,189

(*) Presented for comparison purposes only
The accompanying notes, 1 to 47, and Appendices I-VI are an integral part of the consolidated balance sheet for the year ended 31 December 2022.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
SANTANDER CONSUMER FINANCE, S.A. AND SUBSIDIARIES COMPOSING THE SANTANDER CONSUMER FINANCE GROUP
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET AT 31 DECEMBER  2022 AND 2021
(EUR Thousands) 

LIABILITIES

Note

31/12/2022

31/12/2021 (*)

Financial liabilities held for trading

Derivatives

Financial liabilities at fair value through profit or loss

Financial liabilities at amortised cost

Deposits

Central banks

Credit institutions

Customers

Debt securities in issue

Other

Memorandum items: subordinated liabilities

Derivatives – hedge accounting

Changes in the fair value of hedged items in portfolio hedges of interest rate risk

Liabilities under insurance and reinsurance contracts

Provisions

Pensions and other retirement benefit obligations

Other long term employee benefit obligations

Taxes and other legal contingencies

Contingent liabilities and commitments

Other

Tax liabilities

Current tax liabilities

Deferred tax liabilities

Other liabilities

Liabilities included in disposal groups classified as held for sale

Total liabilities

Shareholder’s equity

Capital

Called-up share capital

Memorandum items: uncalled capital

Share premium

Other equity instruments

Equity component of hybrid securities

Other

Other equity

Retained earnings

Revaluation reserves

Other reserves

Reserves or accumulated losses in investments in joint ventures and associates

Other

(-) Treasury stock

Profit or loss after tax attributable to equity holders of the parent

(-) Dividends paid

Other comprehensive income/(loss)

Items that may be reclassified to profit or loss

Items not reclassified to profit or loss

Non-controlling interests

Other comprehensive income

Other

Equity

Total liabilities and equity

Memorandum items: off-balance sheet items

Loans commitment granted

Financial guarantees granted
Other

9

17

17

18

19

20

17, 18, 19

29

11

21

22

16

23

24

23

25

25

3

26

26

27

28

28
28

466,031

466,031

—

58,169

58,169

—

111,077,230

113,270,031

70,848,070

17,900,641

11,620,202

41,327,227

38,855,760

1,373,400

1,514,223

70,866,247

19,997,499

11,780,269

39,088,479

40,652,231

1,751,553

898,750

193,787

128,650

—

—

610,875

414,385

31,488

10,089

28,010

126,903

1,864,753

581,279

1,283,474

—

—

825,910

598,456

44,442

9,576

39,403

134,033

1,411,213

338,699

1,072,514

1,874,830

1,842,887

—

—

116,087,506

117,536,860

12,219,470

11,702,523

5,638,639

5,638,639

—

1,139,990

1,200,000

—

5,638,639

5,638,639

—

1,139,990

1,200,000

—

1,200,000

1,200,000

—

—

3,629,337

2,985,858

—

20,847

439,882

(419,035)

—

1,242,860

(652,203)

—

53,909

398,835

(344,926)

—

1,174,689

(490,562)

(582,107)

(645,973)

(33,865)

(548,242)

2,554,825

(3,715)

2,558,540

14,192,188

(155,201)

(490,772)

2,337,779

2,157

2,335,622

13,394,329

130,279,694

130,931,189

27,052,044

25,756,041

84,997
1,211,006

25,495,968

24,122,179

189,841
1,183,948

(*) Presented for comparison purposes only
The accompanying notes, 1 to 47, and Appendices I-VI are an integral part of the consolidated balance sheet for the year ended 31 December 2022.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                                 
SANTANDER CONSUMER FINANCE, S.A. AND SUBSIDIARIES COMPOSING THE SANTANDER CONSUMER FINANCE GROUP
CONSOLIDATED INCOME STATEMENTS AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2022 AND 2021
(EUR Thousands)

Note

Income / (Expenses)

31/12/2022

31/12/2021 (*)

INTEREST INCOME

Financial assets at fair value through other comprehensive income

Financial assets at amortised cost

Other

INTEREST EXPENSE

NET INTEREST INCOME

DIVIDEND INCOME

INCOME FROM COMPANIES ACCOUNTED FOR USING THE EQUITY METHOD

COMMISSION INCOME

COMMISSION EXPENSE

GAINS OR LOSSES IN FINANCIAL INTRUMENTS NOT AT FAIR VALUE THROUGH PROFIT OR LOSS, NET

GAINS OR LOSSES ON FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS HELD FOR TRADING, NET

GAINS OR LOSSES ON NON-TRADING FINANCIAL ASSETS MANDATORILY AT FAIR VALUE THROUGH PROFIT OR LOSS, 

NET

GAINS OR LOSSES ON FINANCIAL INSTRUMETNS AT FAIR VALUE THROUGH PROFIT OR LOSS, NET

GAINS OR LOSSES FROM HEDGE ACCOUNTING, NET

CURRENCY TRANSLATION DIFFERENCES, NET

OTHER OPERATING INCOME

OTHER OPERATING EXPENSE

INCOME FROM ASSETS UNDER INSURANCE OR REINSURANCE CONTRACTS

CHARGES FROM LIABILITIES UNDER INSURANCE OR REINSURANCE CONTRACTS

OPERATING INCOME

ADMINISTRATION AND GENERAL EXPENSES

Staff costs

Other

DEPRECIATION AND AMORTISATION COST

PROVISIONS OR REVERSAL FROM PROVISIONS, NET

IMPAIRMENT CHARGES AND REVERSALS FROM FINANCIAL ASSETS NOT AT FAIR VALUE THROUGH PROFIT OR LOSS

Financial assets at fair value through other comprehensive income

Financial assets at amortised cost

IMPAIRMENT CHARGES OR REVERSAL OF INVESTMENTS IN JOINT VENTURES AND ASSOCIATES

IMPAIRMENT CHARGES OR REVERSAL OF NON-FINANCIAL ASSETS

Tangible assets

Intangible assets

Other

GAINS OR LOSSES ON NON-FINANCIAL ASSETS, NET

NEGATIVE GOODWILL RECOGNISED IN RESULTS

GAINS OR LOSSESS ON NON-CURRENT ASSETS HELD FOR SALE FROM DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS

PROFIT OR LOSS BEFORE TAX IN RESPECT OF CONTINUING OPERATIONS

OPERATING TAX EXPENSE OR INCOME FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS

PROFIT OR LOSS AFTER TAX FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS 

(LOSS)/PROFIT AFTER TAX FROM DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS

PROFIT /(LOSS) AFTER TAX

Attributable to non-controlling interests

Attributable to equity holders of the parent

EARNIGNS PER SHARE:

Basic

Diluted

30

31

32

33

34

35

35

35

35

35

36

37

38

39

40

13, 15

21

10

41

42

43

22

27

4

4

4,195,233

4,021,364

767

4,089,331

105,135

(624,026)

3,571,207

236

96,736

1,133,025

(349,489)

807

(10,077)

—

—

86,600

(17,644)

551,078

(415,988)

—

—

85

3,869,373

151,906

(463,392)

3,557,972

275

63,790

1,095,656

(334,182)

(6,654)

1,413

7

—

10,889

(4,331)

383,075

(325,336)

—

—

4,646,491

4,442,574

(1,756,232)

(1,663,948)

(884,182)

(872,050)

(189,183)

(20,467)

(842,630)

(821,318)

(191,320)

(50,453)

(451,931)

(495,060)

285

(82)

(452,216)

(494,978)

—

(21,859)

(985)

(11,647)

(9,227)

1,202

—

—

(14,872)

2,701

(11,662)

(5,911)

236

—

(128)

(3,225)

2,207,893

(606,270)

2,023,932

(533,271)

1,601,623

1,490,661

—

1,601,623

358,763

1,242,860

0.66

0.66

—

1,490,661

315,972

1,174,689

0.59

0.59

(*) Presented for comparison purposes only
The accompanying notes, 1 to 47, and Appendices I-VI are an integral part of the consolidated income statement for the year ended 31 December 2022.

SANTANDER CONSUMER FINANCE, S.A. Y SUBSIDIARIES COMPOSING THE SANTANDER CONSUMER FINANCE
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF RECOGNISED INCOME AND EXPENSE AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2022 AND 2021
(EUR Thousands)

Nota

31/12/2022

31/12/2021 (*)

Profit or loss after tax

1,601,623

1,490,661

Other comprehensive income

Items that will not be reclassified to profit or loss

Actuarial gains or losses on defined benefit pension plans

Non-current assets held for sale

Other recognised income and expense from investments in joint ventures and associates

Changes in the fair value of equity instruments measured at fair value through other comprehensive 
income

Income tax in respect of items not reclassified to profit or loss

Items that may be reclassified to profit or loss

Hedges of net investments in joint ventures and associates (effective portion)

Revaluation gains/(losses)

Amounts transferred to the income statement

Other reclassifications

Currency translation differences

Revaluation gains/(losses)

Amounts transferred to the income statement

Other reclassifications

Cash flow hedges

Revaluation gains/(losses)

Amounts transferred to the income statement

Transferred to initial carrying amount of hedged items

Other reclassifications

Debt instruments at fair value through other comprehensive income

Revaluation gains/(losses)

Amounts transferred to the income statement

Other reclassifications

Assets included in disposal groups classified as held for sale

Revaluation gains/(losses)

Amounts transferred to the income statement

Other reclassifications

Share of other recognised income of joint ventures and associates

Income tax in respect of items that may be reclassified to profit or loss

Total recognised income and expenses for the year

Attributable to non-controlling interests

Attributable to equity owners of the parent

26

22

26

26

26

26

22

57,994

120,796

180,485

—

35

(968)

(58,756)

(62,802)

54,046

54,046

—

—

(154,051)

(154,051)

—

—

73,002

41,409

31,593

—

—

(2,082)

(1,797)

(285)

—

—

—

—

—

61,836

33,245

43,346

—

91

3,278

(13,470)

28,591

(112,307)

(112,307)

—

—

131,765

131,765

—

—

19,312

1,316

17,996

—

—

(369)

(6,062)

5,693

—

—

—

—

—

(18,231)

(15,486)

(4,819)

(4,991)

1,659,617

1,552,497

352,891

322,141

1,306,726

1,230,356

(*) Presented for comparison purposes only
The accompanying notes, 1 to 47, and Appendices I-VI are an integral part of- the consolidated statement of recognised income and expense for the year ended 31 December 
2022.

SANTANDER CONSUMER FINANCE, S.A. AND SUBSIDIARIES COMPOSING THE SANTANDER CONSUMER FINANCE GROUP
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN TOTAL EQUITY AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2022 AND 2021

(EUR Thousands)

Sources of changes in shareholders’ 
equity

Capital  (Note 
23)

Share 
premium 
(Note 24)

Equity 
instruments  
issued other 
than capital

Other equity 
instruments

Retained  
Earnings 
(Note 25)

Revaluation 
reserves

Other 
reserves

(-) Own 
shares

Balance as of 31/12/21

5,638,639

1,139,990

1,200,000

Adjustments due to errors

Adjustments due to changes in 
accounting policies

Beginning of period balance 
(01/01/22)

Total recognised income and expenses 
(Note 4)

Other changes in equity

Common stock issued

Preferred stock issued

Other equity instruments issued (Note 
23)

Redemption or maturity of other equity 
instruments

Debt conversion to equity

Reduction of capital

Dividends (Note 4)

Stock buybacks

Sale or cancellation of shares

Transfers from equity to liabilities

Transfers from liabilities to equity

Transfers between equity items

Increases/(decreases) due to business 
combinations

Vesting of shares under employee 
share schemes

Other increase/(decreases) of equity

—

—

—

—

—

—

5,638,639

1,139,990

1,200,000

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

End of period balance 31/12/22

5,638,639

1,139,990

1,200,000

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

2,985,858

—

—

2,985,858

—

643,479

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

643,479

—

—

—

3,629,337

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

53,909

—

—

53,909

—

(33,062)

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

40,648

—

—

(73,710)

20,847

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

Profit or loss 
attributable to 
shareholders 
of the parent

(-) 

Interim 
dividends paid

Other 
comprehensive 
income

Non-controlling interests 
(Note 27)

Other 
comprehensiv
e e income

Other

Total

1,174,689

(490,562)

(645,973)

2,157

2,335,622

13,394,329

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

1,174,689

(490,562)

(645,973)

2,157

2,335,622

13,394,329

1,242,860

—

63,866

(5,872)

358,763

1,659,617

(1,174,689)

(161,641)

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

(652,203)

—

—

—

—

(1,174,689)

490,562

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

(135,845)

(861,758)

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

(135,837)

(788,040)

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

(8)

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

(73,718)

1,242,860

(652,203)

(582,107)

(3,715)

2,558,540

14,192,188

(*) Presented for comparison purposes only.
Notes 1-47 and Appendices I-VI are an integral part of the consolidated statement of changes in total  equity for the year ended 31 December 2022.

SANTANDER CONSUMER FINANCE, S.A. AND SUBSIDIARIES COMPOSING THE SANTANDER CONSUMER FINANCE GROUP
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN TOTAL EQUITY AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2022 AND 2021

Sources of changes in shareholders’ 
equity

Capital  (Note 
23)

Share 
premium 
(Note 24)

Equity 
instruments  
issued other 
than capital

Other equity 
instruments

Balance as of 31/12/20 (*)

Adjustments due to errors

Adjustments due to changes in 
accounting policies

Beginning of period balance (01/01/21) 
(*)

Total recognised income and expenses 
(Note 4)

Other changes in equity

Common stock issued

Preferred stock issued

Other equity instruments issued (Note 
23)

Redemption or maturity of other equity 
instruments

Debt conversion to equity

Reduction of capital

Dividends (Note 4)

Stock buybacks

Sale or cancellation of shares

Transfers from equity to liabilities

Transfers from liabilities to equity

Transfers between equity items

Increases/(decreases) due to business 
combinations

Vesting of shares under employee share 
schemes

Other increase/(decreases) of equity

5,638,639

1,139,990

1,200,000

—

—

—

—

—

—

5,638,639

1,139,990

1,200,000

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

End of period balance 31/12/21 (*)

5,638,639

1,139,990

1,200,000

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

Retained  
Earnings 
(Note 25)

3,919,209

—

—

3,919,209

—

(933,351)

—

—

—

—

—

—

(1,385,226)

—

—

—

—

451,875

—

—

2,985,858

(EUR Thousands)

Revaluation 
reserves

Other 
reserves

(-) Own 
shares

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

74,864

—

—

74,864

—

(20,955)

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

52,180

—

—

(73,135)

53,909

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

Profit or loss 
attributable to 
shareholders 
of the parent

504,055

—

—

504,055

1,174,689

(-) 
Interim 
dividends paid

Other 
comprehensive 
income

Non-controlling interests (Note 
27)

Other 
comprehensive 
income

Other

Total

—

—

—

—

—

(701,640)

(4,012)

2,135,908

13,907,013

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

(701,640)

(4,012)

2,135,908

13,907,013

55,667

6,169

315,972

1,552,497

(504,055)

(490,562)

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

(504,055)

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

(490,562)

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

(116,258)

(2,065,181)

118,720

118,720

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

(233,406)

(2,109,194)

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

(1,572)

(74,707)

1,174,689

(490,562)

(645,973)

2,157

2,335,622

13,394,329

(*) Presented for comparison purposes only.
Notes 1-47 and Appendices I-VI are an integral part of the consolidated statement of changes in total equity for the year ended 31 December 2022.

SANTANDER CONSUMER FINANCE, S.A. AND SUBSIDIARIES COMPOSING THE SANTANDER CONSUMER FINANCE GROUP

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2022 AND 2021 
(EUR Thousands)

Cash flow from operating activities

Profit or loss after tax

Adjustments made to obtain the cash flows from operating activities:

Amortisation

Other

Net increase/(decrease) in operating assets

Financial assets held for trading

Non-trading financial assets mandatorily at fair value through profit or loss

Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss

Financial assets at fair value through other comprehensive income

Financial assets at amortised cost

Other operating assets

Net increase/(decrease) in operating liabilities

Financial liabilities held for trading

Financial liabilities at fair value through profit or loss

Financial liabilities at amortised cost

Other operating liabilities

Corporate income tax paid

Cash flow from investing activities

Payments

Tangible assets

Intangible assets

Investments in joint ventures and associates

Subsidiaries and other business units

Assets and liabilities included in disposal groups classified as held for sale

Other cash flows associated with investing activities

Proceeds

Tangible assets

Intangible assets

Investments in joint ventures and associates

Subsidiaries and other business units

Non-current assets held for sale and associated liabilities

Other cash flows associated with investing activities

Cash flow from financing activities

Payments

Dividends paid

Subordinated debt

Redemption of own equity instruments

Repurchase of own equity instruments

Other cash flows associated with financing activities

Proceeds

Subordinated debt

Issuance of equity instruments

Disposal of own equity instruments

Other cash flows associated with financing activities

EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATES ON CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS

NET INCREASE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT BEGINNING OF THE YEAR

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT END OF THE YEAR

MEMORANDUM ITEMS:

Cash and cash equivalents comprise:

Of which: held by group entities but not available for the group

Cash

Cash equivalent balances at central banks

Other financial assets

(Less)- Bank overdrafts repayable on demand

Note

31/12/2022

31/12/2021 (*)

(10,121,259)

11,617,981

1,601,623

1,605,540

189,183

1,416,357

(11,940,967)

(445,008)

1,120

—

326,049

(11,240,158)

(582,970)

(953,502)

409,700

—

(1,636,653)

273,451

(433,953)

(1,022,024)

(1,321,383)

(1,145,924)

(154,150)

—

1,490,661

1,728,148

191,320

1,536,828

1,812,150

(27,686)

(2,607)

—

(300,886)

2,327,470

(184,141)

7,042,718

29,348

—

6,944,753

68,617

(455,696)

(740,742)

(1,517,770)

(1,019,856)

(137,848)

—

(21,309)

(360,066)

—

—

299,359

255,257

—

28,422

—

15,680

—

(937,684)

(1,537,684)

(1,259,296)

(32,659)

—

—

(245,729)

600,000

600,000

—

—

—

(57,905)

(12,138,872)

18,965,097

6,826,225

—

—

777,028

307,226

—

1,639

449,946

18,217

—

(2,219,096)

(2,532,646)

(1,268,694)

(815,445)

—

—

(448,507)

313,550

100,000

—

—

213,550

(9,845)

8,648,298

10,316,799

18,965,097

82,148

3,900,413

2,843,664

—

94,086

16,570,595

2,300,416

—

7,8

6, 7, 10

13

14 , 15

12

3

14 , 15

3

17

19

23

2

(*) Presented for comparison purposes only 
The accompanying notes, 1 to 47, and Appendices I-VI are an integral part of the consolidated cash flow statement for the year ended 31 December 2022.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Santander Consumer Finance, S.A. and subsidiaries composing the Santander Consumer 
Finance Group

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for 
the year ended 31 December 2022

1.

Introduction,  basis  of  presentation  of  the  consolidated  financial  statements,  basis  of  consolidation  and  other 
information

a)

 Introduction

Santander  Consumer  Finance,  S.A.  (“the  Bank”)  was  incorporated  in  1963  under  the  name  of  Banco  de 
Fomento,  S.A..  It  is  a  private-law  entity  subject  to  the  rules  and  regulations  applicable  to  banks  operating  in 
Spain, and has its headquarters at Avenida de Cantabria s/n, Edificio Dehesa, Boadilla del Monte, Madrid, where 
the  bylaws  and  other  public  information  on  the  Bank  can  be  consulted.  The  Bank  is  registered  in  the  Official 
Register of Institutions of the Bank of Spain under code 0224.

The  Bank’s  object  is  to  receive  funds  from  the  public  in  the  form  of  deposits,  loans,  repos  or  other  similar 
transactions entailing the obligation to refund them, and to use these funds for its own account to grant loans 
and credits or to perform similar transactions. Also, as the holding company of a finance group (the Santander 
Consumer Finance Group, “the Group”), the Bank manages and handles the investments in its subsidiaries.

The Bank is part of the Santander Group, the parent entity of which (Banco Santander, S.A.) owns, directly or 
indirectly, all the share capital of the Bank at 31 December 2022 and 2021 (see Note 23). Banco Santander, S.A. 
has  its  registered  office  at  Paseo  de  Pereda  9-12,  Santander.  In  this  regard,  the  Bank's  activity  should  be 
considered to be carried on in the framework of its belonging to and the strategy of the Santander Group, with 
which  it  performs  transactions  that  are  relevant  to  its  activity  (see  Note  46).  The  consolidated  financial 
statements for 2021 of the Santander Group were authorised for issue by the Directors of Banco Santander, S.A. 
at  its  Board  of  Directors  Meeting  on  24  February  2022,  were  approved  by  the  shareholders  at  the  Annual 
General  Meeting  on  1  April  2022  and  were  filed  at  the  Santander  Mercantile  Registry.  The  consolidated 
financial statements of the Santander Group for 2022 are expected to be authorised for issue by its Directors on 
27 February 2023.

The  Bank  has  one  bank  office  located  in  Madrid,  is  not  listed  and,  in  2022,  it  carried  on  most  of  its  direct 
business activities in Spain.

Additionally,  since  December  2002  the  Bank  has  been  the  head  of  a  European  corporate  group,  consisting 
mainly of financial institutions, which engages in commercial banking, consumer finance, operating and finance 
leasing, full-service leasing and other activities. As of 31 December 2022, the Group had 311 offices distributed 
throughout Europe, 48 of which were located in Spain (314 branches, 49 of which were located in Spain as of 
31 December 2021).

During 2020, after obtaining authorization, a branch has been established in Greece for the purpose of carrying 
out  activities  related  to  the  financing  of  purchases  of  any  type  of  consumer  goods  made  by  third  parties, 
leasing, renting and other activities.

During  2021  and  after  the  merger  of  the  Bank  with  its  subsidiaries  Santander  Consumer  Bank,  S.A.,  Banco 
Santander Consumer Portugal, S.A. and Santander Consumer Finance Benelux, B.V. (see Note 3), Branches were 
established in Belgium, Portugal and the Netherlands in order to continue the activities that had been provided 
until this date.

During the year 2022 and after the merger of the Bank with its subsidiary Santander Consumer Banque, S.A. 
(see Note 3), a branch has been established in France in order to continue the activities that had been provided 
until this date.

1

As required by Article 21 of Royal Decree 84/2015, of 13 February, implementing Law 10/2014, of 26 June, on 
the regulation, supervision and capital adequacy of credit institutions, the accompanying Appendix IV lists the 
agents of the Group as of 31 December 2022.

b)

 Basis of presentation of the consolidated financial statements

Under  Regulation  (EC)  no.  1606/2002  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  19  July  2002,  all 
companies  governed  by  the  law  of  an  EU  member  state  and  whose  securities  are  admitted  to  trading  on  a 
regulated  market  of  any  Member  State  must  prepare  their  consolidated  financial  statements  for  the  years 
beginning  on  or  after  1  January  2005  in  accordance  with  the  International  Financial  Reporting  Standards 
(hereinafter “IFRSs”) previously adopted by the European Union (hereinafter “EU-IFRSs”).

In order to adapt the accounting regime of Spanish credit institutions with the principles and criteria established 
by  the  IFRS  adopted  by  the  European  Union  (IFRS-EU),  the  Bank  of  Spain  issued  Circular  4/2017,  dated  27 
November 2017, on Public and Reserved Financial Information Standards and Financial Statements Formats.

During 2021 and 2020, the Bank of Spain published Circulars 6/2021, dated December 22,  2/2020 and 3/2020, 
dated  June  11,  amending  Circular  4/2017,  dated  November  27  to  credit  institutions  on  Public  and  Reserved 
Financial Information Standards and Financial Statements Formats. 

The Group’s consolidated financial statements for 2022 were formally prepared by the Directors of the Bank, as 
Parent  (at  the  Board  Meeting  of  22  February  2023),  in  accordance  with  the  International  Financial  Reporting 
Standards  as  adopted  by  the  European  Union,  taking  into  account  Bank  of  Spain  Circular  4/2017  and  its 
subsequent  amendments,  as  well  as  the  regulatory  financial  reporting  framework  applicable  to  the  Group 
using  the  basis  of  consolidation,  accounting  policies  and  measurement  basis  set  forth  in  Note  2  to  these 
consolidated financial statements and, accordingly, they presented fairly the Group’s consolidated equity and 
consolidated  financial  position  on  31  December  2022,  and  the  consolidated  results  of  its  operations,  income 
and  expense  recognised,  the  changes  in  consolidated  equity  and  its  consolidated  cash  flows  in  the  year  then 
ended  2022.  These  consolidated  financial  statements  have  been  prepared  from  the  accounting  entries 
registered by the Bank and the rest of the entities that conform the Group, and includes all adjustments and 
reclassifications needed to standardise all accounting policies and valuation criteria applied by the Santander 
Consumer Finance Group.

These notes to the consolidated financial statements contain information in addition to that presented in the 
accompanying  balance sheet, income statement, statement of recognised income and expense, statement of 
changes  in  total  equity  and  statement  of  cash  flows,  all  of  them  consolidated.  The  notes  provide,  in  a  clear, 
relevant,  reliable  and  comparable  manner,  narrative  descriptions  and  disaggregation  of  items  presented  in 
those statements.

The  Group’s  consolidated  financial  statements  for  2021  were  approved  by  the  Shareholders  at  the  Annual 
General  Meeting  of  the  Bank  on  3  March  2022  and  filed  at  the  Madrid  Mercantile  Registry.  The  2022 
consolidated financial statements of the Group and the 2022 financial statements of the Bank and as well as 
substantially all the Group entities have not yet been approved by their Shareholders at the respective Annual 
General  Meetings.  However,  the  Bank’s  Board  of  Directors  considers  that  the  aforementioned  financial 
statements will be approved without any significative changes.

Adoption of new standards and interpretations issued

The following modifications came into force and were adopted by the European Union in 2022: 

•

Amendment to IFRS 3, Business Combinations: to update the references to the conceptual framework for 
financial reporting and add an exception for the recognition of liabilities and contingent liabilities within 
the  scope  of  IAS  37,  Provisions,  Contingent  Liabilities  and  Contingent  Assets  and  IFRIC  21,  Levies.  The 
amendments also confirm that an acquirer should not recognize contingent assets acquired in a business 
combination. It will apply from 1 January 2022.

2

•

•

•

Amendment to IAS 16, Property, Plant and Equipment: prevents an entity from deducting from the cost of 
an item of property, plant and equipment any revenue from the sale of finished goods while the entity is 
preparing  the  item  for  its  intended  use.  It  is  also  clear  that  an  entity  is  "testing  whether  the  asset  is 
functioning properly" when evaluating the technical and physical performance of the asset. The financial 
performance of the asset should not be taken into account for this evaluation.

Additionally, entities should disclose separately the amounts of income and expenses related to finished 
goods that are not the product of the entity's ordinary activities. It will apply from 1 January 2022.

Amendment  to  IAS  37,  Provisions,  Contingent  Liabilities  and  Contingent  Assets:  clarifies  that  the  direct 
costs of fulfilling a contract include both the incremental costs of fulfilling the contract and an allocation 
of  other  costs  directly  related  to  fulfilling  contracts.  Before  recognising  a  separate  provision  for  an 
onerous contract, the entity recognises any impairment loss that has occurred on assets used in fulfilling 
the contract. It will apply from 1 January 2022.

Amendment to IFRS Cycle (2018-2020): introduces minor amendments, that are applied from 1 January 
2022, to the following standards:

•

•

•

IFRS 9, Financial Instruments: clarifies which rates must be included in the 10% test for derecognition 

of financial liabilities.

IFRS  16,  Leases:  amendment  to  remove  possible  confusion  regarding  the  treatment  of  leasing 

incentives in the application of IFRS 16 Leases.

IFRS  1,  in  relation  to  the  first-time  adoption  of  International  Financial  Reporting  Standards,  allows 

entities  that  have  measured  their  assets  and  liabilities  at  the  carrying  amounts  recorded  in  their 

parent's books to  also measure any cumulative  translation differences using the amounts reported 

by the parent. This amendment also applies to associates and joint ventures that have adopted the 

same exemption from IFRS 1.

The  application  of  the  aforementioned  amendments  to  accounting  standards  and  interpretations,  has  not 

resulted  in significant effects on the consolidated annual accounts of Santander Consumer Finance Group.

Likewise, as of the date of preparation of these consolidated annual accounts, the following standards are in 

force, the effective date of which is after December 31, 2022:

•

IFRS 17, Insurance Contracts and modifications of IFRS 17: new general accounting standard for insurance 
contracts,  which  includes  the  recognition,  measurement,  presentation  and  disclosure  of  information. 
Insurance  contracts  combine  financial  and  service  provision  features  that,  in  many  cases,  generate 
variable  long-term  cash  flows.  To  properly  reflect  these  characteristics,  IFRS  17  combines  the 
measurement  of  future  cash  flows  with  the  recording  of  the  result  of  the  contract  during  the  period  in 
which the service is provided, presents separately the financial results from the results for the provision of 
the  service  and  allows  entities,  through  the  choice  of  an  accounting  policy  option,  to  recognize  the 
financial results in the income statement or in other comprehensive income. It will apply from 1 January 
2023 retrospectively.

The  Group  has  carried  out  a  project  to  implement  IFRS  17  with  all  Group  entities  and  has  drawn  up  an 
accounting policy that establishes the accounting criteria for recording insurance contracts.

The Group  has concluded the analysis about the possible effects of this new standard, without noticing 

material impacts on the consolidated financial statements of Santander Consumer Finance Group.

3

•

•

•

The  amendments  to  IAS  1  Presentation  of  Financial  Statements  require  companies  to  disclose  material 
information  about  their  accounting  policies  rather  than  their  significant  accounting  policies.  It  will  be 
applicable from 1 January 2023.

The amendments to IAS 8 Accounting Policies, Changes in Accounting Estimates and Errors clarifies how 
to distinguish changes in accounting policies, which are generally applied retrospectively, from changes in 
accounting  estimates,  which  are  generally  applied  prospectively.  It  will  be  applicable  from  1  January 
2023.

The  amendments  to  IAS  12  Income  Taxes  require  companies  to  recognise  deferred  tax  on  transactions 
that, on initial recognition, give rise to equal amounts of taxable and deductible temporary differences. In 
addition, entities should recognise deferred tax assets (to the extent that it is probable that they can be 
utilised) and deferred tax liabilities at the beginning of the earliest comparative period for all deductible 
and taxable temporary differences associated with: 

a.

Right-of-use assets and lease liabilities, and 

b. Decommissioning,  restoration  and  similar  liabilities,  and  the  corresponding  amounts 

recognised as part of the cost of the related assets. 

The  cumulative  effect  of  recognising  these  adjustments  is  recognised  in  retained  earnings,  or  another 

component of equity, as appropriate. It will be applicable from 1 January 2023. 

Finally,  as  of  the  date  of  preparation  of  these  consolidated  annual  accounts,  the  following  standards  were 

pending   adoption by the European Union, the effective dates of which come into force are after December 

31, 2022:

•

Classification  of  Liabilities,  amendments  to  IAS  1  Presentation  of  Financial  Statements,  considering 

non-current liabilities those in which the entity has the possibility of deferring payment for more than 

12 months from the closing date of the reporting period. 

Likewise,  during  2022  an  additional  amendment  to  IAS  1  on  the  classification  of  liabilities  with 

covenants  as  current  or  non-current  has  been  included,  specifying  that  covenants  that  must  be 

complied with after the reporting date do not affect the classification of liabilities to that date, also 

requiring breakdowns on them.

They must be applied retrospectively in accordance with the normal requirements in IAS 8 Accounting 

Policies, Changes in Accounting Estimates and Errors. It will apply from 1 January 2024. 

•

IFRS  16  Leases:  the  lease  liability  in  a  sale  and  leaseback  requires  a  lessee-seller  to  subsequently 

measure the lease liabilities arising from a leaseback so that it does not recognize any amount for the 

gain or loss in relation to the right. of use. On the other hand, the new requirements do not prevent a 

seller-lessee from recognizing in results any gain or loss related to the partial or total termination of a 

lease. It will be applicable, retrospectively, from January 1, 2024.

Santander  Consumer  Finance  Group  is  currently  analysing  the  possible  effects  of  these  new  standards  and 

interpretations. 

All  accounting  policies  and  measurement  bases  with  a  material  effect  on  the  consolidated  financial 

statements for 2022 were applied in the preparation of these consolidated annual accounts.

4

Use of critical estimates

The consolidated results and the determination of consolidated equity are sensitive to the accounting policies, 

measurement bases and estimates used by the Board of Directors of the Santander Consumer Finance Group 

in preparing the consolidated financial statements. 

The main accounting principles and policies and measurement basis are set forth in note 2.

In  the  Group’s  consolidated  financial  statements,  estimates  were  occasionally  made  by  the  senior 

management of the Santander Consumer Finance Group in order to quantify certain of the assets, liabilities, 

income,  expenses  and  obligations  reported  herein.  These  estimates,  which  were  made  on  the  basis  of  the 

best information available, relate basically to the following:

1. The  impairment  losses  on  certain  financial  assets  at  fair  value  through  other  comprehensive  income, 
non-current  assets  held  for  sale,  financial  assets  at  amortised  cost,  investments  in  joint  ventures  and 
associates, tangible assets and intangible assets (see Notes  6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 47);

2. The  assumptions  used  in  the  actuarial  calculation  of  the  post-employment  benefit  liabilities  and 

commitments and other obligations (see Notes 2-r, 2-s and 21);

3. The useful life of tangible and intangible assets (see Notes 13 and 15);

4. The measurement of goodwill arising from consolidation (see Note 14); 

5. The calculation of provisions and the consideration of contingent liabilities (see Note 21); 

6. The fair value of certain unquoted assets and liabilities (see Notes 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18 and 19);

7. The recoverability of deferred tax assets and the income tax expense (see Notes 2-t and 22);

8. The  fair  value  of  the  identifiable  assets  acquired  and  liabilities  assumed  in  business  combinations 

according to IFRS  3 (see Note 3).

To  update  the  previous  estimates,  the  Group's  management  has  taken 
into  account  the  current 
macroeconomic scenario resulting from the Ukrainian war, as well as the growing level of inflation and the 
difficulties  in  the  supply  chains,  which  is  having  a  certain  impact  on  the  economic  evolution  and  is  being 
closely  monitored,  and  which  generates  uncertainty  in  the  Group's  estimates.  For  this  reason,  the 
Management of the Group has carried out an evaluation of the current situation in accordance with the best 
information available to date, developing in the notes the main estimates made and the potential impacts of 
the  Ukrainian  war  and  the  macroeconomic  situation  on  them  during  the  period  ended  December  31,  2022 
(see Notes 14, 22 and 47).

Although these estimates were made on the basis of the best information available at the end of 2022 and 
considering  information  updated  at  the  date  of  preparation  of  these  consolidated  annual  accounts,  future 
events might make it necessary to change these estimates (upper or lower) in coming years, which, would be 
prospectively, recognising any changes in estimates in the related consolidated income statements.

c) Comparability of information presented

The information contained in this report referring to the 2021 financial year is presented solely and exclusively 
for  comparative  purposes  with  the  information  referring  to  the  2022  financial  year  and,  therefore,  does  not 
constitute the Group's annual accounts for the 2021 financial year.

5

d) Basis of consolidation

i. Subsidiaries

Subsidiaries are defined as entities over which the Bank has the capacity to exercise control. The Bank controls 
an entity when it is exposed, or has rights, to variable returns from its involvement with the investee and has 
the ability to affect those returns through its power over the investee. This situation generally occurs when the 
Bank  has,  directly  or  indirectly,  over  half  of  the  voting  rights  in  the  investee  or  situations  where,  without 
reaching that level of participation, agreement or other circumstances exist that give the Bank control over the 
investee. 

The  financial  statements  of  the  subsidiaries  are  fully  consolidated  with  those  of  the  Bank.  Accordingly,  all 
balances and effects of the transactions between consolidated companies are eliminated on consolidation. 

On acquisition of control of a subsidiary, its assets, liabilities and contingent liabilities are recognised at their 
acquisition-date  fair  values.  Any  positive  differences  between  the  acquisition  cost  and  the  fair  values  of  the 
identifiable net assets acquired are recognised as goodwill (see Note 14). Negative differences are recognised 
in profit or loss on the date of acquisition.

Additionally, the share of third parties of the Group's equity is presented under “Non-controlling interests” in 
the  consolidated  balance  sheet  (see  Note  27).  Their  share  of  the  profit  for  the  year  is  presented  under  Profit 
attributable to non-controlling interests in the consolidated income statement.

The results of subsidiaries acquired during the year are included in the consolidated income statement from the 
date of acquisition to year-end. Similarly, the results of subsidiaries for which control is lost during the year are 
included in the consolidated income statement from the beginning of the year to the date of disposal.

Regarding entities that, without having the majority of the voting rights, were classified as dependent entities 
and,  therefore,  consolidated  in  these  annual  accounts,  such  circumstance  would  be  a  consequence  of  the 
existence of agreements that affect the relevant activities of these entities and that give control to the Bank. As 
of December 31, 2022 and 2021, there are no companies in which the Group does not have at least 50% of the 
voting rights and which have been considered as Group entities.

On  31  December  2022  and  2021,  no  entities  were  identified  in  which  the  Group  held  over  half  of  the  voting 
power and were not considered subsidiaries. 

Appendix I to these consolidated financial statements contains relevant information on the Group’s subsidiaries 
as of 31 December 2022.

ii. Interests in joint ventures

Joint ventures are deemed to be ventures that are not subsidiaries but which are jointly controlled by two or 
more  unrelated  entities.  This  is  evidenced  by  contractual  arrangements  whereby  two  or  more  entities 
(ventures) have interests in entities (jointly controlled entities) or undertake operations or hold assets so that 
strategic  financial  and  operating  decisions  affecting  the  joint  venture  require  the  unanimous  consent  of  the 
ventures.

In the consolidated financial statements, joint ventures are accounted for using the equity method, i.e. at the 
Group's share of net assets of the investee, after taking into account the dividends received therefrom and other 
equity eliminations. The profits and losses resulting from transactions with a joint venture are eliminated to the 
extent of the Group's interest in the jointly controlled entity.

Certain  relevant  information  on  joint  ventures  as  of  December  31,  2022  is  provided  in  Appendix  II  to  these 
consolidated financial statements.

6

 
 
iii. Associates

“Associates” are entities over which the Bank is in a position to exercise significant influence, but not control or 
joint control, usually because it holds 20% or more of the voting power of the investee.

In the consolidated financial statements, investments in associates are accounted for using the equity method, 
i.e. at the Group's share of net assets of the investee, after taking into account the dividends received therefrom 
and  other  equity  eliminations.  The  profits  and  losses  resulting  from  transactions  with  an  associate  are 
eliminated to the extent of the Group's interest in the associate.

Appendix  II  to  these  consolidated  financial  statements  contains  relevant  information  on  associates  as  of  31 
December 2022.

iv. Structured entities

When the Group incorporates entities, or holds ownership interests therein, to enable its customers to access 
certain  investments,  or  for  the  transfer  of  risks  or  other  purposes  (also  called  structured  entities  since  the 
voting  or  similar  power  is  not  a  key  factor  in  deciding  who  controls  the  entity),  the  Group  determines,  using 
internal  criteria  and  procedures  and  taking  into  consideration  the  applicable  legislation,  whether  control  (as 
defined  above)  exists  and,  therefore,  whether  these  entities  should  be  consolidated.  Specifically,  for  those 
entities  to  which  this  policy  applies  (mainly  investment  funds  and  pension  funds),  the  Group  analyses  the 
following factors:

•

•

•

•

•

Percentage of ownership held by the Group; 20% is established as the general threshold.

Identification of the fund manager, and verification as to whether it is a company controlled by the Group 
since this could affect the Group's ability to direct the relevant activities.

Existence of agreements between investors that might require decisions to be taken jointly by the investors, 
rather than by the fund manager.

Existence  of  currently  exercisable  removal  rights  (possibility  of  removing  the  manager  from  his  position) 
since the existence of such rights might limit the manager's power over the fund, and it may be concluded 
that the manager is acting as an agent of the investors.

Analysis of the fund manager's remuneration regime, taking into consideration that a remuneration regime 
that is proportionate to the service rendered does not, generally, create exposure of such importance as to 
indicate  that  the  manager  is  acting  as  the  principal.  Conversely,  if  the  remuneration  regime  is  not 
proportionate to the service rendered, this might give rise to an exposure that would lead the Group to a 
different conclusion.

These  structured  entities  also  include  the  asset  securitization  funds  which  are  consolidated  in  those  cases 
where, being exposed to variable returns, it is considered that the Group continues to exercise control. 

The exposure associated with unconsolidated structured entities are not material with respect to the Group’s 
consolidated financial statements.

Appendix I contains, amongst other information, the structured entities (securitization Funds) that are subject 
to consolidation in these consolidated financial statements as of 31 December 2022. 

7

 
v. Business combinations

A  business  combination  is  the  bringing  together  of  two  or  more  separate  entities  or  economic  units  into  one 
single entity or group of entities.

Business  combinations  whereby  the  Group  obtains  control  over  an  entity  or  business  are  recognised  for 
accounting purposes as follows:

•

•

•

The  Group  measures  the  cost  of  the  business  combination  which  will  normally  correspond  to  the 
consideration  provided,  defined  as  the  fair  value  of  the  assets  transferred,  the  liabilities  incurred  and  the 
equity instruments issued, if any, by the acquirer. The cost of the business combination does not include any 
costs related to the combination, such as fees paid to auditors involved in the transaction, legal advisers, 
investment banks and other consultants. If, prior to the business combination, the Group already held an 
equity interest in the acquiree, this equity interest is measured at its fair value and the difference between 
this fair value and its carrying amount at the date of the business combination is recognised in profit or loss. 
This equity interest measured at fair value forms part of the cost of the business combination.

The  fair  value  of  the  assets,  liabilities  and  contingent  liabilities  of  the  acquired  entity  or  business  is 
estimated,  including  those  intangible  assets  identified  in  the  business  combination  that  might  not  be 
recognised by the acquiree, which are included in the consolidated balance sheet at those values, as well as 
the amount of the minority interests (non-controlling interests) and the fair value of the previous interests 
in the acquire. 

The difference between these items is recorded in accordance with section k) of this Note 2 if it is positive. If 
the difference is negative, it is recognised under "Negative Goodwill" in the consolidated income statement.

Goodwill is only recognised once, when control of a business is obtained.

vi. Changes in the levels of ownership interests in subsidiaries

Acquisitions  and  disposals  not  giving  rise  to  a  change  in  control  are  accounted  for  as  equity  transactions  in  “ 
Other  reserves”,  and  no  gain  or  loss  is  recognised  in  the  consolidated  income  statement  and  the  initially 
recognised goodwill is not remeasured. The difference between the consideration transferred or received and 
the decrease or increase in non-controlling interests, respectively, is recognised in reserves. 

Similarly,  when  control  over  a  subsidiary  is  lost,  the  assets,  liabilities  and  non-controlling  interests  and  any 
other  items  recognised  in  valuation  adjustments  in  “other  accumulated  comprehensive  income”  of  that 
company  are  derecognised  from  the  consolidated  balance  sheet,  and  the  fair  value  of  the  consideration 
received  and  of  any  remaining  equity  interest  is  recognised.  The  difference  between  these  amounts  is 
recognised in consolidated profit or loss.

vii. Acquisitions and disposals

Note 3 to these consolidated financial statements provides information on the most significant acquisitions and 
disposals in 2022 and 2021. 

e) Capital and capital adequacy management

Management  of  the  Bank's  and  the  Group's  capital  should  be  understood  within  the  framework  of  the 
management  performed  by  the  Santander  Group,  of  which  they  form  part  (see  Note  1-a).  The  Santander 
Group's capital management is performed at regulatory and economic levels.

The  aim  is  to  secure  the  Santander  Group's  solvency  and  guarantee  its  economic  capital  adequacy  and  its 
compliance with regulatory requirements, as well as an efficient use of capital.

8

To this end, the regulatory and economic capital figures and their associated metrics -return on riskweighted 
assets  (RORWA),  return  on  risk-adjusted  capital  (RORAC)  and  value  creation  of  each  business  unit-  are 
generated, analysed and reported to the relevant governing bodies on a regular basis. 

In  order  to  adequately  manage  the  Santander  Group's  capital,  it  is  essential  to  estimate  and  analyse  future 
needs,  in  anticipation  of  the  various  phases  of  the  economic  cycle.  Projections  of  regulatory  and  economic 
capital  are  made  based  on  the  budgetary  information  (balance  sheet,  income  statement,  etc.)  and  the 
macroeconomic  scenarios  defined  by  the  Santander  Group's  economic  research  service.  These  estimates  are 
used by the Group as a reference when planning the management actions (issues, securitisations, etc.) required 
to achieve its capital targets.

In  addition,  certain  stress  scenarios  are  simulated  in  order  to  assess  the  availability  of  capital  in  adverse 
situations.  These  scenarios  are  based  on  sharp  fluctuations  in  macroeconomic  variables  (GDP,  interest  rates, 
housing  prices,  etc.)  that  mirror  historical  crises  that  could  happen  again  or  plausible  but  unlikely  stress 
situations.

Following is a brief description of the regulatory capital framework to which the Group is subject:

On 26 June 2013, the Basel III legal framework was included in European law through Directive 2013/36 (CRD 
IV), repealing Directives 2006/48 and 2006/49, and through Regulation 575/2013 on prudential requirements 
for credit institutions and investment firms (Capital Requirements Regulation (CRR).

The CRD IV was transposed into Spanish legislation through Law 10/2014, on the regulation, supervision and 
capital adequacy of credit institutions, and its subsequent implementing regulations contained in Royal Decree-
Law 84/2015 and Bank of Spain Circular 2/2016, which complete its adaptation to Spanish regulation. 

The CRR, of immediate application in each European country, contemplates a gradual implementation calendar 
that  allows  a  progressive  adaptation  to  the  new  requirements  in  the  European  Union  regarding  AT1  and  T2 
capital  instruments.  These  calendars  have  been  incorporated  into  Spanish  regulation  through  Bank  of  Spain 
Circular  2/2014,  affecting  both  new  deductions  and  those  issues  and  equity  elements  that  with  this  new 
regulation are no longer eligible as such.

In 2014, the Basel III came into force, which established new global capital, liquidity and leverage standards for 
financial institutions. 

From  a  capital  standpoint,  Basel  III  redefined  what  is  considered  as  available  capital  in  financial  institutions 
(including new deductions and  raising the requirements for eligible equity instruments), raised the minimum 
capital  requirements,  demanded  that    financial  institutions  provide  excess  capital  (capital  buffers)  and  added 
new requirements for the risks considered. 

In Europe, Basel III was implemented through Directive 2013/36/EU (CRD IV) and Regulation 575/2013 (CRR). 
CRD  IV  was  transposed  into  Spanish  regulations  through  Law  10/2014  on  the  regulation,  supervision  and 
solvency of credit institutions and its subsequent regulatory development contained in Royal Decree 84/2015. 
The CRR is directly applicable in the EU Member States and therefore repeals the national regulations regarding 
minimum capital requirements existing prior to its entry into force. 

On  27  December  2017,  Regulation  2017/2395  was  published,  amending  the  CRR  with  regard  to  transitional 
provisions to mitigate the impact of the introduction of IFRS 9, which took place on 1 January 2018. However, 
as  a  consequence  of  the  Covid-19  health  crisis,  on  June  24,  2020,  the  European  Commission  published 
Regulation (EU) 2020/873, which amends the previous one regarding the transitional adjustments arising from 
the application of IFRS 9 accounting standards.

The regulatory changes introduced in the new regulation are focused mainly on the dynamic approach and the 
extension of the phase-in until 2024 in order to mitigate the impact of the increase in the volume of provisions. 
In terms of how to determine their impact, the static and dynamic approach must be taken into account:

9

Regarding the static approach, it would correspond to apply the factor of 0.7 expected for the year 2020 while 
the dynamic approaches should be distinguished between:

• Dynamic  approach  1:  it  measures  the  evolution  of  non-default  provisions  from  the  date  of  first 
application of IFRS 9 (January 1, 2018) to the reporting date (January 1, 2020), maintaining the phase-in 
factors for 5 years (2018-2022) provided in the previous Regulation.

• Dynamic approach 2: it measures the evolution of non-default provisions from January 1, 2020 until the 

reporting date, applying new phase-in factors updated until 2024.

The main objective of this modification was to isolate the effect of the increase in non-default provisions caused 
by the COVID-19 health crisis and thus not to harm the top-quality capital of credit institutions.

In addition, on 28 December 2017 Regulations 2017/2401 and 2017/2402 were published, incorporating the 
new  securitisation  framework.  The  first  regulation  established  a  new  methodology  for  calculating  capital 
requirements  for  securitisations  and  a  transitional  period  ending  on  31  December  2019,  while  the  second 
regulation  defines  a  type  of  STS  securitisation  which,  due  to  characteristics  ('simple,  transparent  and 
standardised')s, receives preferential treatment in terms of lower capital requirements.

With regard to Non-Performing Exposures (NPEs), rules have been published with the aim of implementing the 
"Action  Plan  for  Non-Performing  Exposures  in  Europe",  published  by  the  European  Council  in  July  2017.  The 
most relevant are the following:

•

•

•

The ECB's supervisory expectation to address the stock of NPEs through provisioning,

European Central Bank Guidance on Non-performing loans to credit institutions, published in March 2017: 
the Appendix to this Guidance, published in March 2018, sets out timetables with quantitative supervisory 
expectations for provisioning of this type of exposure. Applicable to exposures originated prior to 26 April 
2019 and which have become NPE on or after 1 April 2018. Non-compliance could result in a higher charge 
for Pillar 2.

Amendment  of  the  RRC  by  Regulation  2019/630  regarding  the  minimum  coverage  of  losses  arising  from 
doubtful  exposures  (prudential  backstop),  published  in  April  2019:  this  regulation  includes  timetables  of 
quantitative requirements for minimum provisioning of NPE's. It applies to PPE's originated after 26 April 
2019 and failure to comply would result in a deduction from the institutions' CET1.

i. Plan for the roll-out of advanced approaches and authorisation from the supervisory authorities 

Santander Consumer Finance Group, following Santander Group policies, continues with its proposal to adopt, 
progressively, over the next few years, the advanced internal ratings-based (AIRB) approach for substantially all 
its  banks,  until  the  percentage  of  exposure  of  the  loan  portfolio  covered  by  this  approach  exceeds  90%.  The 
commitment  assumed  before  the  supervisor  still  implies  the  adaptation  of  advanced  models  within  the  key 
markets where it operates.

Accordingly,  the  Group  continued  in  2022  with  the  project  for  the  progressive  implementation  of  the 
technology platforms and methodological improvements required for the roll-out of the AIRB approaches for 
regulatory capital calculation purposes at the various Group units. 

The  Group  has  obtained  authorisation  from  the  supervisory  authorities  to  use  the  AIRB  approach  for  the 
calculation of regulatory capital requirements for credit risk for the Parent and the main subsidiaries in Spain as 
well as for certain portfolios in Germany, the Nordic countries (Norway, Sweden and Finland), and France.

With respect to operational risk, the Group currently uses the standardised approach for calculating regulatory 

capital as foreseen in the Capital Requirements Regulation (CRR). 

10

f) Deposits Guarantee Fund and Single Resolution Fund 

The Bank and other consolidated entities participate in the Deposit Guarantee Fund, National Resolution Fund 
or equivalent scheme in their respective countries.

i. Deposit Guarantee Fund

The Spanish Deposit Guarantee Fund (Fondo de Garantía de Depósitos, "FGD") was established by Royal Decree-
Law 16/2011, of 14 October, which was amended pursuant to the wording given in final provision ten of Law 
11/2015, of 18 June, on the recovery and resolution of credit institutions and investment services companies (in 
force  as  from  20  June  2015).  This  Law  transposes  Directive  2014/49/  EU,  of  16  April  2014,  on  deposit 
guarantee  schemes  into  Spanish  legislation.  The  annual  contribution  to  be  made  to  the  fund  by  Spanish 
institutions  is  determined  by  the  FGD  Management  Committee.  Contributions  are  based  on  the  amount  of 
covered deposits, adjusted for the entity's risk profile, which takes into account the phase in the economic cycle 
and the impact of pro-cyclical contributions, pursuant to article 6,3 of Royal Decree-Law 16/2011.

The  purpose  of  the  FGD  is  to  guarantee  deposits  at  credit  institutions,  up  to  the  limit  foreseen  in  the 
aforementioned Royal Decree-Law. To fulfil its objectives, the FGD is funded by the above-referenced annual 
contributions, the extraordinary contributions the fund requires from its members and the resources secured in 
securities markets and through loans or other financing operations.

Taking into account the foregoing and to strengthen the FGD, Royal Decree-Law 6/2013, of 22 March, on the 
protection of holders of certain savings and investment products and other financial measures established an 
extraordinary  contribution  equal  to  3  per  thousand  of  the  institutions’  deposits  at  31  December  2012.  This 
extraordinary contribution was payable in two tranches:

i.

Two-fifths to be paid within 20 business days from 31 December 2013.

ii.

Three-fifths to be paid within a maximum of seven years in accordance with the payment schedule set 

by the FGD Management Committee.

The  notes  to  the  Bank’s  individual  financial  statements  for  2022  include  additional  information  on  the 
contributions of this nature made by the Bank in 2022 and 2021.

ii. Single Resolution Fund

In  March  2014,  a  political  agreement  was  reached  between  the  European  Parliament  and  Council  on 
establishing  the  second  pillar  of  the  Banking  Union,  the  Single  Resolution  Mechanism  (“SRM”).  The  main 
objective  of  the  SRM  is  to  ensure  that  potential  future  bank  failures  in  the  banking  union  are  managed 
efficiently,  with  minimal  costs  to  taxpayers  and  the  real  economy.  The  scope  of  the  SRM  mirrors  that  of  the 
SSM.  This  means  that  a  central  authority  -the  Single  Resolution  Board  (“SRB”)  is  ultimately  in  charge  of  the 
decision  to  initiate  the  resolution  of  a  bank,  while  operationally  the  decision  will  be  implemented  in 
cooperation with national resolution authorities. The SRB started its work as an independent EU agency on 1 
January 2015.

While  the  rules  governing  the  banking  union  aim  to  ensure  that  any  resolution  is  first  financed  by  a  bank’s 
shareholders and, if necessary, also partly by a bank’s creditors, there is now another funding source available 
that can step in if the contributions of shareholders and creditors are insufficient, namely the Single Resolution 
Fund (“SRF”), which is administered by the SRB. The legislation establishes that contributions to the SRF will be 
paid in by the banks over the course of eight years.

11

In this regard, the SRF, which was introduced by Regulation (EU) No 806/2014 of the European Parliament and 
of the Council, became operational on 1 January 2016. The basis for the calculation of the contributions that 
must  be  made  by  credit  institutions  and  investment  firms  to  the  SRF  lies  with  the  SRB.  As  from  2016,  these 
contributions base on: (a) a flat contribution (or basic annual contribution), that is prorata with respect to the 
total  liabilities,  excluding  own  funds  and  guaranteed  deposits,  of  all  of  the  institutions  authorised  in  the 
territories of the participating Member States; and (b) a risk-adjusted contribution, that shall be based on the 
criteria laid down in Article 103(7) of Directive 2014/59/EU, taking into account the principle of proportionality, 
without  creating  distortions  between  banking  sector  structures  of  the  Member  States.  The  amount  of  these 
contributions accrues from 2016 in an annual basis. 

The  amount  accrued  for  contributions  to  both  funds  stood  at  EUR  81,891  thousand  as  of  31  December  2022 
(EUR  82,156  thousand  as  of  31  December  2021),  recognised  under  “Other  operating  expenses”  on  the 
accompanying income statement (see Note 38). 

iii. National Resolution Fund

In 2015 Royal Decree 1012/2015 of 6 November was published, implementing Law 11/2015 of 18 June on the 
recovery  and  resolution  of  credit  institutions  and  investment  service  companies  and  amending  Royal  Decree 
2606/1996  of  20  December  on  deposit  guarantee  funds  for  credit  institutions.  The  aforementioned  Law 
11/2015 regulates the creation of the National Resolution Fund, whose financial resources should reach 1% of 
the amount of guaranteed deposits by 31 December 2024, through contributions from credit institutions and 
investment service companies established in Spain. The details of how the contributions to this Fund are to be 
calculated are governed by the Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/63 of the Commission of 21 October 2014 and 
are  calculated  by  the  Fondo  de  Resolución  Ordenada  Bancaria  ("FROB"),  on  the  basis  of  the  information 
provided by each institution.

The expense incurred for the contribution made by the Bank to the National Resolution Fund of Spain in 2022, 
which  amounted  to  EUR  451  thousand  (EUR  535  thousand  in  2021),  is  recognised  under  "Other  Operating 
Expenses" in the accompanying income statement (see Note 38).

g) Environmental impact

In view of the business activities carried on by the Group entities, they do not have any environmental liability, 
expenses, assets, provisions or contingencies that might be material with respect to the Group’s consolidated 
equity,  financial  position  or  results.  Therefore,  no  specific  disclosures  relating  to  environmental  issues  are 
included in these notes to the consolidated financial statements.

h) Events after the reporting period

Subsequent to the close of the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022 and up to the date of preparation of these 
Consolidated  Financial  Statements  for  said  fiscal  year,  no  event  has  occurred  that  significantly  affects  or 
modifies the information contained therein.

However, there are two events to highlight:

–  On  December  28,  2022,  the  Law  establishing  a  temporary  tax  on  credit  institutions  and  financial  credit 
establishments was published in Spain (see note 22 for more details). The impact recorded in the year 2023 is 
not material in the consolidated profit and loss account.

– As of December 31, 2022, SCF S.A. presents in its balance sheet deposits taken from its parent entity Banco 
Santander S.A. for an amount of 6,050 million euros, which constitute part of the entity's structural financing 
(Financial liabilities at amortized cost – Deposits- note 17).

During the month of January 2023 Banco Santander S.A. has cancelled in advance a total of 5,250 million euros 
that were part the financing, which have been fully replaced by deposits taken from Openbank S.A, an entity 
100% owned by Banco Santander S.A.

12

2. Accounting policies and valuation criteria

The  accounting  policies  and  valuation  criteria  used  in  the  preparation  of  the  accompanying  financial  statements 
were as follows:

a)

Foreign currency transactions

i. Presentation currency

The Bank’s functional and presentation currency, as well as the Group’s presentation currency, is the Euro.

ii. Translation of foreign currency balances

Foreign currency balances are translated into Euro in two stages:

–

–

Translation  of  the  foreign  currency  to  the  presentation  currency  (currency  of  the  main  economic 
environment in which it operates); and

Translation  to  Euro  of  the  balances  held  in  the  functional  currencies  of  entities  whose  functional 
currency is not the Euro. 

iii. Translation of foreign currency to the presentation currency

Foreign  currency  transactions  performed  by  consolidated  entities  (or  entities  accounted  for  using  the 
equity  method)  not  located  in  European  Monetary  Union  countries  are  initially  recognised  in  their 
respective currencies. Monetary items in foreign currency are subsequently translated to their functional 
currencies using the closing rate.

Furthermore:

•

•

•

•

Non-monetary items measured at historical cost are translated to the presentation currency at the 
exchange rate at the date of acquisition.

Non-monetary items measured at fair value are translated at the exchange rate at the date when 
the fair value was determined.

Income  and  expenses  are  translated  at  the  average  exchange  rates  for  the  year  for  all  the 
transactions performed during the year. When applying this criterion, the Group considers whether 
there  have  been  significant  changes  in  the  exchange  rates  in  the  year  which,  in  view  of  their 
materiality with respect to the consolidated financial statements taken as a whole, would make it 
necessary to use the exchange rates at the transaction date rather than the aforementioned average 
exchange rates.

The  balances  arising  from  non-hedging  forward  foreign  currency/foreign  currency  and  foreign 
currency/euro  purchase  and  sale  transactions  are  translated  at  the  closing  rates  prevailing  in  the 
forward foreign currency market for the related maturity.

iv.    Translation of functional currencies to Euro

The  balances  in  the  financial  statements  of  consolidated  entities  (or  entities  accounted  for  using  the 
equity method) whose functional currency is not the euro are translated to euros as follows:

•

•

•

Assets and liabilities, at the closing rates.

Income and expenses, at the average exchange rates for the year.

Equity items, at the historical exchange rates.

 13

v.     Recognition of exchange differences

The  exchange  differences  arising  from  the  translation  of  foreign  currency  balances  to  the  presentation 
currency  are  generally  recognised  at  their  net  amount  under  Currency  translation  differences  in  the 
consolidated income statement, except for exchange differences arising from financial instruments at fair 
value  through  profit  or  loss,  which  are  recognised  in  the  consolidated  income  statement  without 
distinguishing  them  from  other  changes  in  fair  value,  and  for  exchange  differences  arising  from 
nonmonetary  items  measured  at  fair  value  through  equity,  which  are  recognised  under  Other 
comprehensive  income  –  Items  that  may  be  reclassified  to  profit  or  loss  –  Currency  translation 
differences, except for the exchange differences of equity instruments, in which the option of irrevocably 
has  been  chosen,  to  be  valued  at  fair  value  with  changes  in  other  accumulated  comprehensive  income, 
which  are  recognized  under  Other  accumulated  comprehensive  income  -  Items  that  will  not  be 
reclassified  into  results  -  Changes  in  the  fair  value  of  equity  instruments  measured  at  fair  value  with 
changes in other comprehensive income (see Note 26).

The exchange differences arising from the translation to euros of the financial statements denominated in 
functional currencies other than the euro are recognised in Other comprehensive income – Items that may 
be  reclassified  to  profit  or  loss-  Currency  translation  differences  in  the  consolidated  balance  sheet, 
whereas those arising from the translation to euros of the financial statements of entities accounted for- 
using the equity method are recognised in equity under Other comprehensive income - Items that may be 
reclassified  to  profit  or  loss  and  Items  not  reclassified  to  profit  or  loss  -  Other  recognised  income  and 
expense  of  investments  in  subsidiaries,  joint  ventures  and  associates,  until  the  related  item  is 
derecognised, at which time they are recognised in profit or loss, unless it is part of items not reclassified 
to profit or loss.

Exchange  differences  arising  from  actuarial  gains  or  losses  when  converting  to  euros  the  financial 
statements  denominated  in  the  functional  currencies  of  entities  whose  functional  currency  is  different 
from  the  euro  are  recognised  under  equity  –  Other  comprehensive  income  –  Items  not  reclassified  to 
profit or loss - Actuarial gains or (-) losses on defined benefit pension plans (see Note 21). 

vi.     Entities located in hyperinflationary economies

As  at  31  December  2022  and  2021  none  of  the  functional  currencies  of  the  consolidated  entities  and 
associates  located  abroad  related  to  hyperinflationary  economies  as  defined  by  International  Financial 
Reporting Standards as adopted by the European Union. Accordingly, at the end of the last three reporting 
periods  it  was  not  necessary  to  adjust  the  financial  statements  of  any  of  the  consolidated  entities  or 
associates to correct for the effect of inflation.

vii.   Exposure to foreign 

The equivalent Euro value of the total assets and liabilities in foreign currency held by the Group as of 31 
December  2022  and  2021  amounted  to  EUR  20,296  million  and  EUR  12,221  million,  respectively  (EUR 
20,136 million and EUR 13,183 million, respectively in 2021) –see Note 44.b.–. 98.80% (98.90% on 31 
December  2021)  of  these  assets  and  100%  of  these  liabilities  (100%  in  2021),  approximately,  99.2% 
correspond  to,  Norwegian  kroner  and  sterling  pounds.  Virtually  all  the  remainder  relates  to  other 
currencies  traded  in  the  Spanish  market.  The  effect  on  the  consolidated  income  statement  and 
consolidated  equity  of  variations  of  1%  in  the  various  foreign  currencies  in  which  the  Group  holds 
significant  balances,  taking  into  account  the  exchange  rate  hedges  arranged  by  the  Group  in  this 
connection, would not be significant.

b) Definitions and classification of financial instruments 

i) Definitions

A “financial instrument” is any contract that gives rise to a financial asset of one entity and a financial liability or 
equity instrument of another entity.

An  “Capital  or  equity  instrument”  is  a  contract  that  evidences  a  residual  interest  in  the  assets  of  the  issuing 
entity after deducting all of its liabilities.

 14

A  “financial  derivative”  is  a  financial  instrument  whose  value  changes  in  response  to  the  change  in  an 
observable market variable (such as an interest rate, foreign exchange rate, financial instrument price, market 
index or credit rating), whose initial investment is very small compared with the investment that would have to 
be  made  in  other  financial  instruments  with  a  similar  response  to  changes  in  market  factors,  and  which  is 
generally settled at a future date.

“Hybrid  financial  instruments”  are  contracts  that  simultaneously  include  a  non-derivative  host  contract 
together with a derivative, known as an embedded derivative, that is not separately transferable and has the 
effect that some of the cash flows of the hybrid contract vary in a way similar to a stand-alone derivative.

Compound  financial  instruments  are  contracts  that  simultaneously  create  a  financial  liability  and  an  equity 
instrument for their issuer (such as convertible bonds that give the holder the right to convert them into equity 
instruments of the issuing entity).

The  preference  shares  contingently  convertible  into  ordinary  shares  eligible  as  Additional  Tier  1  capital 
(“CCPSs”) -perpetual preference shares, which may be repurchased by the issuer in certain circumstances, the 
interest on which is discretionary, and would convert into a variable number of newly issued ordinary shares if 
the capital ratio of the Bank or its consolidated group falls below a given percentage (trigger event), as those 
two terms are defined in the related issue prospectuses- are recognised for accounting purposes by the Group 
as compound instruments. The liability component reflects the issuer's obligation to deliver a variable number 
of  shares  and  the  equity  component  reflects  the  issuer's  discretion  in  relation  to  the  payment  of  the  related 
coupons. In order to effect the initial allocation, the Group estimates the fair value of the liability as the amount 
that  would  have  to  be  delivered  if  the  trigger  event  were  to  occur  immediately  and,  accordingly,  the  equity 
component, calculated as the residual amount, is zero. In view of the aforementioned discretionary nature of 
the payment of the coupons, they are deducted directly from equity.

Also, the contingently redeemable perpetual debentures, which may be purchased by the issuer under certain 
circumstances,  whose  remuneration  is  discretionary,  and  which  will  be  redeemed,  in  whole  or  in  part,  on  a 
permanent  basis  if  the  Bank  or  its  consolidated  group  has  a  capital  ratio  below  a  certain  percentage  (trigger 
event), as defined in the related prospectuses, are accounted for by the Group as equity instruments.

Las operaciones señaladas a continuación no se tratan, a efectos contables, como instrumentos financieros:

•

•

•

•

Investments in joint ventures and associates (see Note 12).

Rights and obligations under employee benefit plans (see Note 21).

The rights and obligations arising from insurance contracts.

Contracts  and  obligations  related  to  remuneration  for  employees  based  on  own  equity  instruments.  (see 
Note 8).

ii) Classification of financial assets for measurement purposes 

Financial  assets  are  initially  classified  into  the  various  categories  used  for  management  and  measurement 
purposes, unless they have to be presented as “Assets included in disposal groups classified as held for sale” or 
they relate to “Cash and balances at central banks”, “Derivatives – hedge accounting” and “Investments in joint 
ventures and associates”, which are reported separately.

The classification criteria for financial assets depends both on the business model underlying its management 
and the characteristics of its cash flows.

The business models refer to the way the Group manages its financial assets to generate cash flows. To define 
these models, the Group considers the following:

• How key management staff are assessed and reported on the performance of the business model and the 

financial assets held in the business model.

•

The risks that affect the performance of the business model (and the financial assets held in the business 
model) and, specifically, the way in which these risks are managed.

 15

• How business managers are remunerated.

•

The frequency and volume of sales in previous years, as well as expectations of future sales.

The analysis of the characteristics of the contractual flows of financial assets requires the assessment of the 
consistency of these flows with a basic loan agreement. The Group determines whether the contractual cash 
flows of its financial assets are only payments of principal and interest on the amount of principal outstanding 
at the beginning of the transaction. This analysis takes into consideration four factors (performance, covenants, 
contractually  linked  products  and  currencies).  In  this  regard,  the  most  significant  judgements  made  by  the 
Group in performing this analysis include the following:

•

•

•

The return on the financial asset, specifically in cases of periodic interest rate adjustments where the term of 
the  reference  interest  rate  does  not  coincide  with  the  frequency  of  the  adjustment.  In  these  cases,  an 
assessment  is  made  in  order  to  determine  whether  the  contractual  cash  flows  differ  significantly  from  the 
flows without this change in the time value of money, establishing a tolerance level of 2%.

The contractual clauses that may modify the cash flows of the financial asset, for which purpose the structure 
of the cash flows before and after the activation of such clauses is analysed. 

Financial assets whose cash flows have different priority for payment due to a contractual link to underlying 
assets (e.g. securitisations) require a look-through analysis by the Group so as to review that both the financial 
asset and the underlying assets are only principal and interest payments and that the exposure to credit risk of 
the set of underlying assets belonging to the tranche analysed is less than or equal to the exposure to credit 
risk of the set of underlying assets of the instrument.

On this basis, the asset can be measured at amortised cost, at fair value through other comprehensive income 
or at fair value through profit or loss. IFRS 9 also provides the option to designate an instrument as at fair value 
through  profit  or  loss  if  doing  so  would  eliminate  or  significantly  reduce  a  measurement  or  recognition 
inconsistency  (sometimes  referred  to  as  'accounting  mismatch')  that  would  otherwise  arise  from  measuring 
assets or liabilities or recognising gains and losses on them on different bases. The Group uses the following 
criteria for the classification of debt instruments:

•

•

•

Amortised cost: financial instruments under a business model whose objective is to collect principal and 
interest flows, over which there is no significant unjustified sales and fair value is not a key element in 
the  management  of  these  assets  and  contractual  conditions  they  give  rise  to  cash  flows  on  specific 
dates,  which  are  only  payments  of  principal  and  interest  on  the  outstanding  principal  amount.  In  this 
sense, unjustified sales are those other than those related to an increase in the credit risk of the asset, 
unanticipated funding needs (stress case scenarios). Additionally, the characteristics of its contractual 
flows represent substantially a "basic financing agreement".

Fair value with changes in other comprehensive income: financial instruments held in a business model 
whose objective is to collect principal and interest cash flows and the sale of these assets, where fair 
value  is  a  key  factor  in  their  management.  Additionally,  the  contractual  cash  flow  characteristics 
substantially represent a “basic financing agreement”. 

Fair  value  with  changes  in  profit  or  loss:  financial  instruments  included  in  a  business  model  whose 
objective  is  not  obtained  through  the  models  mentioned  above,  where  fair  value  is  a  key  factor  in 
managing of these assets, and financial instruments whose contractual cash flow characteristics do not 
substantially represent a “basic financing agreement”. In this section it can be enclosed the portfolios 
classified  under  “Financial  assets  held  for  trading”,  “Non-trading  financial  assets  mandatorily  at  fair 
value through profit or loss” and “Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss”.

Equity  instruments  will  be  classified  at  fair  value  under  IFRS  9,  with  changes  in  profit  or  loss,  unless  the 
Group  decides,  for  non-trading  assets,  to  classify  them  at  fair  value  with  changes  in  other  comprehensive 
income (irrevocably) in the initial moment.

iii) Classification of financial assets for presentation purposes 

Financial assets are classified by nature into the following items in the consolidated balance sheet:

•

Cash and balances at Central Banks: cash balances and balances receivable on demand relating to deposits 
with central banks and credit institutions.

 16

•

Loans advances: includes the debit balances of all credit and loans granted by the Group, other than those 
represented by securities, as well as finance lease receivables and other debit balances of a financial nature 
in  favor  of  the  Group,  such  as  cheques  drawn  on  credit  institutions,  balances  receivable  from  clearing 
houses  and  settlement  agencies  for  transactions  on  the  stock  exchange  and  organised  markets,  bonds 
given  in  cash,  capital  calls,  fees  and  commissions  receivable  for  financial  guarantees  and  debit  balances 
arising  from  transactions  not  originating  in  banking  transactions  and  services,  such  as  the  collection  of 
rentals and similar items. They are classified based on the institutional sector to which the debtor belongs, 
into:

•

•

•

Central  banks:  credit  of  any  nature,  including  deposits  and  money  market  transactions  received  from 
the Bank of Spain or other central banks.

Credit institutions: credit of any nature, including deposits and money market transactions, in the name 
of credit institutions.

Customers:  includes  the  remaining  credit,  including  money  market  transactions  through  central 
counterparties.

• Debt instruments: bonds and other securities that represent a debt for their issuer, that generate an interest 

return, and that are in the form of certificates or book entries.

•

Equity instruments: financial instruments issued by other entities, such as shares, which have the nature of 
equity  instruments  for  the  issuer,  other  than  investments  in  subsidiaries,  joint  ventures  or  associates. 
Investment fund units are included in this item.

• Derivatives: includes the fair value in favour of the Group of derivatives which do not form part of hedge 

accounting, including embedded derivatives separated from hybrid financial instruments.

•

Changes in the fair value of hedged items in portfolio hedges of interest rate risk: this item is the balancing 
entry for the amounts credited to the consolidated income statement in respect of the measurement of the 
portfolios of financial instruments which are effectively hedged against interest rate risk through fair value 
hedging derivatives.

• Derivatives  –  hedge  accounting:  Includes  the  fair  value  in  favour  of  the  Group  of  derivatives,  including 
embedded derivatives separated from hybrid financial instruments, designated as hedging instruments in 
hedge accounting.

iv) Classification of financial liabilities for measurements purposes

Financial liabilities are initially classified into the various categories used for management and measurement 
purposes, unless they must be presented as Liabilities associated with non-current assets held for sale or they 
relate to hedging derivatives or Changes in the fair value of hedged items in portfolio hedges of interest rate 
risk (liability side), which are reported separately.

Financial liabilities are included for measurement purposes in one of the following categories:

•

•

Financial  liabilities  held  for  trading  (at  fair  value  through  profit  or  loss):  this  category  includes  financial 
liabilities incurred for the purpose of generating a profit in the near term from fluctuations in their prices, 
financial  derivatives  not  designated  as  hedging  instruments,  and  financial  liabilities  arising  from  the 
outright  sale  of  financial  assets  acquired  under  reverse  repurchase  agreements  ("reverse  repos")  or 
borrowed (short positions

Financial liabilities at fair value through profit or loss: financial liabilities are included in this category when 
they provide more relevant information, either because this eliminates or significantly reduces recognition 
or  measurement  inconsistencies  (accounting  mismatches)  that  would  otherwise  arise  from  measuring 
assets  or  liabilities  or  recognising  the  gains  or  losses  on  them  on  different  bases,  or  because  a  group  of 
financial liabilities or financial assets and liabilities is managed and its performance is evaluated on a fair 
value  basis,  in  accordance  with  a  documented  risk  management  or  investment  strategy,  and  information 
about the group is provided on that basis to the Group's key management personnel. Liabilities may only be 
included in this category on the date when they are incurred or originated.

 17

•

Financial liabilities at amortised cost: financial liabilities, irrespective of their instrumentation and maturity, 
not included in any of the above-mentioned categories which arise from the ordinary borrowing activities 
carried on by financial institutions.

v) Classification of financial liabilities for presentation purposes

Financial liabilities are classified by nature into the following items in the consolidated balance sheet:

• Deposits: includes all repayable balances received in cash by the Group –including subordinated liabilities 
(amount of the loans received that rank below other loans or securities with regards to claims on assets and 
earnings)  -  save  for  debt  instruments  in  issue.  This  item  also  includes  those  cash  bonds  and  cash 
consignments received whose amount may be invested without restriction. Deposits are classified based on 
the creditor's institutional sector into:

•

•

•

Central banks: deposits of any nature, including credit received and money market transactions received 
from the Bank of Spain or other central banks.

Credit institutions: deposits of any nature, including credit received and money market transactions in 
the name of credit institutions.

Customer:  includes  the  remaining  deposits,  including  money  market  transactions  through  central 
counterparties.

During the 2019, the European Central Bank announced a new program of longer-term financing operations 
with a specific objective (TLTRO III), which included special conditions, including a reduction in the interest 
rate applicable between June 2020 and June 2022 subject to compliance with a certain volume of eligible 
loans.

Santander  Consumer  Finance  Group  chose  to  accrue  interest  in  accordance  with  the  specific  periods  of 
adjustment to market rates, so that the interest corresponding to said period (-1%) has been recorded in 
the income statement from June 2020 to June 2022, having met the computable loan threshold that gave 
rise to the extra rate on that date.

Subsequently,  and  as  a  result  of  the  modifications  introduced  by  the  European  Central  Bank  in  the 
conditions of the program, which include changes in its interest rates, the Group has updated the effective 
interest  rate  at  which  interest  accrues  on  said  financial  liability,  maintaining  the  criterion  adopted  in 
previous years, and considering said modifications a change in the variable interest rate (which affects the 
EIR) and is applied prospectively.

• Marketable  debt  securities:  includes  the  amount  of  bonds  and  other  debt  represented  by  marketable 
securities, other than those having the substance of subordinated liabilities (amount of the loans received, 
which  for  credit  priority  purposes  are  after  common  creditors,  and  includes  the  amount  of  the  financial 
instruments issued by the Group which, having the legal nature of capital, do not meet the requirements to 
qualify as equity, such as certain preferred shares issued). This item includes the component that has the 
consideration of financial liability of the securities issued that are compound financial instruments.

• Derivatives:  includes  the  fair  value,  with  a  negative  balance  for  the  Group,  of  derivatives,  including 

embedded derivatives separated from the host contract, which do not form part of hedge accounting.

•

Short positions: includes the amount of financial liabilities arising from the outright sale of financial assets 
acquired under reverse repurchase agreements or borrowed.

• Other  financial  liabilities:  includes  the  amount  of  payment  obligations  having  the  nature  of  financial 
liabilities not included in other items (includes, among others, the balance of lease liabilities), and liabilities 
under financial guarantee contracts, unless they have been classified as non-performing.

•

Changes in the fair value of hedged items in portfolio hedges of interest rate risk: this item is the balancing 
entry for the amounts charged to the consolidated income statement in respect of the measurement of the 
portfolios of financial instruments which are effectively hedged against interest rate risk through fair value 
hedging derivatives.

 18

• Derivatives  –  hedge  accounting:  includes  the  fair  value  of  the  Group’s  liability  in  respect  of  derivatives, 
including  embedded  derivatives  separated  from  hybrid  financial  instruments,  designated  as  hedging 
instruments in hedge accounting.

c) Measurement of financial assets and liabilities and recognition of fair value changes 

In general, financial assets and liabilities are initially recognised at fair value which, in the absence of evidence 
to the contrary, is deemed to be the transaction price. Financial instruments not measured at fair value through 
profit or loss are adjusted by the transaction costs. Financial assets and liabilities are subsequently measured at 
each year-end as follows. 

In  this  regard,  IFRS  9  states  that  regular  way  purchases  or  sales  of  financial  assets  shall  be  recognised  and 
derecognised on the trade date or on the settlement date. The Group has opted to make such recognition on 
the  trading  date  or  the  settlement  date,  depending  on  the  convention  of  each  of  the  markets  in  which  the 
transactions take place. For example, in relation to the purchase or sale of debt securities or equity instruments 
traded  in  the  Spanish  market,  securities  market  regulations  stipulate  their  effective  transfer  at  the  time  of 
settlement and, therefore, the same time has been established for the accounting record to be made.

The fair value of instruments not measured at fair value with changes in profit or loss is adjusted for transaction 
costs. Subsequently, at each accounting close, they are valued in accordance with the following criteria: 

i) Measurement of financial assets

Financial  assets  are  measured  at  fair  value  are  valued  mainly  at  their  fair  value  without  deducting  any 
transaction cost for their sale.

The fair value of a financial instrument on a given date is taken to be the price that would be received to sell an 
asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants. The most objective 
and common reference for the fair value of a financial instrument is the price that would be paid for it on an 
active,  transparent  and  deep  market  (quoted  price  or  market  price).  At  31  December  2022  there  were  no 
significant investments in quoted financial instruments that had ceased to be recognised at their quoted price 
because their market could not be deemed to be assets.

If there is no market price for a given financial instrument, its fair value is estimated on the basis of the price 
established  in  recent  transactions  involving  similar  instruments  and,  in  the  absence  thereof,  of  valuation 
techniques commonly used by the international financial community, taking into account the specific features 
of the instrument to be measured and, particularly, the various types of risk associated with it.

All derivatives are recognised in the balance sheet at fair value from the trade date. If the fair value is positive, 
they are recognised as an asset and if the fair value is negative, they are recognised as a liability. The fair value 
on  the  trade  date  is  deemed,  in  the  absence  of  evidence  to  the  contrary,  to  be  the  transaction  price.  The 
changes in the fair value of derivatives designated as accounting hedges from the trade date are recognised in 
Gains/losses  on  financial  assets  and  liabilities  held  for  trading  (net)  in  the  consolidated  income  statement. 
Specifically, the fair value of financial derivatives traded in markets included in the portfolios of financial assets 
or liabilities held for trading is deemed to be their daily quoted price and if, for exceptional reasons, the quoted 
price cannot be determined on a given date, these financial derivatives are measured using methods similar to 
those used to measure OTC derivatives.

The fair value of OTC derivatives is taken to be the sum of the future cash flows arising from the instrument, 
discounted  to  present  value  at  the  date  of  measurement  (present  value  or  theoretical  close)  using  valuation 
techniques commonly used by the financial markets: net present value (NPV), option pricing models and other 
methods.

The amount of debt securities and loans and advances under a business model whose objective is to collect the 
principal  and  interest  flows  are  valued  at  their  amortised  cost  if  they  meet  the  SPPI  test  criteria,  using  the 
effective interest rate method in their determination. Amortised cost refers to the acquisition cost of a corrected 
financial  asset  or  liability  (more  or  less,  as  the  case  may  be)  for  repayments  of  principal  and  the  part 
systematically charged to the consolidated income statement of the difference between the initial cost and the 
corresponding reimbursement value at expiration. In the case of financial assets, the amortised cost includes, in 
addition, the corrections to their value due to the impairment. In the loans and advances covered in fair value 
hedging transactions, the changes that occur in their fair value related to the risk or the risks covered in these 
hedging transactions are recorded.

 19

The  effective  interest  rate  is  the  discount  rate  that  exactly  matches  the  carrying  amount  of  a  financial 
instrument  to  all  its  estimated  cash  flows  of  all  kinds  over  its  remaining  life.  For  fixed  rate  financial 
instruments,  the  effective  interest  rate  coincides  with  the  contractual  interest  rate  established  on  the 
acquisition date plus, where applicable, the fees and transaction costs that, because of their nature, form part 
of their financial return. In the case of floating rate financial instruments, the effective interest rate coincides 
with the rate of return prevailing in all connections until the next benchmark interest reset date.

Equity instruments and contracts relating to those instruments should be measured at fair value. However, in 
certain specific circumstances the Group considers that the cost is an adequate estimate of fair value. This may 
be  the  case  if  the  recent  information  available  is  insufficient  to  measure  such  fair  value,  or  if  there  is  a  wide 
range  of  possible  fair  value  measurements  and  cost  represents  the  best  estimate  of  fair  value  within  that 
range. The amounts at which the financial assets are recognised represent, in all material respects, the Group’s 
maximum exposure to credit risk at each reporting date. The Group has taken out guarantees and other credit 
enhancements  to  mitigate  its  exposure  to  credit  risk,  consisting  mainly  of  mortgage  guarantees,  cash 
guarantees,  equity  and  personal  guarantees,  assets  leased  and  rented,  assets  acquired  under  repurchase 
agreements, securities loans and credit derivatives.

ii) Measurement of financial liabilities 

Financial liabilities are generally measured at amortised cost, as defined above, except for those included under 
the headings “Financial liabilities held for trading”, “Financial liabilities at fair value through profit or loss” and 
“Financial  liabilities  designated  as  hedged  items  in  fair  value  hedges  (or  as  hedging  instruments)”,  whose 
carrying amount changes due to changes in their fair value in connection with the risk or risks covered by such 
hedges. Changes in credit risk arising from financial liabilities designated at fair value through profit or loss are 
recognised  in  accumulated  other  comprehensive  income,  unless  they  give  rise  to  or  increase  an  accounting 
mismatch, in which case changes in the fair value of the financial liability in all respects are recognised in the 
income statement. 

iii) Valuation techniques

The following table shows a summary of the fair values, at the end of 2022 and 2021, of the financial assets 
and liabilities indicated below, classified on the basis of the various measurement methods used by the Group 
to determine their fair value:

EUR Thousands

31/12/2022

31/12/2021

Published 
price 
quotations in 
active markets 
(Level 1)

Internal 
Models 
 (*)

Total

Published 
price 
quotations in 
active markets 
(Level 1)

Internal 
Models 
 (*)

Total

Financial assets help for trading

Non-trading assets mandatorily at fair 
value through profit or loss

Financial assets at fair value through 
other comprehensive income

Derivatives – hedge accounting (assets)

Financial liabilities held for trading

Financial liabilities at fair value through 
profit or loss

Derivatives – hedge accounting
(liabilities)

— 

494,664

494,664

—

51,476

51,476

6 

1,870

1,876

26

2,972

2,998

735,775 

12,694

748,469

1,062,405

14,946

1,077,351

— 

— 

— 

— 

1,131,071

1,131,071

466,031

466,031

—

—

193,787

193,787

—

—

—

—

121,585

121,585

58,169

58,169

—

—

128,650

128,650

(*) En su práctica totalidad, las (Virtually all the main variables (inputs) used in these models come directly from observable market data (Level 2, compliant with IFRS 7 
– Financial Instrument: Disclosures)

 20

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The financial instruments at fair value, determined on the basis of published price quotations in active markets 
(Level 1), include government debt securities, private-sector debt securities and derivatives traded in organized 
markets, securitized assets, shares, and fixed income issued.

In cases where the fair value of a financial instrument cannot be obtained from its market price quotations, the 
Group makes its best estimate of fair value using its own internal models. In most cases, these internal models 
use data based on observable market parameters as significant inputs (Level 2) and, in very specific cases, they 
use  significant  inputs  not  observable  in  market  data  (Level  3).  In  order  to  make  these  estimates,  various 
techniques are employed, including the extrapolation of observable market data. The best evidence of the fair 
value  of  a  financial  instrument  on  initial  recognition  is  the  transaction  price,  unless  the  fair  value  of  the 
instrument can be obtained from other market transactions performed with the same or similar instruments or 
can  be  measured  by  using  a  valuation  technique  in  which  the  variables  used  include  only  observable  market 
data, mainly interest rates.

The  Group  did  not  make  any  material  transfers  of  financial  instruments  between  one  measurement  method 
and  another  in  2022  or  2021.  Also,  there  were  no  changes  in  the  valuation  techniques  used  to  measure 
financial instruments. Likewise, the movement of Level 3 financial assets has not been significant during the 
years 2022 and 2021. 

General measurement criteria

The  Santander  Group,  of  which  the  Group  is  a  part  of,  has  developed  a  formal  process  for  the  systematic 
valuation and management of financial instruments, which has been implemented worldwide across all units, 
including the Santander Consumer Finance Group´s units. The governance scheme for this process distributes 
responsibilities  between  two  independent  divisions:  the  financial  management  (in  charge  of  the  daily 
management of financial products) and Risk (on a periodic basis, validation of pricing models and market data, 
computation  of  risk  metrics,  new  transaction  approval  policies,  management  of  market  risk  and 
implementation of fair value adjustment policies).

The  approval  of  new  products  follows  a  sequence  of  steps  (request,  development,  validation,  integration  in 
corporate systems and quality assurance) before the product is brought into production. This process ensures 
that pricing systems have been properly reviewed and are stable before they are used.

The following subsections set forth the most important products and families of financial instruments, and the 
related valuation techniques and inputs, by asset class. In the case of the Group, the main positions are derived 
from simple (simple) instruments, mainly interest rate swaps and cross currency swaps.

Interest rate and fixed income

The interest rate asset class includes basic instruments such as interest rate forwards, interest rate swaps and 
cross  currency  swaps,  which  are  valued  using  the  net  present  value  of  the  estimated  future  cash  flows 
discounted taking into account basis swap and cross currency spreads determined on the basis of the payment 
frequency and currency of each leg of the derivative. Vanilla options, including caps, floors and swaptions, are 
priced using the Black-Scholes model, which is one of the benchmark industry models. More exotic derivatives 
are priced using more complex models which are generally accepted as standard across institutions.

These pricing models are fed with observable market data such as deposit interest rates, futures rates, cross 
currency  swap  and  constant  maturity  swap  rates,  and  basis  spreads,  on  the  basis  of  which  different  yield 
curves, depending on the payment frequency, and discounting curves are calculated for each currency. In the 
case  of  options,  implied  volatilities  are  also  used  as  model  inputs.  These  volatilities  are  observable  in  the 
market  for  cap  and  floor  options  and  swaptions,  and  interpolation  and  extrapolation  of  volatilities  from  the 
quoted ranges are carried out using generally accepted industry models. The pricing of more exotic derivatives 
may require the use of non-observable data or parameters, such as correlation (among interest rates and cross-
asset), mean reversion rates and prepayment rates, which are usually defined from historical data or through 
calibration.

Inflation-related assets include zero-coupon or year-on-year inflation-linked bonds and swaps, valued with the 
present  value  method  using  forward  estimation  and  discounting.  Derivatives  on  inflation  indices  are  priced 
using  standard  or  more  complex  bespoke  models,  as  appropriate.  Valuation  inputs  of  these  models  consider 
inflation-linked swap spreads observable in the market and estimations of inflation seasonality, on the basis of 
which  a  forward  inflation  curve  is  calculated.  Also,  implied  volatilities  taken  from  zero-coupon  and  year-on-
year inflation options are also inputs for the pricing of more complex derivatives.

 21

Fixed-income instruments include products such as bonds, bills or notes whose valuation, as described above, 
can  be  made  through  the  observation  of  their  price  in  quoted  markets,  models  constructed  from  observable 
data or other techniques in cases where neither of the above two alternatives is possible. 

Equity and exchange rate

The  most  important  products  in  these  asset  classes  are  forward  and  futures  contracts,  as  well  as  single 
derivatives  (vanilla),  listed  and  OTC  (over-the-counter),  on  individual  underlyings  and  asset  baskets.  Plain 
vanilla  options  are  valued  using  the  standard  Black-Scholes  model,  while  more  exotic  derivatives,  involving 
forward yields, average yield or digital, barrier or callable features are valued using generally accepted industry 
models  or  custom  models,  as  appropriate.  For  illiquid  equity  derivatives,  hedging  is  performed  considering 
liquidity constraints in the models.

The  inputs  to  the  equity  models  in  general  consider  interest  rate  curves,  spot  prices,  dividends,  repo  margin 
spreads, implied volatilities, correlation between stocks and indices and cross-correlation between assets. The 
implied  volatilities  are  obtained  from  market  prices  of  European  and  American  call  and  put  options.  Using 
various  interpolation  and  extrapolation  techniques,  continuous  areas  of  volatility  are  obtained  for  illiquid 
stocks.  Dividends  are  generally  estimated  in  the  medium  and  long  term.  Correlations  are  obtained,  where 
possible, implicitly from market quotations of correlation-dependent products; in other cases, proxies are made 
to correlations between reference underlyings or are obtained from historical data.

Inputs  to  exchange  rate  models  include  the  interest  rate  curve  of  each  currency,  the  spot  rate  and  implied 
volatilities and the correlation between assets of this type. The volatilities are obtained from European call and 
put options that are quoted in the markets as at-the-money, risk reversal or butterfly options. Illiquid currency 
pairs are generally treated using data from liquid pairs from which the illiquid currency can be decomposed. 

Credit

The most common instrument in this asset class is the credit default swap (CDS), which is used to hedge credit 
exposure to third parties. In addition, models for first-to-default (FTD), N-to-default (NTD) and single-tranche 
collateralized  debt  obligation  (CDO)  products  are  also  available.  These  products  are  valued  with  standard 
industry models, which estimate the probability of default of a single issuer (for CDS) or the joint probability of 
default of more than one issuer for FTD, NTD and CDO.

Valuation  inputs  are  the  yield  curve,  the  CDS  spread  curve  and  the  recovery  rate.  For  indices  and  important 
individual issuers, the CDS spread curve is obtained in the market. For less liquid issuers, this spread curve is 
estimated  using  proxies  or  other  credit-dependent  instruments.  Recovery  rates  are  usually  set  to  standard 
values.  For  listed  single-tranche  CDO,  the  correlation  of  joint  default  of  several  issuers  is  implied  from  the 
market. 

For  FTD,  NTD  and  bespoke  CDO,  the  correlation  is  estimated  from  proxies  or  historical  data  when  no  other 
option is available.

Valuation adjustment for counterparty risk or default risk

The  Credit  valuation  adjustment  (CVA)  is  a  valuation  adjustment  to  OTC  derivatives  as  a  result  of  the  risk 
associated with the credit exposure assumed to each counterparty.

The  CVA  is  calculated  taking  into  account  potential  exposure  to  each  counterparty  in  each  future  period.  The 
CVA for a specific counterparty is equal to the sum of the CVA for all the periods. The following inputs are used 
to calculate the CVA:

•

•

•

Expected exposure: including for each transaction the mark-to-market (MtM) value plus an add-on for the 
potential future exposure for each period. Mitigating factors such as collateral and netting agreements are 
taken into account, as well as a temporary impairment factor for derivatives with interim payments.

Loss Given Default: percentage of final loss assumed in a counterparty credit event/default.

Probability of default: for cases where there is no market information (the CDS quoted spread curve, etc.), 
proxies based on companies holding exchange-listed CDS, in the same industry and with the same external 
rating as the counterparty, are used.

 22

• Discount factor curve.

The debit valuation adjustment (DVA) is a valuation adjustment similar to the CVA but, in this case, it arises as a 
result of the Group’s own risk assumed by its counterparties in OTC derivatives.

At the end of December 2022 and 2021, no CVA and DVA adjustments were recorded for significant amounts. 

In addition, Santander Group  amounts the funding fair value adjustment (FFVA) is calculated by applying future 
market funding spreads to the expected future funding exposure of any uncollateralized component of the OTC 
derivative portfolio. This includes the uncollateralized component of uncollateralized derivatives in addition to 
derivatives that are fully uncollateralized. The expected future funding exposure is calculated by a simulation 
methodology,  where  available.  The  FFVA  impact  in  the  group  is  not  material  for  the  consolidated  financial 
statements as of 31 December 2022 and 2021.

Valuation adjustments for model risk

The fair value of financial instruments obtained from the aforementioned internal models takes into account, 
inter  alia,  the  contract  terms  and  observable  market  data,  which  include  interest  rates,  credit  risk,  exchange 
rates and prepayments.

The  valuation  models  described  above  do  not  entail  a  significant  degree  of  subjectivity,  given  that  the 
methodologies may be adjusted and recalibrated, where needed, through the internal calculation of fair value 
and  the  subsequent  comparison  with  the  corresponding  actively-traded  price.  However,  certain  valuation 
adjustments may be necessary when quoted market prices are not available for comparison purposes. 

Risk  sources  include  uncertain  model  parameters,  illiquid  underlying  issuers,  poor  quality  market  data  or 
missing risk factors (at times, the best option available is to use limited models with controllable risk). In these 
situations,  the  Group  calculates  and  applies  valuation  adjustments  in  accordance  with  common  industry 
practice.The main sources of model risk are as follows:

•

•

•

In  the  fixed  income  markets,  the  sources  of  model  risk  include  bond  index  correlations,  basis  spread 
modelling,  the  risk  of  calibrating  model  parameters  and  the  treatment  of  near-zero  or  negative  interest 
rates.  Other  sources  of  risk  arise  from  the  estimation  of  market  data,  such  as  volatilities  or  yield  curves, 
whether  used  for  estimation  or  cash  flow  discounting  purposes.  The  disparity  of  price  depending  on  the 
different market contributors, or the concentration of the asset, could also be potential sources of risk to 
consider in the fixed income market. 

The currency markets are exposed to model risk resulting from forward skew modelling and the impact of 
stochastic  interest  rate  and  correlation  modelling  for  multi-asset  instruments.  Risk  may  also  arise  from 
market data, due to the existence of specific illiquid foreign exchange pairs. 

The most important source of model risk for credit derivatives relates to the estimation of the correlation 
between the probabilities of default of different underlying issuers. For illiquid underlying issuers, the CDS 
spread may not be well defined.

Set forth below are the financial instruments at fair value whose measurement was based on internal models (Level 2 
and Level 3) at 31 December 2022 and 2021:

 23

EUR Thousands

Fair Values calculated 
using internal models 
31-12-22 (Level 2)

Fair Values calculated 
using internal models 
31-12-22 (Level 3)

Valuation techniques

Main assumptions

ASSETS:

Financial assets held for trading

Derivatives

494,664 

494,664

—

—

Swaps

425,843

— Present Value Method

Yield curves, Fx market 
rates, Basis

Interest rate options

Other

37,316 

31,505

—

Black Sholes SLN

Yield curves, volatility

— Present Value Method

Yield curves, volatility 
surface

1,870

Non-trading assets mandatorily at fair 
value through profit or loss

Equity instruments

Debt securities

Loans and advances

— 

—

—

—

39

Present Value Method

1,444

Present Value Method

387

Present Value Method

Derivatives – hedge accounting

1,131,071

—

Swaps

1,068,242

— Present Value Method

Other

62,829

— Present Value Method

Yield curves, Fx market 
rates, Basis

Yield curves, Fx market 
rates, Basis

Yield curves, Fx market 
rates, Basis

Yield curves, Fx market 
rates, Basis

Yield curves, Fx market 
rates, Basis

Financial assets at fair value through 
other comprehensive income

Equity instruments

1,205 

1,205

11,489

11,489

Present Value Method

Yield curves, Fx market 
rates, Basis

TOTAL ASSETS

LIABILITIES:

1,626,940

13,359

Financial liabilities held for trading

Derivatives

466,031 

466,031

—

—

Swaps

430,526

— Present Value Method

Exchange rate options

Interest rate options

Other

Derivatives – hedge accounting

6 

35,484 

15

193,787

Swaps

163,493

Other

30,294

TOTAL LIABILITIES

659,818

—

—

—

—

—

—

Black Sholes SLN

Present Value Method

Yield curves, Fx market 
rates, Basis

Yield curves, volatility 
surface

Yield curves, Fx market 
rates, Basis

Present Value Method

Yield curves, Fx market 
rates, Basis

Present Value Method

Yield curves, Fx market 
rates, Basis

Present Value Method

Yield curves, Fx market 
rates, Basis

 24

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
EUR Thousands

Fair Values calculated 
using internal models 
31-12-21 (Level 2

Fair Values calculated 
using internal models 
31-12-21 (Level 3)

Valuation techniques

Main assumptions

ASSETS:

Financial assets held for trading

Derivatives

Swaps

Interest rate options

Other

Non-trading assets mandatorily at fair 
value through profit or loss

Equity instruments

Debt securities

Loans and advances

51,476 

51,476

45,978

5,450 

48

— 

—

—

—

Derivatives – hedge accounting

121,585

—

—

— Present Value Method

Yield curves, Fx market 
rates, Basis

—

— Present Value Method

Yield curves, volatility 
surface

2,972

— Present Value Method

Yield curves, Fx market 
rates, EQ, dividends, 
other

2,593

379

—

Swaps

107,759

— Present Value Method

Other

13,826

— Present Value Method

Yield curves, Fx market 
rates, Basis

Yield curves, volatility 
surface, Fx market rates

Yield curves, Fx market 
rates, EQ, dividends, 
other , credit, other

14,946

Present Value Method

14,946

17,918

—

—

— Present Value Method

Yield curves, Fx market 
rates, Basis

—

—

Financial assets at fair value through 
other comprehensive income

Equity instruments

TOTAL ASSETS

LIABILITIES:

Financial liabilities held for trading

Derivatives

Swaps

Interest rate options

Other

— 

—

173,061

58,169 

58,169

46,982

5,460 

5,727

Derivatives – hedge accounting

128,650

Swaps

80,677

— Present Value Method

Other

47,973

— Present Value Method

Yield curves, Fx market 
rates, Basis

Yield curves, volatility 
surface, Fx market rates

TOTAL LIABILITIES

186,819

—

 25

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
iv) Recognition of fair value changes

As  a  general  rule,  changes  in  the  carrying  amount  of  financial  assets  and  liabilities  are  recognised  in  the 
consolidated  income  statement.  A  distinction  is  made  between  the  changes  resulting  from  the  accrual  of 
interest and similar items, which are recognised under Interest income or Interest expense, as appropriate, 
and those arising for other reasons, which are recognised at their net amount under Gains/losses on financial 
assets and liabilities.

Adjustments due to changes in fair value arising from:

•

•

Financial assets at fair value with changes in other comprehensive income are recorded temporarily, in 
the  case  of  debt  instruments  in  other  comprehensive  income  –  Elements  that  can  be  reclassified  to 
profit or loss – Financial assets at fair value with changes in other comprehensive income, while in the 
case  of  equity  instruments  are  recorded  in  other  comprehensive  income  –  Elements  that  will  not  be 
reclassified  to  line  item  –  Changes  in  the  fair  value  of  equity  instruments  valued  at  fair  value  with 
changes  in  other  comprehensive  income.  Exchange  differences  on  debt  instruments  measured  at  fair 
value with changes in other comprehensive income are recognised under Exchange Differences, net of 
the  consolidated  income  statement.  Exchange  differences  on  equity  instruments,  in  which  the 
irrevocable  option  of  being  measured  at  fair  value  with  changes  in  other  comprehensive  income  has 
been  chosen,  are  recognised  in  Other  comprehensive  income  –  Items  that  will  not  be  reclassified  to 
profit or loss – Changes in the fair value of equity instruments measured at fair value with changes in 
other comprehensive income.

Items  charged  or  credited  to  Items  that  may  be  reclassified  to  profit  or  loss  –  Financial  assets  at  fair 
value  through  other  comprehensive  income  and  Other  comprehensive  income  –  Items  that  may  be 
reclassified to profit or loss – Exchange differences in equity remain in the Group’s consolidated equity 
until the asset giving rise to them is impaired or derecognised, at which time they are recognised in the 
consolidated income statement.

• Unrealised  gains  on  Financial  assets  at  fair  value  through  other  comprehensive  income  classified  as 
Non-current assets held for sale because they form part of a disposal group or a discontinued operation 
are recognised in Other comprehensive income under Items that may be reclassified to profit or loss – 
Non-current assets held for sale.

v) Hedging transactions

The  consolidated  entities  use  financial  derivatives  to  manage  the  risks  of  the  Group  entities’  own  positions 
and  assets  and  liabilities  (“hedging  derivatives”)  or  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  gains  from  changes  in  the 
prices of these derivatives.

Financial derivatives that do not qualify for hedge accounting are treated for accounting purposes as trading 
derivatives.

A derivative qualifies for hedge accounting if all the following conditions are met:

1. The derivative hedges one of the following three types of exposure (and therefore can be classified in one 

of the following categories):

•

•

Changes in the fair value of assets and liabilities due to fluctuations, among others, in the interest rate 
and/or exchange rate to which the position or balance to be hedged is subject (“fair value hedge”);

Changes  in  the  estimated  cash  flows  arising  from  the  hedged  financial  assets  and  liabilities, 
commitments and highly probable forecast transactions (“cash flow hedge”);

•

The net investment in a foreign operation (“hedge of a net investment in a foreign operation”).

2.

It is effective in offsetting exposure inherent in the hedged item or position throughout the expected term 
of the hedge, which means that:

•

At  the  date  of  arrangement,  the  hedge  is  expected  under  normal  conditions,  to  be  highly  effective 
(“prospective effectiveness”);

 26

•

There is sufficient evidence that the hedge was actually effective during the whole life of the hedged 
item  or  position  (“retrospective  effectiveness”).  To  this  end,  the  Group  checks  that  the  results  of  the 
hedge were within a range of 80% to 125% of the results of the hedged item.

3. There must be adequate documentation of the hedging transaction that evidences the specific designation 
of the financial derivative to hedge certain balances or transactions and how this hedge was expected to be 
achieved and measured, provided that this is consistent with the Group’s management of risks.

The changes in value of financial instruments qualifying for hedge accounting are recognised as follows:

•

•

•

•

•

In fair value hedges, the gains or losses arising from both the hedging instruments and the hedged items 
attributable to the type of risk being hedged are recognised directly in the consolidated income statement.

In fair value hedges of interest rate risk on a portfolio of financial instruments, the gains or losses that arise 
on  measuring  the  hedging  instruments  are  recognised  directly  in  the  consolidated  income  statement, 
whereas  the  gains  or  losses  due  to  changes  in  the  fair  value  of  the  hedged  amount  (attributable  to  the 
hedged risk) are recognised in the consolidated income statement with a balancing entry under “Changes in 
the Fair Value of Hedged Items in Portfolio Hedges of Interest Rate Risk” on the asset or liability side of the 
consolidated balance sheet, as appropriate.

In  cash  flow  hedges,  the  effective  portion  of  the  change  in  fair  value  of  the  hedging  instrument  is 
recognised  temporarily  under  “Other  comprehensive  income  –  Items  that  may  be  reclassified  to  profit  or 
loss - Cash Flow Hedges” in the consolidated balance sheet until the forecast transactions occur, when it is 
recognised  in  the  consolidated  income  statement,  unless,  if  the  forecast  transactions  result  in  the 
recognition  of  non-financial  assets  or  liabilities,  it  is  included  in  the  cost  of  the  non-financial  asset  or 
liability.  The  ineffective  portion,  if  any,  of  the  change  in  value  of  hedging  derivatives  is  recognised  under 
“Gains/Losses on Financial Assets and Liabilities (Net)” in the consolidated income statement. 

In hedges of a net investment in a foreign operation, the gains or losses attributable to the portion of the 
hedging instruments qualifying as an effective hedge are recognised temporarily in Other comprehensive 
income  under  “Items  that  may  be  reclassified  to  profit  or  loss  -  Hedges  of  net  investments  in  foreign 
operations” until the gains or losses on the hedged item are recognised in profit or loss.

The ineffective portion of the gains or losses on the hedging instruments of cash flow hedges and hedges of 
a  net  investment  in  a  foreign  operation  is  recognised  directly  under  Gains/losses  on  financial  assets  and 
liabilities (net) in the consolidated income statement, in “Gains or losses from hedge accounting, net”.

If  a  derivative  designated  as  a  hedge  no  longer  meets  the  requirements  described  above  due  to  expiration, 
ineffectiveness  or  for  any  other  reason,  the  derivative  is  classified  for  accounting  purposes  as  a  trading 
derivative.

When fair value hedge accounting is discontinued, the adjustments previously recognised as an adjustment to 
the carrying amount of the hedged asset or liability are amortised to profit or loss at the effective interest rate 
recalculated at the date of hedge discontinuation. The adjustments must be fully amortised at maturity.

When  cash  flow  hedge  accounting  is  discontinued,  any  cumulative  gain  or  loss  on  the  hedging  instrument 
recognised  in  equity  under  “Other  comprehensive  income  -  Items  that  may  be  reclassified  to  profit  or 
loss” (from the period when the hedge was effective) remains in this equity item until the forecast transaction 
occurs, at which time it is recognised in profit or loss, unless the transaction is no longer expected to occur, in 
which case the cumulative gain or loss is recognised immediately in profit or loss.

vi) Derivatives embedded in hybrid financial instruments

Derivatives  embedded  in  financial  liabilities  or  in  other  host  contracts  are  accounted  for  separately  as 
derivatives if their risks and characteristics are not closely related to those of the host contracts, provided that 
the host contracts are not classified as financial liabilities designated at fair value through profit or loss or as 
Financial assets/liabilities held for trading.

 27

d) Derecognition of financial assets and liabilities

The accounting treatment of transfers of financial assets depends on the extent to which the risks and rewards 
associated with the transferred assets are transferred to third parties:

•

•

•

If the Group transfers substantially all the risks and rewards to third parties -unconditional sale of financial 
assets,  sale  of  financial  assets  under  an  agreement  to  repurchase  them  at  their  fair  value  at  the  date  of 
repurchase, sale of financial assets with a purchased call option or written put option that is deeply out of 
the money, securitisation of assets in which the transferor does not retain a subordinated debt or grant any 
credit  enhancement  to  the  new  holders,  and  other  similar  cases-,  the  transferred  financial  asset  is 
derecognised  and  any  rights  and  obligations  created  or  retained  in  the  transfer  are  recognised 
simultaneously.

If the Group retains substantially all the risks and rewards associated with the transferred financial asset -
sale  of  financial  assets  under  an  agreement  to  repurchase  them  at  a  fixed  price  or  at  the  sale  price  plus 
interest,  a  securities  lending  agreement  in  which  the  borrower  undertakes  to  return  the  same  or  similar 
assets,  securitisation  of  assets  in  which  the  transferor  retains  a  subordinated  debt  or  grants  a  credit 
enhancement  to  the  new  holders  that  entails  assuming  substantially  all  the  credit  risk  of  the  transferred 
assets,  and  other  similar  cases-,  the  transferred  financial  asset  is  not  derecognised  and  continues  to  be 
measured  by  the  same  criteria  as  those  used  before  the  transfer.  However,  the  following  items  are 
recognised:

•

•

An  associated  financial  liability,  for  an  amount  equal  to  the  consideration  received;  this  liability  is,  in 
general, subsequently measured at amortised cost unless it meets the requirements for classification 
under Financial liabilities designated at fair value through profit or loss.

The income from the transferred financial asset not derecognised and any expense incurred on the new 
financial liability.

If  the  Group  neither  transfers  nor  retains  substantially  all  the  risks  and  rewards  associated  with  the 
transferred financial asset -sale of financial assets with a purchased call option or written put option that is 
not  deeply  in  or  out  of  the  money,  securitisation  of  assets  in  which  the  transferor  retains  a  subordinated 
debt or other type of credit enhancement for a portion of the transferred asset, and other similar cases- the 
following distinction is made:

•

•

If the transferor does not retain control of the transferred financial asset, the asset is derecognised and 
any rights and obligations created or retained in the transfer are recognised.

If  the  transferor  retains  control  of  the  transferred  financial  asset,  it  continues  to  recognise  it  for  an 
amount  equal  to  its  exposure  to  changes  in  value  of  the  asset  and  recognises  a  financial  liability 
associated with the transferred financial asset. The net carrying amount of the transferred asset and the 
associated liability is the amortised cost of the rights and obligations retained, if the transferred asset is 
measured at amortised cost, or the fair value of the rights and obligations retained, if the transferred 
asset is measured at fair value.

Accordingly,  financial  assets  are  only  derecognised  when  the  rights  to  the  cash  flows  they  generate  have 
expired  or  when  substantially  all  the  inherent  risks  and  rewards  have  been  transferred  to  third  parties. 
Similarly, financial liabilities are only derecognised when the obligations they generate have been extinguished 
or when they are acquired with the intention either to cancel them or to resell them.

Regarding  contractual  modifications  of  financial  assets,  the  Group  has  differentiated  them  into  two  main 
categories in relation to the conditions under which a modification leads to a de-recognition or cancellation of 
the financial asset (and the recognition of a new financial asset) and those under which the accounting of the 
original financial instrument with the modified terms is maintained:

•

Contractual  modifications  for  commercial  or  market  reasons,  which  are  generally  carried  out  at  the 
request  of  the  debtor  to  apply  current  market  conditions  to  the  debt.  The  new  contract  is  considered  a 
new  transaction  and,  consequently,  it  is  necessary  to  derecognize  the  original  financial  asset  and 
recognize a new financial asset subject to the classification and measurement requirements established 
by  IFRS  9.  Also,  the  new  financial  asset  will  be  recorded  at  fair  value  and,  if  applicable,  the  difference 
between  the  carrying  amount  of  the  asset  derecognized  and  the  fair  value  of  the  new  asset  will  be 
recognized in profit or loss.

 28

• Modifications due to refinancing or restructuring, in which the payment conditions are modified to allow a 
customer  that  is  experiencing  financial  difficulties  (current  or  foreseeable)  to  meet  its  payment 
obligations  and  that,  if  such  modification  had  not  been  made,  it  would  be  reasonably  assured  that  it 
would not be able to meet such payment obligations. In this case, the modification does not result in the 
derecognition  of  the  financial  asset,  but  rather  the  original  financial  asset  is  maintained  and  does  not 
require a new assessment of its classification and measurement. When assessing credit impairment, the 
current credit risk (considering the modified cash flows) should be compared with the credit risk at initial 
recognition.  Finally,  the  gross  carrying  amount  of  the  financial  asset  (the  present  value  of  the 
renegotiated  or  modified  contractual  cash  flows  discounted  at  the  original  effective  interest  rate  of  the 
financial asset) should be recalculated, with the difference recognized as a gain or loss in profit or loss.

The Group habitually performs financial asset securitisation transactions in which it retains substantially all the 
risks  and  rewards  of  ownership  of  the  assets.  The  detail,  by  consolidated  entity,  of  the  securitised  assets 
retained on the consolidated balance sheets as at 31 December 2022 and 2021 is included in Note 10 to the 
accompanying consolidated financial statements. 

e) Offsetting of financial instruments

Financial  asset  and  liability  balances  are  offset,  i.e.  reported  in  the  consolidated  balance  sheet  at  their  net 
amount,  only  if  the  entities  of  the  Group  currently  have  a  legally  enforceable  right  to  set  off  the  recognised 
amounts and intend either to settle on a net basis, or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.

Financial  asset  and  liability  balances  are  offset,  i.e.  reported  in  the  consolidated  balance  sheet  at  their  net 
amount,  only  if  the  entities  of  the  Group  currently  have  a  legally  enforceable  right  to  set  off  the  recognised 
amounts and intend either to settle on a net basis, or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.

No material financial assets and liabilities were offset in the consolidated balance sheets as at 31 December 
2022 and 2021.

f)

Impairment of financial assets 

i) Definition

The  Group  associates  an  impairment  in  the  value  to  financial  assets  measured  at  amortised  cost,  debt 
instruments  measured  at  fair  value  with  changes  in  other  comprehensive  income,  lease  receivables  and 
commitments and guarantees granted that are not measured at fair value.

The impairment for expected credit losses is recorded with a charge to the consolidated income statement for 
the period in which the impairment arises. In the event of occurrence, the recoveries of previously recognised 
impairment losses are recorded in the consolidated income statement for the period in which the impairment 
no longer exists or is reduced.

In the case of purchased or originated credit-impaired assets, the Group only recognizes at the reporting date 
the changes in the expected credit losses during the life of the asset since the initial recognition as a credit loss. 
In the case of assets measured at fair value with changes in other comprehensive income, the changes in the 
fair value due to expected credit losses are charged in the consolidated income statement of the year where the 
change happened, reflecting the rest of the valuation in other comprehensive income.

As  a  rule,  the  expected  credit  loss  is  estimated  as  the  difference  between  the  contractual  cash  flows  to  be 
recovered  and  the  expected  cash  flows  discounted  using  the  original  effective  interest  rate.  In  the  case  of 
purchased  or  originated  credit-impaired  assets,  this  difference  is  discounted  using  the  effective  interest  rate 
adjusted by credit rating.

Depending  on  the  classification  of  financial  instruments,  which  is  mentioned  in  the  following  sections,  the 
expected credit losses may be along 12 months or during the life of the financial instrument:

•

12-month  expected  credit  losses:  arising  from  the  potential  default  events,  as  defined  in  the  following 
sections that are estimated to be likely to occur within the 12 months following the reporting date. These 
losses  will  be  associated  with  financial  assets  classified  as  "normal  risk"  as  defined  in  the  following 
sections.

 29

•

Expected  credit  losses  over  the  life  of  the  financial  instrument:  arising  from  the  potential  default  events 
that are estimated  to  be  likely to occur throughout the life of the financial instruments. These losses are 
associated with financial assets classified as "normal risk under watchlist" or "doubtful risk".

With the purpose of estimating the expected life of the financial instrument all the contractual terms have 
been  taken  into  account  (e.g.  prepayments,  duration,  purchase  options,  etc.),  being  the  contractual  period 
(including extension options) the maximum period considered to measure the expected credit losses. In the 
case of financial instruments with an uncertain maturity period and a component of undrawn commitment 
(e.g.:  credit  cards),  the  expected  life  is  estimated  through  quantitative  analyses  to  determine  the  period 
during  which  the  entity  is  exposed  to  credit  risk,  also  considering  the  effectiveness  of  management 
procedures that mitigate such exposure (e.g. the ability to unilaterally cancel such financial instruments, etc.).

The following constitute effective guarantees: 

a) Mortgage guarantees on housing as long as they are first duly constituted and registered in favour of the 

entity. The properties include:

i) Buildings and building elements, distinguishing among:

• Houses;
• Offices, stores and multi-purpose premises;
•

Rest of buildings such as non-multi-purpose premises and hotels.

ii) Urban and developable ordered land.

iii) Rest of properties that classify as: buildings and building elements under construction, such as property 

development in progress and halted development, and the rest of land types, such as rustic lands.

b) Collateral  guarantees  on  financial  instruments  in  the  form  of  cash  deposits  and  debt  securities  issued  by 

creditworthy issuers.

c) Other  types  of  real  guarantees,  including  properties  received  in  guarantee  and  second  and  subsequent 
mortgages  on  properties,  as  long  as  the  entity  demonstrates  its  effectiveness.  When  assessing  the 
effectiveness of the second and subsequent mortgages on properties the entity will implement particularly 
restrictive criteria. It will take into account, among others, whether the previous charges are in favour of the 
entity itself or not and the relationship between the risk guaranteed by them and the property value.

d) Personal  guarantees,  as  well  as  the  incorporation  of  new  owners,  covering  the  entire  amount  of  the 
financial instruments and implying direct and joint liability to the entity of persons or other entities whose 
solvency is sufficiently proven to ensure the repayment of the loan on the agreed terms. 

ii) Financial instruments presentation

For the purposes of estimating the impairment amount, and in accordance with its internal policies, the Group 
classifies its financial instruments (financial assets, commitments and guarantees) measured at amortised cost 
or fair value through other comprehensive income in one of the following categories:

• Normal Risk ("Stage 1"): includes all instruments that do not meet the requirements to be classified in the 

rest of the categories.

• Normal  risk  under  watchlist  ("Stage  2"):  includes  all  instruments  that,  without  meeting  the  criteria  for 
classification  as  doubtful  or  default  risk,  have  experienced  significant  increases  in  credit  risk  since  initial 
recognition.

 30

In order to determine whether a financial instrument has increased its credit risk since initial recognition and is 
to be classified in Stage 2, the Group considers the following criteria: 

Changes  in  the  risk  of  a  default  occurring  through  the  expected  life  of  the 
financial  instrument  are  analysed  and  quantified  with  respect  to  its  credit 
level in its initial recognition.

With  the  purpose  of  determining  if  such  changes  are  considered  as 
significant, with the consequent classification into stage 2, each Group unit 
has  defined  the  quantitative  thresholds  to  consider  in  each  of  its  portfolios 
taking into account corporate guidelines ensuring a consistent interpretation 
in all units.

Within  these  quantitative  thresholds,  two  types  are  considered:  a  relative 
threshold is understood to be that which compares the current credit quality 
with  the  credit  quality  at  the  time  of  origination  in  percentage  terms  of 
change.  Additionally,  an  absolute  threshold  compares  both  references  in 
total  terms,  calculating  the  difference  between  the  two.  These  absolute/ 
relative  concepts  are  used  homogeneously  (with  different  values)  in  all 
geographies.  The  use  of  this  type  of  threshold  or  another  (or  both)  is 
determined  according  to  the  rational  process  explained  in  note  47,  and  is 
marked by the type of portfolio and characteristics such as the starting point 
of the average credit quality of the portfolio.

In addition to the quantitative criteria indicated, various indicators are used 
that are aligned with those used by the Group in the normal management of 
credit  risk.  Irregular  positions  of  more  than  30  days  and  renewals  are 
common  criteria  in  all  Group  units.  In  addition,  each  unit  can  define  other 
qualitative 
its  portfolios,  according  to  the 
particularities  and  normal  management  practices  in  line  with  the  policies 
currently in force (e.g. use of management alerts, etc.).

indicators,  for  each  of 

The  use  of  these  qualitative  criteria  is  complemented  with  the  use  of  an 
expert judgement, under the corresponding governance.

Quantitative criteria

Qualitative criteria

In the case of forbearance, instruments classified as "normal risk under watchlist" may be generally reclassified 
to  "normal  risk"  in  the  following  circumstances:  at  least  two  years  have  elapsed  from  the  date  of 
reclassification  to  that  category  or  from  its  forbearance  date,  the  client  has  paid  the  accrued  principal  and 
interest balance, and the client has no other instruments with more than 30 days past due balances.

• Doubtful  Risk  (“Stage  3"):  includes  financial  instruments,  overdue  or  not,  in  which,  without  meeting  the 
circumstances  to  classify  them  in  the  category  of  default  risk,  there  are  reasonable  doubts  about  their  total 
repayment (principal and interests) by the client in the terms contractually agreed. Likewise, offbalance-sheet 
exposures  whose  payment  is  probable  and  their  recovery  doubtful  are  considered  in  Stage  3.  Within  this 
category, two situations are differentiated: 

• Doubtful risk for non-performing loans: financial instruments, irrespective of the client and guarantee, with 
balances more than 90 days past due for principal, interest or expenses contractually agreed. This category 
also  includes  all  loan  balances  for  a  client  which  overdue  amount  more  than  90  days  past  due  is  greater 
than 20% of the loan receivable balance.

These instruments may be reclassified to other categories if, as a result of the collection of part of the past 
due  balances,  the  reasons  for  their  classification  in  Stage  3  do  not  remain  and  the  client  does  not  have 
balances more than 90 days past due in other loans.

• Doubtful  risk  for  reasons  other  than  non-performing  loans:  this  category  includes  doubtful  recovery 

financial instruments that are not more than 90 days past due. 

 31

The  Group  considers  that  a  financial  instrument  to  be  doubtful  for  reasons  other  than  delinquency  when 
one or more combined events have occurred with a negative impact on the estimated future cash flows of 
the financial instrument. To this end, the following indicators, among others, are considered:

1) Negative net equity or decrease because of losses of the client's net equity by at least 50% during the 

last financial year.

2) Continued losses or significant decrease in revenue or, in general, in the client's recurring cash flows.

3) Generalised delay in payments or insufficient cash flows to service debts.

4) Significantly inadequate economic or financial structure or inability to obtain additional financing by the 

client.

5) Existence of an internal or external credit rating showing that the client is in default.

6) Existence  of  overdue  customer  commitments  with  a  significant  amount  to  public  institutions  or 

employees.

These  financial  instruments  may  be  reclassified  to  other  categories  if,  as  a  result  of  an  individualised  study, 
reasonable  doubts  do  not  remain  about  the  total  repayment  under  the  contractually  agreed  terms  and  the 
client does not have balances with more than 90 days past due.

In  the  case  of  forbearances,  instruments  classified  as  doubtful  risk  may  be  reclassified  to  the  category  of 
'normal risk under watchlist' when the following circumstances are present: a minimum period of one year has 
elapsed  from  the  forbearance  date,  the  client  has  paid  the  accrued  principal  and  interest  amounts,  and  the 
client has no other loan balance with more than 90 days past due. 

• Default  Risk:  includes  all  financial  assets,  or  part  of  them,  for  which,  after  an  individualised  analysis,  their 

recovery is considered remote due to a notorious and irrecoverable deterioration of their solvency.

In any case, except in the case of financial instruments with collateral covering more than 10% of the balance 
of the loan, the Group considers as a general rule the following as a remote recovery: the loans of clients who 
are  in  the  liquidation  phase  of  bankruptcy  proceedings  and  doubtful  balances  due  to  non-performing  loans 
older than two years at less, depending on the country, in this category.

A financial asset amount is maintained in the balance sheet until they are considered as a "default risk", either 
all or a part of it, and the write-off is registered against the balance sheet.

In the case of operations that have only been partially derecognised, for forgiveness reasons or because part of 
the total balance is considered unrecoverable, the remaining amount shall be fully classified in the category of 
"doubtful risk", except where duly justified.

The  classification  of  a  financial  asset,  or  part  of  it,  as  a  'default  risk'  does  not  involve  the  disruption  of 
negotiations and legal proceedings to recover the amount.

iii) Impairment valuation assessment

The  Group  has  policies,  methods  and  procedures  in  place  to  hedge  its  credit  risk,  both  due  to  the  insolvency 
attributable to counterparties and its residence in a specific country. These policies, methods and procedures 
are applied in the concession, study and documentation of financial assets, commitments and guarantees, as 
well  as  in  the  identification  of  their  impairment  and  in  the  calculation  of  the  amounts  needed  to  cover  their 
credit risk. 

The asset impairment model in IFRS 9 applies to financial assets measured at amortised cost, debt instruments 
at fair value with changes in other comprehensive income, lease receivables and commitments and guarantees 
granted that are not measured at fair value.

 32

The  impairment  represents  the  best  estimation  of  the  financial  assets  expected  credit  losses  at  the  balance 
sheet date, assessed both individually and collectively:

•

Individually:  for  the  purposes  of  estimating  the  provisions  for  credit  risk  arising  from  the  insolvency  of  a 
financial instrument, the Group individually assesses impairment by estimating the expected credit losses 
on those financial instruments that are considered to be significant and with sufficient information to make 
such an estimate. 

The  individually  assessed  impairment  estimate  is  equal  to  the  difference  between  the  gross  carrying 
amount  of  the  financial  instrument  and  the  estimated  value  of  the  expected  cash  flows  receivable 
discounted  using  the  original  effective  interest  rate  of  the  transaction.  The  estimate  of  these  cash  flows 
takes into account all available information on the financial asset and the effective guarantees associated 
with that asset. 

•

Collectively:  the  Group  also  assesses  impairment  by  estimating  the  expected  credit  losses  collectively  in 
cases where they are not assessed on an individual basis. This includes, for example, loans with individuals, 
sole proprietors or businesses in retail banking subject to a standardised risk management. 

For  the  purposes  of  the  collective  assessment  of  expected  credit  losses,  the  Group  has  consistent  and 
reliable  internal  models.  For  the  development  of  these  models,  instruments  with  similar  credit  risk 
characteristics that are indicative of the debtors' capacity to pay are considered. 

The  credit  risk  characteristics  used  to  group  the  instruments  are,  among  others:  type  of  instrument,  debtor's 
sector  of  activity,  geographical  area  of  activity,  type  of  guarantee,  aging  of  past  due  balances  and  any  other 
factor relevant to estimating the future cash flows. 

The  Group  performs  retrospective  and  monitoring  tests  to  evaluate  the  reasonableness  of  the  collective 
estimate.

On the other hand, the methodology required to estimate the expected credit loss due to credit events is based 
on  an  unbiased  and  weighted  consideration  by  the  probability  of  occurrence  of  a  series  of  scenarios, 
considering  a  range  of  three  to  five  possible  future  scenarios,  depending  on  the  characteristics  of  each  unit, 
which  could  have  an  impact  on  the  collection  of  contractual  cash  flows,  always  taking  into  account  the  time 
value  of  money,  as  well  as  all  available  and  relevant  information  on  past  events,  current  conditions  and 
forecasts  of  the  evolution  of  macroeconomic  factors  that  are  shown  to  be  relevant  for  the  estimation  of  this 
amount (for example: GDP (Gross Domestic Product), housing price, unemployment rate, etc.).

The  estimation  of  expected  losses  requires  expert  judgment  and  the  support  of  historical,  current  and  future 
information.  The  probability  of  loss  is  measured  considering  past  events,  the  present  situation  and  future 
trends of macroeconomic factors. Grupo Santander uses prospective information in internal management and 
regulatory  processes,  incorporating  various  scenarios,  taking  advantage  of  the  experience  with  such 
information to ensure the consistency of the processes.

Santander Consumer Finance Group uses prospective information both in internal risk management processes 
and  in  prudential  regulation,  therefore  various  scenarios  are  incorporated  to  calculate  the  correction  for 
impairment  of  value  that  take  advantage  of  experience  with  said  information,  thus  ensuring  consistency  in 
obtaining the expected loss. 

The  complexity  of  the  estimation  in  this  financial  year  has  been  impacted  by  the  current  macroeconomic 
scenario as a consequence of the war in Ukraine, as well as the increasing level of inflation and interest rates, 
and the difficulties in the supply chains, which has generated some uncertainty regarding the development of 
the economy.

Santander Consumer Finance Group has internally ensured the criteria to be followed regarding the guarantees 
received from the State Administrations, both through credit lines and other public guarantees, so that when 
they  are  adequately  reflected  in  each  of  the  contracts,  they  are  accounted  for  as  mitigating  factors  of  the 
potential  expected  losses,  and  therefore  of  the  provisions  to  be  recorded,  based  on  the  provisions  of  the 
applicable standard. Likewise, when appropriate, these guarantees are adequately reflected in the mitigation of 
the significant increase in risk, considering their nature as personal guarantees.

 33

For  the  estimation  of  the  parameters  used  in  the  estimation  of  impairment  provisions  (EAD  (Exposure  at 
Default), PD (Probability of Default), LGD (Loss Given Default)), the Group based its experience in developing 
internal models for the estimation of parameters both in the regulatory area and for management purposes, 
adapting the development of the impairment provision models under IFRS 9.

•

•

•

Exposure at default: is the amount of estimated risk incurred at the time of the counterparty's analysis.

Probability of default: is the estimated probability that the counterparty will default on its principal and/
or interest payment obligations.

Loss given default: is the estimate of the severity of the loss incurred in the event of noncompliance. It 
depends mainly on the updating of the guarantees associated with the operation and the future cash 
flows that are expected to be recovered.

In  any  case,  when  estimating  the  flows  expected  to  be  recovered,  portfolio  sales  are  included.  It  should  be 
noted that, due to the Group's recovery policy and the experience observed in relation to the prices of past sales 
of  assets  classified  as  stage  3  and/or  failed,  there  is  no  substantial  divergence  between  the  flows  obtained 
from  recoveries  after  performing  recovery  management  of  the  assets  with  those  obtained  from  the  sale  of 
portfolios of assets discounting structural expenses and other costs incurred.

The definition of default implemented by the rest of the units of the Group for the purpose of calculating the 
impairment provision models is based on the definition in Article 178 of Regulation 575/2013 of the European 
Union (CRR), which is fully aligned with the requirements of IFRS 9, which considers that a "default" exists in 
relation  to  a  specific  customer/contract  when  at  least  one  of  the  following  circumstances  exists:  the  entity 
considers that there are reasonable doubts about the payment of all its credit obligations or that the customer/
contract is in an irregular situation for more than 90 consecutive material delays with respect to any significant 
credit obligation.

Santander  Consumer  Finance  Group  has  partially  and  voluntarily  aligned  during  the  2022  financial  year  the 
accounting  definition  of  Phase  3,  both  the  accounting  definition  of  Phase  3,  and  for  the  calculation  of  the 
impairment provision models, to the New Definition of Default incorporating the criteria defined by the EBA in 
its  implementation  guide  of  the  definition  of  default,  capturing  the  economic  deterioration  of  the  operations 
(days  in  non-payment  on  a  daily  basis  and  thresholds  of  materiality  minimum  amount  in  arrears).  The 
alignment of criteria will be done taking into account the criteria of IFRS 9 as well as the accounting principles 
of  unbiased  presentation  of  financial  information.  Santander  Consumer  Finance  Group  has  registered  an 
expected  increase  in  the  default  rate  estimated  at  around  23  basis  points,  with  no  material  impact  on  the 
provision figures for credit risk.

Additionally, the Group considers the risk that is generated in all cross-border operations, due to circumstances 
other  than  the  usual  commercial  risk  due  to  insolvency  (sovereign  risk,  transfer  risk  or  risks  derived  from 
international financial activity, such as wars, natural catastrophes, balance sheet crises of payments, etc.). 

IFRS 9 includes a series of practical solutions that can be implemented by entities, with the aim of facilitating 
their implementation. However, in order to achieve a complete and high-level implementation of the standard, 
and following the best practices in the industry, the Group does not apply these practical solutions in a general 
way: 

•

•

Rebuttable presumption of a significant increase in risk from 30 days of default: this threshold is used as an 
additional indicator, but not as a primary indicator, in determining significantly increased risk. Additionally, 
there are some cases in the Group, in which its use has been refuted by studies that show a low correlation 
of the significant increase in risk with this delay threshold. The disputed volume does not exceed 0.1% of 
the Group's total exposure. 

Assets with low credit risk at the reporting date: the Group analyzes the existence of a significant increase 
in risk in all its financial instruments.

This information is broken down in greater detail in Note 47.II (Credit Risk).

 34

g) Details of the individualised estimate of the correction of impairment

For the individualised estimation of the correction for impairment of financial assets, the Group has a specific 
methodology to estimate the value of the cash flows expected to be collected. Generally, this recovery may be 
estimated on the basis of: 

•

•

Recovery  via  repayment  of  the  debt  for  cash  flows  generated  by  the  debtor's  ordinary  activities  ("Going 
Concern" approach).

Recovery through repayment of the debt by execution and subsequent sale of the collateral guaranteeing 
the operations ("Gone Concern" approach). 

If  recovery  is  estimated  using  a  "Gone  Concern"  approach,  each  of  the  Group's  units  has  developed  its  own 
methodology based on the following methodological principles: 

a. Evaluation of the effectiveness of guarantees 

The  Group  evaluates  the  effectiveness  of  all  guarantees  associated  with  the  financial  asset  subject  to  an 
individual impairment assessment. The following aspects are considered in making this assessment: 

•

•

•

The time required to execute these guarantees; 

The ability of the Group to enforce or value these guarantees in its favour; 

The existence of limitations imposed by the local regulation of each unit on the foreclosure of guarantees. 

Under  no  circumstances  does  the  Group  consider  that  a  guarantee  is  effective  if  its  effectiveness  depends 
substantially on the solvency of the debtor or its economic group, as could be the case: 

•

•

Promises  of  shares  or  other  securities  of  the  debtor  himself  when  their  valuation  may  be  significantly 
affected by a debtor's default. 

Personal cross-collateralisation: when the guarantor of a transaction is, at the same time, guaranteed by 
the holder of that transaction. 

On the basis of the foregoing, the Group considers the following types of guarantees to be effective:

• Mortgage  guarantees  on  properties,  which  are  first  charge,  provided  that  they  are  duly  constituted  and 

registered in the Group's favour. Real estate includes: 

•

Buildings  and  finished  building  elements,  distinguishing  between:  Dwellings;  Offices  and  commercial 
premises and multipurpose buildings; Other buildings such as non-multipurpose buildings and hotels. 

• Urban land and land for development. 

•

Rest of real estate where buildings and elements of buildings under construction would be classified, 
among others, such as developments in progress and stopped developments, and the rest of land, such 
as rustic properties.

•

Pledges  on  financial  instruments  such  as  cash  deposits,  debt  securities  of  recognised  issuers  or  equity 
instruments. 

• Other  types  of  security  interests,  including  movable  property  received  as  security  and  second  and 
subsequent  mortgages  on  real  estate,  provided  that  the  entity  demonstrates  their  effectiveness.  In 
assessing  the  effectiveness  of  second  and  subsequent  mortgages  on  property,  the  Group  applies 
particularly restrictive criteria. It will take into account, inter alia, whether or not the foregoing charges are 
in the Group's own favour and the relationship between the risk guaranteed by them and the value of the 
property. 

 35

•

Personal  guarantees,  as  well  as  the  incorporation  of  new  owners,  covering  the  entire  amount  of  the 
transaction and involving the direct and joint liability before the entity of persons or entities whose equity 
solvency is sufficiently proven to ensure repayment of the transaction under the agreed terms. 

b. Valuation of guarantees

In this regard, the Group will assess the guarantees associated with the financial instruments based on the 
nature of the guarantees in accordance with the following: 

• Mortgage  guarantees  on  properties  associated  with  financial  instruments  taking  into  account  all 
available information, using complete individual valuations made by independent valuation experts and 
under  generally  accepted  valuation  standards.  If  it  is  not  possible  to  obtain  a  complete  individual 
valuation,  alternative  valuations  may  be  used  provided  that  they  have  been  carried  out  by  duly 
documented and approved internal valuation models. 

•

•

Personal  guarantees  will  be  individually  assessed  on  the  basis  of  updated  information  from  the 
guarantor. 

The  rest  of  the  guarantees  will  be  valued  on  the  basis  of  current  market  values  if  available  or  on  the 
basis of other management information. 

c. Adjustments to the value of guarantees and estimation of future cash inflows and outflows

The Group applies a series of adjustments to the value of the guarantees which can be positive or negative in 
order to adjust the reference values: 

•

•

Adjustments based on the historical sales experience of the local units for certain types of assets. These 
adjustments will be made in the same way if the current valuations are not updated. 

Individual expert adjustments based on additional management information (e.g. if there is a binding offer 
to acquire the asset or the asset is severely impaired). 

In  addition,  the  Group  will  take  into  account  the  time  value  of  money  when  adjusting  the  value  of  the 
guarantees.  Basically,  for  this  purpose  and  based  on  the  historical  experience  of  each  of  the  units,  it  is 
estimated: 

•

•

Period of adjudication.

Estimated time of sale of the asset

The  Group  must  also  take  into  account  the  cash  inflows  and  outflows  that  would  be  generated  by  the 
guarantee  until  it  is  sold.  To  this  end,  the  Group  considers  the  present  value  of  the  future  cash  flows  of  the 
guarantee when estimating the value of the asset: 

•

•

•

•

Possible future income commitments in favour of the borrower which will be accessible after the award of 
the asset. 

Estimated foreclosure costs. 

Asset maintenance costs, taxes and community costs. 

Estimated marketing or sales costs. 

Finally,  when  it  is  considered  that  the  guarantee  will  be  sold  in  the  future,  the  Group  applies  an  additional 
adjustment  ("index  forward")  in  order  to  adjust  the  value  of  the  guarantees  to  future  valuation  expectations. 
This adjustment is made on the basis of estimated future price indices or external information. 

 36

d. Scope of application of the individual estimate of the assessment for impairment

Santander  Consumer  Finance  Group  determines  the  perimeter  over  which  it  makes  an  estimate  of  the 
assessment  for  impairment  on  an  individual  basis  based  on  a  relevance  threshold  set  by  each  of  the 
geographical  areas  and  the  stage  in  which  the  operations  are  located.  In  general,  the  Group  applies  the 
individualised calculation of expected losses to the significant exposures classified in stage 3.

It should be noted that, in any case and irrespective of the stage in which their transactions are carried out, for 
customers  who  do  not  receive  standardised  treatment,  a  relational  risk  management  model  is  applied,  with 
individualised  treatment  and  monitoring  by  the  assigned  risk  analyst.  In  addition  to  large  companies,  this 
relational  management  model  also  includes  other  segments  of  smaller  companies  for  which  there  is 
information and capacity for more personalised and expert analysis and monitoring. As indicated in the Group's 
credit model, the individual treatment of the client facilitates the continuous updating of information. The risk 
assumed must be followed and monitored throughout its life cycle, enabling anticipation and action to be taken 
in the event of possible impairments. In this way, the customer's credit quality is analysed individually, taking 
into account specific aspects such as his competitive position, financial performance, management, etc. In the 
wholesale risk management model, every customer with a credit risk position is assigned a rating, which has an 
associated probability of customer default. Thus, individual analysis of the debtor triggers a specific rating for 
each customer, which determines the appropriate parameters for calculating the expected loss, so that it is the 
rating itself that initially modulates the necessary coverage, adjusting the severity of the possible loss to the 
guarantees and other mitigating factors that the customer may have available. In addition, if as a result of this 
individualised monitoring of the customer, the analyst finally considers that his coverage is not sufficient, he 
has  the  necessary  mechanisms  to  adjust  it  under  his  expert  judgement,  always  under  the  appropriate 
governance.

h) Repurchase agreements and reverse repurchase agreements

Any purchases (sales) of financial instruments under a non-optional resale (repurchase) agreement at a fixed 
price  (repos)  are  recognised,  where  appropriate,  in  the  consolidated  balance  sheet  as  financing  granted 
(received), based on the nature of the debtor (creditor), under Loans and advances to central banks, Loans and 
advances to credit institutions or Loans and advances to customers, Deposits from central banks, Deposits from 
credit institutions or Customer deposits, if any.

Differences between the purchase and sale prices are recognised as interest over the contract term using the 
effective interest method.

i) Assets and liabilities included in disposal groups classified as held for sale

Assets  included  in  disposal  groups  classified  as  held  for  sale”  includes  the  carrying  amount  of  any  individual 
items  or  integrated  into  a  group  (disposal  group)  or  items  that  are  part  of  a  business  unit  earmarked  for 
disposal  (“discontinued  operations”)  whose  sale  in  their  present  condition  is  highly  likely  to  be  completed 
within  one  year  from  the  reporting  date.  Therefore,  the  carrying  amount  of  these  items  which  can  be  of  a 
financial  nature  or  otherwise-  will  foreseeably  be  recovered  through  the  proceeds  from  their  disposal  rather 
than through their continuing use. 

Similarly,  “Liabilities  included  in  disposal  groups  classified  as  held  for  sale”  includes  the  balances  payable 
relating to the assets held for sale or disposal groups and to discontinued operations.

Non-current assets held for sale -both individual items and disposal groups, if any- are generally measured at 
the lower of fair value less costs to sell and their carrying amount at the date of classification in this category. 
Non-current  assets  held  for  sale  are  not  depreciated  as  long  as  they  remain  in  this  category.  However,  any 
financial  instruments,  assets  arising  from  employee  benefits,  deferred  tax  assets  and  reinsurance  assets 
classified as “Non-Current Assets Held for Sale” continue to be measured using the methods described in this 
Note, with no changes being made thereto as a result of the classification of these items as non-current assets 
held for sale.  The Group measures foreclosed property assets located in Spain by taking into consideration the 
appraisal  value  on  the  date  of  foreclosure  and  the  length  of  time  each  asset  has  been  recognised  in  the 
consolidated balance sheet.

 37

The Group has in place a corporate policy that ensures the professional competence and the independence and 
objectivity  of  the  external  appraisal  agencies,  in  accordance  with  the  regulations,  which  require  appraisal 
agencies to meet neutrality and credibility requirements, so that the use of their estimates does not reduce the 
reliability of its valuations. This policy establishes that all the appraisal companies and agencies with which the 
Group works in Spain should be registered in the Official Register of the Bank of Spain and that the appraisals 
performed by them should follow the methodology established in Ministry of Economy Order ECO/805/2003, 
of 27 March. The main appraisal companies and agencies with which the Group worked in Spain in 2021 are as 
follows: AESVAL, Logica de valoraciones, S.A., Alia Tasaciones, S.A., Arco Valoraciones, S.A., Agrupación Técnica 
del Valor, S.A. (AT Valor), Sociedad de Tasación CATSA, S.A., CBRE Valuation Advisory, S.A., Compañía Hispana 
de Valoraciones y Tasaciones, S.A., Eurovaloraciones, S.A., Gesvalt Sociedad de Tasación, S.A., Gloval Valuation, 
S.A.,  Instituto  de  Valoraciones  S.A.,  Krata,  S.A.,  Savills  Aguirre  Newman  Valoraciones  y  Tasaciones  S.A.U., 
Sociedad  de  Tasación,  S.A.,  Tasalia  Sociedad  de  Tasaciones,  S.A.,  Tasasur  Sociedad  de  Tasaciones,  S.A., 
Tasibérica,  S.A.,  Grupo  Tasvalor,  S.A.,  Técnicos  en  Tasación,  S.A.,  Tinsa,  Tasaciones  Inmobiliarias,  S.A.  (Tinsa), 
UVE Valoraciones, S.A., Valoraciones Mediterráneo, S.A.

Also,  the  aforementioned  policy  stipulates  that  the  various  subsidiaries  abroad  must  work  with  appraisal 
companies  that  have  recent  experience  in  the  local  area  and  with  the  type  of  asset  under  appraisal  and  that 
meet the independence requirements established in the corporate policy. They should verify, that the appraisal 
company is not a party related to the Group and that its billings to the Group in the last twelve months do not 
exceed 15% of the appraisal company's total billings.

Impairment losses on an asset or disposal group resulting from the write-down of its carrying amount to its fair 
value (less costs to sell) and gains or losses on the sale thereof are recognised under “Gains (Losses) on Non-
Current Assets Held for Sale Not Classified as Discontinued Operations” in the consolidated income statement. 
Any  gains  on  a  non-current  asset  held  for  sale  resulting  from  increases  in  fair  value  (less  costs  to  sell) 
subsequent  to  impairment  increase  its  carrying  amount  and  are  recognised  with  a  credit  to  the  consolidated 
income statement up to an amount equal to the impairment losses previously recognised.

Assets  and  liabilities  relating  to  discontinued  operations  are  presented  and  measured  in  accordance  with  the 
criteria  indicated  for  disposal  groups.  Revenue  and  expenses  arising  from  these  assets  and  liabilities  are 
presented  net  of  the  related  tax  effect  under  “Profit  or  loss  after  tax  from  discontinued  operations”  in  the 
consolidated income statement.

j)

Tangible assets 

Tangible  assets  in  the  consolidated  balance  sheet  includes  any  buildings,  land,  furniture,  vehicles,  computer 
hardware and other fixtures owned by the consolidated entities or acquired under finance leases, for their own 
use. Tangible assets are classified by use as follows:

i) Property, plant and equipment for own use

Property, plant and equipment for own use -including any tangible assets received by the consolidated entities 
in full or partial satisfaction of financial assets representing receivables from third parties which are intended to 
be held for continuing own use and tangible assets acquired under finance leases- are presented at acquisition 
cost, less the related accumulated depreciation and any estimated impairment losses (carrying amount higher 
than recoverable amount). 

Amortisation is calculated, using the straight-line method, on the basis of the acquisition cost of the assets less 
their  residual  value.  The  land  on  which  the  buildings  and  other  structures  stand  has  an  indefinite  life  and, 
therefore, is not depreciated. 

 38

The  period  depreciation  charge  is  recognised  under  “Depreciation  and  Amortisation  cost”  in  the  consolidated 
income  statement  and  is  calculated  using  the  following  depreciation  rates  (based  on  the  average  years  of 
estimated useful life of the various assets):

Buildings for own use
Furniture

Vehicles

Computer hardware

Other

Right of use of lease

Annual 
Average Rate

1.5 % - 2 %
10%
28.6%
25%
12%
10%

The  consolidated  entities  assess  at  the  reporting  date  whether  there  is  any  indication  that  an  asset  may  be 
impaired (i.e. its carrying amount exceeds its recoverable amount). If this is the case, the carrying amount of the 
asset  is  reduced  to  its  recoverable  amount  with  a  charge  to  the  consolidated  income  statement  and  future 
depreciation charges are adjusted in proportion to the revised carrying amount and to the new remaining useful 
life (if the useful life has to be re-estimated).

Similarly,  if  there  is  an  indication  of  a  recovery  in  the  value  of  a  previously  impaired  tangible  asset,  the 
consolidated entities recognise the reversal of the impairment loss recognised in prior periods with a credit to 
the consolidated income statement and adjust the future depreciation charges accordingly. In no circumstances 
may the reversal of an impairment loss on an asset raise its carrying amount above that which it would have if 
no impairment losses had been recognised in prior years.

The estimated useful lives of the items of property, plant and equipment for own use are reviewed at least at 
the end of each reporting period with a view to detecting possible significant changes therein. If changes are 
detected, the depreciation charges relating to the new useful lives of the assets are adjusted by correcting the 
charge to be recognised in the consolidated income statement in future years.

Upkeep  and  maintenance  expenses  of  tangible  assets  for  own  use  are  charged  to  the  consolidated  income 
statement for the year in which they are incurred.

ii)

Investment property 

“Tangible Assets - Investment Property” reflects the net values of any land, buildings and other structures held 
either to earn rentals or for capital appreciation.

The criteria used to recognise the acquisition cost of investment property, to calculate its depreciation and its 
estimated  useful  life  and  to  recognise  any  impairment  losses  thereon  are  consistent  with  those  described  in 
relation to property, plant and equipment for own use..

iii) Assets leased out under an operating lease 

“Tangible Assets - Property, Plant and Equipment - Leased out under an Operating Lease” in the consolidated 
balance sheets includes the amount of the assets, other than land and buildings, leased out under an operating 
lease.

The criteria used to recognise the acquisition cost of assets leased out under operating leases, to calculate their 
depreciation  and  their  respective  estimated  useful  lives  and  to  recognise  the  impairment  losses  thereon  are 
consistent with those described in relation to property, plant and equipment for own use.

 39

k) Leases 

The  main  aspects  contained  in  the  standard  (IFRS  16)  adopted  by  the  Group  are  included  below:  When  the 
Group acts as lessee, a right-of-use asset is recognized, representing its right to use the leased asset and the 
corresponding lease liability on the date on which the leased asset is available for use by the Group. Each lease 
payment is allocated between the liability and the financial expense. The finance expense is expensed over the 
term of the lease so as to produce a constant periodic interest rate on the remaining balance of the liability for 
each year. The right-of-use asset is amortized over the shorter of the useful life of the asset or the lease term 
on a straight-line basis. If the Group is reasonably certain to exercise a purchase option, the right-of-use asset is 
amortized  over  the  useful  life  of  the  underlying  asset.  Assets  and  liabilities  arising  from  a  lease  are  initially 
measured  on  a  present  value  basis.  Lease  liabilities  include  the  net  present  value  of  the  following  lease 
payments. lease:

•

•

•

•

•

Fixed payments (including inflation-linked payments), less any lease incentives receivable.

Variable lease payments that depend on an index or rate.

Amounts expected to be paid by the lessee for residual value guarantees.

The exercise price of a purchase option if the lessee is reasonably certain to exercise that option.

Lease termination  penalty payments, if the lease term reflects the lessee's exercise of that option. Lease 
payments are discounted using the interest rate implicit in the lease. Since in certain situations this interest 
rate cannot be obtained, the discount rate used in such cases is the lessee's incremental borrowing rate at 
the  date.  For  these  purposes,  the  entity  has  calculated  this  incremental  interest  rate  by  taking  as  a 
reference  the  quoted  debt  instruments  issued  by  the  Group;  in  this  regard,  the  Group  has  estimated 
different  rate  curves  depending  on  the  currency  and  economic  environment  in  which  the  contracts  are 
located.

Specifically, in order to construct the incremental interest rate, a methodology has been developed at corporate 
level. This methodology is based on the need for each entity to consider its economic and financial situation, for 
which the following factors must be taken into account:

•

•

Economic and political situation (country risk).

Entity's credit risk.

• Monetary policy.

•

Volume and seniority of the entity's debt instrument issuances.

The incremental interest rate is defined as the interest rate that a lessee would have to pay to borrow, for a 
term similar to the lease term and with similar security, the funds necessary to obtain an asset of similar value 
to the right-of-use asset in a similar economic environment. The Group's entities have a large stock and variety 
of  financing  instruments  issued  in  currencies  other  than  the  euro  (pound  sterling,  dollar,  etc.)  which  provide 
sufficient  information  to  be  able  to  determine  an  all  in  rate  (reference  rate  plus  credit  spread  adjustment  at 
different maturities and in different currencies). In cases where the lessee entity has its own financing, this has 
been  used  as  the  starting  point  for  determining  the  incremental  interest  rate.  On  the  other  hand,  for  those 
Group  entities  that  do  not  have  their  own  financing,  the  information  from  the  financing  of  the  consolidated 
subgroup to which they belong has been used as the starting point for estimating the entity's curve, analyzing 
other  factors  to  evaluate  whether  it  is  necessary  to  make  any  type  of  negative  or  positive  adjustment  to  the 
initially estimated credit spread. Right-of-use assets are valued at cost, which includes the following:

•

•

•

•

The amount of the initial valuation of the lease liability.

Any lease payment made on or before the commencement date less any lease incentive Any lease payment 
made on or before the commencement date less any lease incentive received.lease received.

Any initial direct costs.

Restoration costs.

 40

Payments associated with short-term leases and leases of low value assets are recognized on a straight-line 
basis as an expense in income. Short-term leases are leases with a lease term less than or equal to 12 months 
(a lease with a purchase option does not constitute a short-term lease).

l)

Intangible assets

“Intangible  Assets”  are  identifiable  non-monetary  assets  (separable  from  other  assets)  without  physical 
substance which arise as a result of a legal transaction or which are developed internally by the consolidated 
entities and goodwill other than that arising from acquisition of entities accounted for using the equity method. 
Only intangible assets whose cost can be estimated reliably and from which the consolidated entities consider 
it probable that future economic benefits will be generated are recognised.

Intangible  assets  other  than  goodwill  are  recognised  initially  at  acquisition  or  production  cost  and  are 
subsequently measured at cost less any accumulated amortisation and/or any accumulated impairment losses.

i) Goodwill

Any  excess  of  the  cost  of  the  investments  in  the  consolidated  entities  and  entities  accounted  for  using  the 
equity method over the corresponding underlying carrying amounts acquired, adjusted at the date of firsttime 
consolidation, is allocated as follows:

•

•

•

If it is attributable to specific assets and liabilities of the companies acquired, by increasing the value of the 
assets  (or  reducing  the  value  of  the  liabilities)  whose  fair  values  were  higher  (lower)  than  the  carrying 
amounts at which they had been recognised in the acquired entities' balance sheets.

If it is attributable to specific intangible assets, by recognising it explicitly in the consolidated balance sheet 
provided that the fair value of these assets within twelve months following the date of acquisition can be 
measured reliably.

The remaining amount is recognised as goodwill, which is allocated to one or more cash-generating units (a 
cash-generating unit is the  smallest identifiable group of assets that, as a result of continuing operation, 
generates  cash  inflows  that  are  largely  independent  of  the  cash  inflows  from  other  assets  or  groups  of 
assets). The cash-generating units represent the Group’s geographical and/or business segments.

Goodwill is only recognised when it has been acquired for consideration and represents, therefore, a payment 
made by the acquirer in anticipation of future economic benefits from assets of the acquired entity or business 
that are not capable of being individually identified and separately recognised.

At  the  end  of  each  annual  reporting  period  or  whenever  there  is  any  indication  of  impairment  goodwill  is 
reviewed for impairment (i.e. a reduction in its recoverable amount to below its carrying amount) and, if there 
is any impairment, the goodwill is written down with a charge to “Impairment on non financial assets (net) - 
Intangible assets” in the consolidated income statement.

An impairment loss recognised for the goodwill is not reversed in a subsequent period

In the event of sale or abandonment of an activity that is part of a CGU, the part of the goodwill assignable to 
said activity would be derecognized, taking as a reference its relative value over the total of the CGU in the time 
of sale or abandonment. In the event that the distribution by currency of the remaining goodwill is applied, it 
will be made based on the relative values of the activity.

ii) Other intangible assets

Intangible assets can have an indefinite useful life –when, based on an analysis of all the relevant factors, it is 
concluded that there is no foreseeable limit to the period over which the asset is expected to generate net cash 
inflows for the consolidated entities– or a finite useful life, in all other cases.

Intangible assets with indefinite useful lives are not amortised, but rather at the end of each reporting period 
the  consolidated  entities  review  the  remaining  useful  lives  of  the  assets  in  order  to  determine  whether  they 
continue to be indefinite and, if this is not the case, to take the appropriate steps.

 41

Intangible assets with finite useful lives are amortised over those useful lives using methods similar to those 
used to depreciate tangible assets. The intangible asset amortisation charge is recognised under “Depreciation 
and Amortisation Charge” in the consolidated income statement”.

In both cases the consolidated entities recognise any impairment loss on the carrying amount of these assets 
with  a  charge  to  Impairment  losses  on  other  assets  (net)  in  the  consolidated  income  statement.  The  criteria 
used  to  recognise  the  impairment  losses  on  these  assets  and,  where  applicable,  the  reversal  of  impairment 
losses recognised in prior years are similar to those used for tangible assets (See Note 2.i). iii. Group internally 
developed computer software).

iii) Internally developed computer software 

Internally  developed  computer  software  is  recognised  as  an  intangible  asset  if,  among  other  requisites 
(basically  the  Group’s  ability  to  use  or  sell  it),  it  can  be  identified  and  its  ability  to  generate  future  economic 
benefits can be demonstrated.

Any expenses incurred during the research phase are recognised directly in the consolidated income statement 
for  the  year  in  which  they  are  incurred  and  cannot  subsequently  be  included  in  the  carrying  amount  of  the 
intangible asset.

m) Other assets and Other liabilities 

“Other  Assets”  in  the  consolidated  balance  sheets  includes  the  amount  of  any  assets  not  recorded  in  other 
items, the breakdown being as follows:

•

Inventories: this item includes the amount of assets, other than financial instruments, that are held for sale 
in the ordinary course of business, are in the process of production, construction or development for such 
sale, or are to be consumed in the production process or in the rendering of services. “Inventories” includes 
the  assets  that  have  been  acquired  for  the  purpose  of  leasing  them  to  third  and  for  which  the  related 
operating lease agreements had not been formalised at the date of the consolidated balance sheets.

Inventories are measured at the lower of cost and net realisable value, which is the amount expected to be 
obtained from lease or sale thereof in the ordinary course of business, less the estimated costs of 
completion and the estimated costs required for operation.

The amount of any write-down of inventories -such as that due to damage, obsolescence or reduction of 
selling price- to net realisable value and all other losses of inventories are recognised as an expense in the 
year in which the write-down or loss occurs. Subsequent reversals are recognised in the consolidated 
income statement for the year in which they occur.

The carrying amount of inventories is derecognised and recognised as an expense in the period in which the 
revenue from their sale is recognised. 

• Other:  this  item  includes,  as  the  case  may  be,  the  balance  of  all  prepayments  and  accrued  income 
(excluding accrued interest and financial commissions), the net amount of the difference between pension 
plan  obligations  and  the  value  of  the  plan  assets  with  a  balance  in  the  Group’s  favour,  when  this  net 
amount  is  to  be  reported  in  the  consolidated  balance  sheet,  and  the  amount  of  any  other  assets  not 
included in other items.

“Other Liabilities” in the consolidated balance sheets includes the balance of all accrued expenses and deferred 
income, excluding accrued interest, and the amount of any other liabilities not included in other consolidated 
balance sheet line items.

n) Provisions and contingent assets and liabilities

Provisions are present obligations at the reporting date arising from past events which could give rise to a loss 
for the consolidated entities, which is considered to be likely to occur and certain as to its nature but uncertain 
as to its amount and/or timing, and the consolidated entities expect that an outflow of resources embodying 
economic benefits will be required to settle such obligations.

 42

Contingent  liabilities  are  possible  obligations  that  arise  from  past  events  and  whose  existence  will  be 
confirmed only by the occurrence or non-occurrence of one or more future events not wholly within the control 
of  the  consolidated  entities.  They  include  present  obligations  of  the  consolidated  entities  when,  although 
possible,  it  is  not  considered  probable  that  an  outflow  of  resources  embodying  economic  benefits  will  be 
required to settle them and their amount cannot be measured with sufficient reliability. The Group will disclose 
a contingent liability, unless the possibility of an outflow of resources embodying economic benefits is remote.

Contingent assets are possible assets that arise from past events and whose existence is conditional on, and 
will  be  confirmed  only  by,  the  occurrence  or  non-occurrence  of  events  beyond  the  control  of  the  Group.  Any 
contingent assets that arise are not recognised in the consolidated balance sheet or in the consolidated income 
statement, but rather are disclosed in the notes, provided that it is probable that these assets will give rise to an 
increase in resources embodying economic benefits.

The  Group’s  consolidated  financial  statements  include  all  the  material  provisions  with  respect  to  which  it  is 
considered that it is more likely than not that the obligation will have to be settled. In accordance with current 
standards,  contingent  liabilities  are  not  recognised  in  the  consolidated  financial  statements,  but  rather  are 
disclosed in the notes thereto.

Provisions,  which  are  quantified  on  the  basis  of  the  best  information  available  on  the  consequences  of  the 
event  giving  rise  to  them  and  are  reviewed  and  adjusted  at  the  end  of  each  year,  are  used  to  cater  for  the 
specific  obligations  for  which  they  were  originally  recognised.  Provisions  are  fully  or  partially  reversed  when 
such obligations cease to exist or are reduced.

Provisions are classified according to the obligations covered as follows (see Note 21):

•

Provisions  for  pensions  and  similar  obligations:  includes  the  amount  of  the  provisions  made  to  cover 
defined-benefit post-employment benefits, commitments to pre-retirees and similar obligations (see Note 
21).

• Other long-term employee compensation: includes other obligations assumed with employees taking early 

retirement (see Notes 2.r and 21).

•

•

Provisions for taxes and other legal contingencies includes the amount of the provisions made to cover tax 
and  legal  contingencies  and  litigation  (see  Note  21).  Among  other  items,  it  includes  provisions  for 
restructuring and environmental actions, if any.

Provisions  for  contingent  liabilities  and  commitments:  includes  the  amount  of  the  provisions  made  to   
cover contingent liabilities -defined as those transactions in which the Group guarantees the obligations of 
a third party, arising as a result of financial guarantees granted or contracts of another kind- and contingent 
commitments -defined as irrevocable commitments that may give rise to the recognition of financial assets 
(see Note 21).

• Other provisions: includes the amount of other provisions made by the Group (see Note 21).

The  provisions  considered  necessary  pursuant  to  the  foregoing  criteria  are  recognised  or  released,  as 
appropriate, with a charge or credit, respectively, to “Provisions (Net)” in the consolidated income statement. 
The criteria applied to account for the provisions for pensions and similar obligations are described in Notes 2-r 
and 2-s.

o) Court proceedings and/or claims in process

At  the  end  of  2022  and  2021  certain  court  proceedings  and  claims  were  in  process  against  the  consolidated 
entities arising from the ordinary course of their operations. The Group’s legal advisers and the Bank’s Directors 
consider that any economic loss that might ultimately result from these court proceedings and claims has been 
adequately  provided  for  (see  Note  21)  and,  therefore,  will  not  have  a  material  effect  on  these  consolidated 
financial statements.

 43

p) Recognition of income and expenses

The  most  significant  criteria  used  by  the  Group  to  recognise  its  income  and  expenses  are  summarised  as 
follows:

i)

Interest income, interest expense and similar items

Interest  income,  interest  expenses  and  similar  items  are  generally  recognised  on  an  accrual  basis  using  the 
effective  interest  method.  Dividends  received  from  companies  other  than  subsidiaries,  associates  or  jointly 
ventures entities are recognised as income when the right to receive them arises.

ii) Commissions, fees and similar items

Fee and commission income and expenses are recognised in the consolidated income statement using criteria 
that vary according to their nature. The main criteria are as follows:

•

Fee and commission income and expenses relating to financial assets and financial liabilities measured at 

fair value through profit or loss are recognised when paid.

•

Those  which  meet  the  conditions  to  form  part  of  the  initial  acquisition  cost  of  the  financial  instruments 

(other  than  those  measured  at  fair  value  through  profit  or  loss)  are  recognised  in  the  income  statement 

using the effective interest method or at the time the instruments are sold, based on their nature.

•

Those arising from transactions or services that are performed over a period of time are recognised over the 

life of these transactions or services.

•

Those relating to services provided in a single act are recognised when the single act is carried out.

iii) Non-financial income and expenses

They  are  recognised  for  accounting  purposes  when  the  good  is  delivered  or  the  non-financial  service  is 
rendered. To determine the amount and timing of recognition, a five-step model is followed: identification of 
the contract with the customer, identification of the separate obligations of the contract, determination of the 
transaction price, distribution of the transaction price among the identified obligations and finally recording of 
income as the obligations are satisfied.

iv) Deferred collections and payments

These  are  recognised  for  accounting  purposes  at  the  amount  resulting  from  discounting  the  expected  cash 
flows at market rates.

v) Loan arrangement fees

Loan  arrangement  fees,  mainly  loan  origination,  information  and  application  fees,  are  credited  to  the 
consolidated income statement, on a time-proportion basis, over the term of the loan. 

q) Financial guarantees

“Financial  guarantees”  are  defined  as  contracts  whereby  an  entity  undertakes  to  make  specific  payments  on 
behalf of a third party if the latter fails to do so, irrespective of the various legal forms they may have, such as 
guarantees, insurance policies or credit derivatives.

 44

The  Group  initially  recognises  financial  guarantees  provided  on  the  liability  side  of  the  consolidated  balance 
sheet at fair value, which is generally the present value of the fees, commissions and interest receivable from 
these contracts over the term thereof, and simultaneously the Group recognises, as a balancing entry on the 
asset side of the consolidated balance sheet, the amount of the fees, commissions and similar interest received 
at the inception of the transactions and an account receivable for the present value of the fees, commissions 
and interest outstanding.

Financial  guarantees,  regardless  of  the  guarantor,  instrumentation  or  other  circumstances,  are  reviewed 
periodically  so  as  to  determine  the  credit  risk  to  which  they  are  exposed  and,  if  appropriate,  to  consider 
whether  a  provision  is  required.  The  credit  risk  is  determined  by  application  of  criteria  similar  to  those 
established for quantifying impairment losses on debt instruments carried at amortised cost (described in Note 
2-f above).

The provisions made for these transactions are recognised under “Provisions - Provisions for commitments and 
guarantees  given”  on  the  liability  side  of  the  consolidated  balance  sheet  (see  Note  21).  These  provisions  are 
recognised  and  reversed  with  a  charge  or  credit,  respectively,  to  “Provisions  or  reversal  of  provisions”  in  the 
consolidated income statement.

If a provision is required for these financial guarantees, the unearned commissions recognised under “Financial 
Liabilities at Amortised Cost - Other Financial Liabilities” in the consolidated balance sheet are reclassified to 
the appropriate provision

r) Post-employment benefits

Under the collective agreements currently in force, the financial institutions included in the Group and certain 
other  Spanish  and  foreign  consolidated  entities  have  undertaken  to  complement  the  public  social  security 
system  benefits  accruing  to  certain  employees,  and  to  their  beneficiary  right  holders,  for  retirement, 
permanent disability or death, and other welfare benefits post-employment. 

The  Group’s  post-employment  obligations  to  its  employees  are  deemed  to  be  “defined  contribution  plans” 
when  the  Group  makes  pre-determined  contributions  to  a  separate  entity  and  will  have  no  legal  or  effective 
obligation to make further contributions if the separate entity cannot pay the employee benefits relating to the 
service  rendered  in  the  current  and  prior  periods.  Post-employment  obligations  that  do  not  meet  the 
aforementioned conditions are classified as “defined benefit plans” (see Note 21).

i) Defined contribution plans

The  Group  recognises  the  defined  contributions  accrued  in  the  year  under  “Administrative  Expenses  -  Staff 
Costs” in the consolidated income statement. At year-end any amount not yet contributed to the external plans 
funding the obligations is recognised at its present value under “Provisions - Provision for pensions and other 
employment defined benefit obligations” on the liability side of the consolidated balance sheet (see Note 21). 

ii) Defined benefit plans

The Group recognises under “Provisions - Provisions for other long term employee benefits” on the liability side 
of the consolidated balance sheet (or under “Other Assets” on the asset side, as appropriate) the present value 
of its defined benefit post-employment obligations, net of the fair value of the plan assets (see Note 21). 

"Plan  assets”  are  defined  as  those  that  will  be  used  directly  to  settle  the  obligations  and  that  meet  the 
following conditions:

•

•

They  are  not  owned  by  the  consolidated  entities,  but  by  a  legally  separate  third  party  that  is  not  a  party 
related to the Group.

They  are  only  available  to  pay  or  fund  post-employment  benefits  and  they  cannot  be  returned  to  the 
consolidated  entities  unless  the  assets  remaining  in  the  plan  are  sufficient  to  meet  all  the  benefit 
obligations of the plan or of the entity to current and former employees, or they are returned to reimburse 
employee benefits already paid by the Group.

 45

If  the  Group  can  look  to  an  insurer  to  pay  part  or  all  of  the  expenditure  required  to  settle  a  defined  benefit 
obligation, and it is practically certain that said insurer will reimburse some or all of the expenditure required to 
settle that obligation, but the insurance policy does not qualify as a plan asset, the Group recognises its right to 
reimbursement -which, in all other respects, is treated as a plan asset- under “Insurance Contracts Linked to 
Pensions” on the asset side of the consolidated balance sheet.

Post-employment benefits are recognised as follows:

•

Service cost is recognised in the consolidated income statement and includes the following items::

•

•

•

Current  service  cost,  i.e.  the  increase  in  the  present  value  of  the  obligations  resulting  from  employee 
service in the current period, is recognised under “Administrative Expenses - Staff Costs” (see Notes 21 
and 39).

Any  past  service  cost,  which  arises  from  changes  to  existing  post-employment  benefits  or  from  the 
introduction of new benefits and includes the cost of curtailments, is recognised under “Provisions or 
reversal of provisions” (see Note 21).

Any  gain  or  loss  arising  from  plan  settlements  is  recognised  under  “Provisions  or  reversal  of 
provisions” (see Note 21).

• Net  interest  on  the  net  defined  benefit  liability  (asset),  i.e.  the  change  in  the  year  in  the  net  defined 
benefit  liability  (asset)  as  a  result  of  the  passage  of  time, 
is  recognised  under  “Interest 
Expense” (“Interest Income” if it constitutes income) in the consolidated income statement (see Notes 
21 and 31).

The  remeasurement  of  the  net  defined  benefit  liability  (asset)  recognised 
in  equity  under  “Other 
comprehensive income. Items not reclassified to profit or loss. Actuarial gains or (-) losses on defined benefit 
pension plans” in the consolidated balance sheet includes:

•

•

•

Actuarial  gains  and  losses  generated  in  the  year,  arising  from  the  effects  of  differences  between  the 
previous  actuarial  assumptions  and  what  has  actually  occurred  and  from  the  effects  of  changes  in 
actuarial assumptions.

The return on plan assets, excluding amounts included in net interest on the net defined benefit liability 
(asset).

Any  change  in  the  effect  of  the  asset  ceiling,  excluding  amounts  included  in  net  interest  on  the  net 
defined benefit liability (asset).

s) Other long-term benefits and other obligations

Other long-term employee benefits, defined as obligations to pre-retirees -taken to be those employees who 
have ceased to render services at the entity but who, without being legally retired, continue to have economic 
rights vis-à-vis the entity until they acquire the legal status of retiree, long-service bonuses by widowhood and 
invalidity  prior  to  retirement  that  depend  on  the  seniority  of  the  employee  in  the  entity  and  other  similar 
concepts  treated  for  accounting  purposes,  where  applicable,  as  established  above  for  defined  benefit  post-
employment plans, except that actuarial gains and losses which are recognised under `Provisions or reversal of 
provisions´ in the consolidated income statement (see Note 21).

Certain  Spanish  Group  entities’  obligations  for  death  or  disability  of  current  employees  until  they  reach 
retirement age are covered by an internal fund with renewable temporary annual coverage and, therefore, no 
contributions are made to plans.

t) Termination benefits

Termination benefits are recognised when there is a detailed formal plan identifying the basic changes to be 
made, provided that implementation of the plan has begun, its main features have been publicly announced or 
objective facts concerning its implementation have been disclosed. 

 46

u)

Income tax

The  expense  for  Spanish  income  tax  and  other  similar  taxes  applicable  to  the  foreign  consolidated  entities  is 
recognised in the consolidated income statement, except when it results from a transaction recognised directly 
in equity, in which case the tax effect is also recognised in equity.
The  current  income  tax  expense  is  calculated  as  the  sum  of  the  current  tax  resulting  from  application  of  the 
appropriate tax rate to the taxable profit for the year (net of any deductions allowable for tax purposes), and of 
the changes in deferred tax assets and liabilities recognised in the consolidated income statement.

Deferred  tax  assets  and  liabilities  include  temporary  differences  measured  at  the  amount  expected  to  be 
payable or recoverable on differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities and their related 
tax  bases,  and  any  tax  loss  and  tax  credit  carry  forwards  that  have  been  recognised.  These  amounts  are 
measured at the tax rates that are expected to apply in the period when the asset is realised or the liability is 
settled.

“Tax Assets” includes the amount of all tax assets, which are broken down into “current” -amounts of tax to be 
recovered  within  the  next  twelve  months-  and  “deferred”  -amounts  of  tax  to  be  recovered  in  future  years, 
including those arising from tax loss and tax credit carry forwards.

“Tax Liabilities” includes the amount of all tax liabilities (except provisions for taxes), which are broken down 
into  “current”  -the  amount  payable  in  respect  of  the  income  tax  on  the  taxable  profit  for  the  year  and  other 
taxes in the next twelve months- and “deferred” -the amount of income tax payable in future years.

Deferred tax liabilities are recognised in respect of taxable temporary differences associated with investments 
in subsidiaries, associates or joint ventures, except when the Group is able to control the timing of the reversal 
of the temporary difference and, in addition, it is probable that the temporary difference will not reverse in the 
foreseeable future.

Deferred tax assets are only recognised for temporary differences to the extent that it is considered probable 
that the consolidated entities will have sufficient future taxable profits against which the deferred tax assets 
can  be  utilised,  and  the  deferred  tax  assets  do  not  arise  from  the  initial  recognition  (except  in  a  business 
combination)  of  other  assets  and  liabilities  in  a  transaction  that  affects  neither  taxable  profit  nor  accounting 
profit. Other deferred tax assets (tax loss and tax credit carry forwards) are only recognised if it is considered 
probable  that  the  consolidated  entities  will  have  sufficient  future  taxable  profits  against  which  they  can  be 
utilised.

The  differences  generated  by  the  different  accounting  and  tax  qualification  of  some  of  the  Income  and 
expenses  recognised  directly  in  equity  to  be  paid  or  recovered  in  the  future,  are  accounted  for  as  temporary 
differences.

The  deferred  tax  assets  and  liabilities  are  reassessed  at  the  reporting  date  in  order  to  ascertain  whether  any 
adjustments need to be made on the basis of the findings of the analyses performed. 

v) Residual maturity periods and average interest rates 

The  analysis  of  the  maturities  of  the  balances  of  certain  items  in  the  consolidated  balance  sheets  as  at  31 
December 2022 and 2021 and of the average annual interest rates in 2022 and 2021 is provided in Note 44.

w) Consolidated statement of recognised income and expense

This statement presents the income and expenses generated by the Group as a result of its business activity in 
the year, and a distinction is made between the income and expenses recognised in the consolidated income 
statement for the year and the other income and expenses recognised directly in consolidated equity.

The  statement  presents  the  various  items  separately  by  nature,  grouping  them  into  those  items  which,  in 
accordance with the applicable accounting standards, will not be reclassified subsequently to profit or loss, and 
those items which will be reclassified subsequently to profit or loss since the requirements established by the 
corresponding accounting standards are met.

Accordingly, this statement presents:

1. Consolidated profit for the year.

 47

2. The  net  amount  of  the  income  and  expenses  recognised  as  “Other  accumulated  overall  result”  in  equity 

which won´t be reclassified as profit or loss.

3. The net amount of the income and expenses recognised in consolidated equity which can be reclassified as 

profit or loss.

4. The  income  tax  incurred  in  respect  of  the  items  indicated  in  the  letters  b  and  c  above,  except  for  the 
adjustments  in  other  comprehensive  income  arising  from  investments  in  associates  or  joint  ventures 
entities accounted for using the equity method, which are presented net.

5. Total  consolidated  recognised  income  and  expense,  calculated  as  the  sum  of  a)  to  d)  above,  presenting 
separately the amount attributable to the Parent and the amount relating to non-controlling interests.

The  statement  presents  items  separately  by  nature,  grouping  them  into  those  that,  in  accordance  with  the 
applicable accounting standards, will not be subsequently reclassified to profit and loss and those that will be 
subsequently  reclassified  to  profit  and  loss  when  the  requirements  established  by  the  corresponding 
accounting standards are met.

x) Consolidated statement of changes in total equity 

This  statement  presents  all  the  changes  in  consolidated  equity,  including  those  arising  from  changes  in 
accounting  policies  and  from  the  correction  of  errors,  if  any.  Accordingly,  this  statement  presents  a 
reconciliation of the carrying amount at the beginning and end of the year of all the consolidated equity items, 
and the changes are grouped together on the basis of their nature into the following items:

1. Adjustments due to changes in accounting policies and to errors: include the changes in consolidated equity 
arising as a result of the retrospective restatement of the balances in the consolidated financial statements 
due to changes in accounting policies or to the correction of errors, if any.

2.

Income and expense recognised in the year: includes, in aggregate form, the total of the aforementioned 
items recognised in the consolidated statement of recognised income and expense.

3. Other  changes  in  equity:  includes  the  remaining  changes,  if  any,  recognised  in  consolidated  equity, 
including,  inter  alia,  increases  and  decreases  in  the  Bank's  capital,  distribution  of  profit,  transactions 
involving own equity instruments, equity-instrument-based payments, transfers between equity items and 
any other increases or decreases in consolidated equity.

y) Consolidated statements of cash flows

The following terms are used in the consolidated statements of cash flows with the meanings specified:

•

Cash  flows:  inflows  and  outflows  of  cash  and  cash  equivalents,  which  are  short-term,  highly  liquid 
investments that are subject to an insignificant risk of changes in value.

• Operating activities: the principal revenue-producing activities of credit institutions and other activities that 

are not investing or financing activities.

•

•

Investing activities: the acquisition and disposal of long-term assets and other investments not included in 
cash and cash equivalents.

Financing activities: activities that result in changes in the size and composition of the consolidated equity 
and liabilities that are not operating activities.

In addition, dividends received and paid by the Group are detailed in Notes 4 and 27, including dividends paid to 
minority interests (non-controlling interests).

With regards to the cash flows from interests paid and collected, there are no significant differences with those 
registered  in  the  income  statement,  which  is  why  they  are  not  presented  separately  in  the  consolidated 
statement  of  cash  flows.  Nevertheless,  the  cash  flows  from  financing  activities  are  presented  in  Note  17, 
regardless of their significance.

 48

For  the  purposes  of  preparing  the  consolidated  statement  of  cash  flows,  “Cash  and  cash  equivalents”  were 
considered  to  be  short-term,  highly  liquid  investments  that  are  subject  to  an  insignificant  risk  of  changes  in 
value. Accordingly, the Group considers the following financial assets to be cash and cash equivalents.

•

Net cash balances and net balances with central banks, which are recognised under “Cash and Balances with 
Central Banks and other deposits on demand” in the consolidated balance sheet at 31 December 2022 and 
2021, details by type and currency as follows: 

Type:
Cash
Current accounts
Reciprocal accounts

Other accounts at credit institutions and central banks

Currency:
Euro
Foreign currency

z) Own equity instruments

EUR Thousands

2022

2021

82,148
3,900,413
1,585,659

94,086
16,570,596
1,612,286

  1,258,005 
6,826,225

688,129
18,965,097

5,960,743
865,482
6,826,225

18,198,959
766,138
18,965,097

Own equity instruments are those meeting both of the following conditions:

•

•

The  instruments  do  not  include  any  contractual  obligation  for  the  issuer:  (i)  to  deliver  cash  or  another 
financial asset to a third party; or (ii) to exchange financial assets or financial liabilities with a third party 
under conditions that are potentially unfavourable to the issuer.

The instruments will or may be settled in the issuer's own equity instruments and are: (i) a nonderivative 
that  includes  no  contractual  obligation  for  the  issuer  to  deliver  a  variable  number  of  its  own  equity 
instruments; or (ii) a derivative that will be settled by the issuer through the exchange of a fixed amount of 
cash or another financial asset for a fixed number of its own equity instruments.

Transactions involving own equity instruments, including their issuance and cancellation, are charged directly 
to equity.

Changes  in  the  value  of  instruments  classified  as  own  equity  instruments  are  not  recognised  in  the 
consolidated financial statements. Consideration received or paid in exchange for such instruments, including 
the coupons on preference shares contingently convertible into ordinary shares.

 49

 
 
 
 
 
3. Santander Consumer Finance Group

a) Santander Consumer Finance, S.A.

The  Bank  is  the  parent  of  the  Santander  Consumer  Finance  Group  (see  Note  1).  For  information  purposes, 
following  are  the  condensed  balance  sheets,  income  statements,  statements  of  changes  in  equity  and 
statements of cash flows of the Bank for 2022 and 2021:

SANTANDER CONSUMER FINANCE, S.A.

CONDENSED BALANCE SHEETS AS OF 31 DECEMBER 2022 AND 2021
(EUR Thousands)

ASSETS

2022

2021

LIABILITIES AND EQUITY

2022

2021

Cash and balances at central banks

489,246

4,036,549 LIABILITIES

Financial assets held for trading

125,187

5,873 Financial liabilities held for trading

95,224

11,573

387

379 Financial liabilities at amortised cost

36,758,895

34,843,929

Non-trading financial assets mandatorily 
at fair value through profit or loss

Financial assets through other 
comprehensive income

2,462,252

2,012,055 Derivatives – hedge accounting

Financial assets at amortised cost

31,833,829 27,017,876 Provisions

Derivatives – hedge accounting

454,166

76,568 Tax liabilities

Changes of the fair value of hedged items 
in an interest rate risk hedging portfolio

Investments in subsidiaries, joint ventures 
and associates

(171,757)

(5,561) Other liabilities

11,292,945 10,944,440  

60,577

89,521

368,899

114,770

103,131

348,264

153,008

140,487

Tangible assets

Intangible assets

Tax assets

Other assets

26,391

118,289

365,721

53,964

20,040 TOTAL LIABILITIES

37,526,124

35,562,154

80,133  

239,303 Equity

9,534,480

8,907,406

49,077 Other comprehensive income

(7,338)

9,952

Assets included in disposal groups 
classified as held for sale

2,646

2,780  

TOTAL ASSETS

47,053,266 44,479,512 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY

 47,053,266  44,479,512

  TOTAL EQUITY

9,527,142

8,917,358

Memorandum items: off balance sheet 
items

Loans commitment granted

630,107

660,587  

Financial guarantees granted

4,063,980

5,348,250  

 50

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
SANTANDER CONSUMER FINANCE, S.A.

CONDENSED INCOME STATEMENTS AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2022 AND 2021
(EUR Thousands)

Interest income

Interest expenses

NET INTEREST INCOME

Dividend income

Income from companies accounted for using the equity method

Commissions income

Commissions expense

Gains or losses on financial instruments not at fair value through profit or loss, net

Gains or losses on financial instruments held for trading, net

Gains or losses from hedge accounting, net

Currency translation differences, net

Gains or losses on derecognition of investments in subsidiaries, joint ventures or associates, net

Other operating income

Other operating expenses

OPERATING INCOME

Administration and general expenses

Depreciation and amortisation cost

Provisions or reversal from provisions, net

Income / (expenses)

2022

2021

693,257

(242,460)

450,797

899,631

—

92,654

(69,900)

5

(208)

(4,735)

(17,742)

—

9,583

(26,856)

1,333,229

(293,014)

(30,737)

(13,690)

606,701

(143,554)

463,147

600,528

—

79,094

(64,255)

19

(172)

(80)

(4,967)

(7,319)

5,255

(24,787)

1,046,463

(241,647)

(28,286)

(17,306)

Impairment charges and reversals from financial assets not at fair value through profit or loss

(100,102)

(142,443)

NET OPERATING PROFIT

Impairment charges or reversals on investments in joint ventures and associates

Impairment charges or reversals on non-financial assets

Gains or losses on assets and liabilities included in disposal groups classified as held for sale from 
discontinued operations

PROFIT OR LOSS BEFORE TAX IN RESPECT OF CONTINUING OPERATIONS

Taxation

Gains or losses after tax in respect of continuing operations

PROFIT/(LOSS) AFTER TAX

895,686

—

(8,352)

(2,684)

884,650

(32,857)

851,793

851,793

616,781

—

(806)

(4,553)

611,422

(10,567)

600,855

600,855

 51

 
 
 
 
 
SANTANDER CONSUMER FINANCE, S.A.

CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF RECOGNISED INCOME AND EXPENSE AS AT 2022 AND 2021
(EUR Thousands)

PROFIT OR LOSS AFTER TAX

OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

Items not reclassified to profit or loss

Actuarial gains or losses on defined benefit pension plan

Assets included in disposal groups classified as held for sale

Changes in the fair value of equity instruments at fair value through other comprehensive income

Income tax in respect of items not reclassified to profit or loss

Items that may be reclassified to profit or loss

Currency translation differences

Hedging of net investments in joint ventures and associates (effective portion)

Cash flow hedges (effective portion)

Financial assets available-for-sale

Assets included in disposal groups classified as held for sale

Share of other recognised income

Income tax in respect of items that may be reclassified to profit or loss

TOTAL RECOGNISED INCOME AND EXPENSE

2022

2021

851,793

(17,291)

1,333

4,228

—

(593)

(2,302)

(18,624)

—

—

47,023

(73,627)

—

—

7,980

834,502

600,855

28,322

1,519

1,555

—

553

(589)

26,803

—

—

13,071

25,218

—

—

(11,486)

657,499

 52

 
 
 
 
 
SANTANDER CONSUMER FINANCE, S.A.

CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF TOTAL CHANGES IN EQUITY AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2022 AND 2021
(EUR Thousands)

Capital

Share 
premium

Equity 
instruments  
issued other 
than capital

Other equity 
instruments

Retained 
earnings

Profit/(loss) 
after tax

Dividends 
paid

Other 
comprehensi
ve income

TOTAL

Balance as of 31/12/21

5,638,639

1,139,990

1,200,000

Acquisition effect

—

—

—

Beginning of period balance 
(01/01/2022)

Acquisition due to errors

Adjustments due to changes in 
accounting policies

5,638,639

1,139,990

1,200,000

—

—

—

—

—

—

Total adjusted balance

5,638,639

1,139,990

1,200,000

Total recognised income and 
expense

Other changes in equity

Common stock issued (Note 23)

Preferred stock issued (Note 23)

Other equity instruments issued 
(Note 24)

Dividends (Note 4)

Transfers between components of 
equity

Other increases/(decreases) of 
equity (Note 25)
End of period balance 31/12/22

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

5,638,639

1,139,990

1,200,000

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

818,484

600,855

(490,562)

9,952

8,917,358

500,359

—

—

—

500,359

1,318,843

600,855

(490,562)

9,952

9,417,717

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

1,318,843

600,855

(490,562)

9,952

9,417,717

—

851,793

—

(17,291)

834,502

37,418

(600,855)

(161,641)

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

(652,203)

110,293

(600,855)

490,562

(72,875)

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

(725,078)

—

—

—

(652,203)

—

(72,875)

1,356,261

851,793

(652,203)

(7,339)

9,527,141

Capital

Share 
premium

Equity 
instruments  
issued other 
than capital

Other equity 
instruments

Retained 
earnings

Profit/(loss) 
after tax

Dividends 
paid

Other 
comprehensi
ve income

TOTAL

Balance as of 31/12/20 (*)

5,638,639

1,139,990

1,200,000

Acquisition effect (**)

—

—

—

Beginning of period balance 
(01/01/21)

Adjustments due to errors

Adjustments due to changes in 
accounting policies

5,638,639

1,139,990

1,200,000

—

—

—

—

—

—

Beginning adjusted balance

5,638,639

1,139,990

1,200,000

Total recognised income and 
expense

Other changes in equity

Common stock issued (Note 23)

Preferred stock issued (Note 23)

Other equity instruments issued 
(Note 24)

Dividends (Note 4)

Transfers between components of 
equity

Other increases/(decreases) of 
equity (Note 25)

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

End of period balance 31/12/21

5,638,639

1,139,990

1,200,000

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

2,098,457

127,908

50,217

—

2,148,674

127,908

—

—

—

—

2,148,674

127,908

—

600,855

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

(18,364)

10,186,630

(6)

50,211

(18,370)

10,236,841

—

—

—

—

(18,370)

10,236,841

28,322

629,177

— (1,330,190)

(127,908)

(490,562)

— (1,948,660)

—

—

—

—

—

—

— (1,385,225)

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

(490,562)

— (1,875,787)

—

—

—

127,908

(127,908)

(72,873)

—

—

—

—

—

—

(72,873)

818,484

600,855

(490,562)

9,952

8,917,358

 53

 
SANTANDER CONSUMER FINANCE, S.A.

CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2022 AND 2021 
(EUR Thousands)

A. CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:

Profit or loss after tax

Adjustments made to obtain the cash flows from operating activities

Net change in operating assets

Net change in operating liabilities

B. CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:

Payments

Proceeds

C. CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES

Payments

Proceeds

E. NET INCREASE/(DECREASE) OF CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS (A+B+C+D):

F. Cash and equivalents at beginning of period

G. Cash and equivalents at end of period

b)  Acquisitions and sales

2022

2021

(3,336,265)

851,793

(375,033)

(5,224,163)

1,411,138

(85,960)

(87,062)

1,102

(125,078)

(725,078)

600,000

(3,547,303)

4,036,549

489,246

4,273,290

600,855

1,262,603

(1,243,130)

3,652,962

(110,242)

(228,216)

117,974

(1,241,567)

(1,341,567)

100,000

2,921,481

1,115,068

4,036,549

The  most  significant  acquisitions  and  sales  of  equity  interests  in  Group  companies  and  other  significant  corporate 
transactions affecting the Group's consolidation scope in 2022 and 2021 were as follows: 

b.1) Financial Year 2022

Merger of Santander Consumer Finance, S.A. and Santander Consumer Banque, S.A. (France)

On  22  and  24  February  2022,  the  members  of  the  Boards  of  Directors  of  Santander  Consumer  Banque,  S.A.  and 
Santander  Consumer  Finance,  S.A.  approved  the  common  plan  for  the  merger  of  Santander  Consumer  Banque,  S.A. 
(target company) into Santander Consumer Finance, S.A. (acquiring company). 

Therefore, when the merger was registered, with effects on 14 October 2022, Santander Consumer Banque, S.A. was 
dissolved without liquidation and all its assets and liabilities were transferred en bloc to Santander Consumer Finance, 
S.A.,  which  acquired  them  by  way  of  universal  succession  and  without  interruption.  In  addition,  on  that  same  date, 
Santander  Consumer  Banque,  S.A.'s  assets  and  liabilities  were  automatically  assigned  to  the  branch  that  Santander 
Consumer Finance, S.A. had set up in France during the merger process.  

In accordance with applicable legislation, the date of the merger was 1 January 2022 for accounting purposes, as the 
date as from which the target's operations were deemed to be effected by the acquiring company. 

Riemersma Leasing, B,V.

On 15 April 2022, Santander Consumer Finance, S.A., through its branch in the Netherlands, reached an agreement to 
acquire  100%  of  the  share  capital  of  Riemersma  Leasing,  B.V.,  comprising  45,400  shares  with  a  par  value  of  EUR  1 
each.  This  company’s  core  business  is  the  provision  of  operating  lease  services  in  the  Dutch  market  through  its 
platform.

After  obtaining  the  relevant  authorisations  from  the  Dutch  authorities,  the  acquisition  was  completed  for  a  total 
amount of EUR 21,308,805 on 9 June 2022. 

The acquisition was carried out as follows:

•

Acquisition of the entire ownership interest (66.67%) held by Lathouwers Beheer B.V., consisting of 30,268 shares, 
for EUR 14,206,496.

 54

 
 
 
 
•

Acquisition  of  the  entire  ownership  interest  (33.33%)  held  by  ING  Corporate  Investments  Participaties  B.V., 
consisting of 15,132 shares, for EUR 7,102,309.

Details of the acquired business are set out below:

Business acquired

Main activity

Acquisition 
date

Ownership interest 
(voting rights) 
acquired

Purchase 
consideration (million 
euro)

Riemersma Leasing, B.V.

Operating lease services

09/06/2022

100%

21.3

Set out below is an analysis of the net assets acquired:

Loans and advances to customers

Non-current assets

Current assets

Financial liabilities at amortised cost

Non-current and current liabilities

Provisions

Net assets

Agreed dividend (*)

Net assets after dividend

Purchase consideration

Goodwill

Carrying amount 

(Million euro)

0.4

63.7

1.2

(49.6)

(2.7)

(2.0)

11.0

(3.6)

7.4

21.3

13.9

(*) Relates to the dividend agreed with the seller before completion of the transaction.

The  fair  value  of  the  receivables  acquired  amounts  to  €0.4  million  and  does  not  differ  from  the  gross  contractual 
amounts. The parent company’s directors consider that there were no indications that they would not be fully collected 
at the acquisition date.

Net cash flow on acquisition:

Cash paid

Less: Cash and cash equivalents.

Total

Million

euro

21.3

-

21.3

This company contributed a profit of EUR 2.3 million to the consolidated Group's results at 31 December 2022.  

Drive, S.r.l. and Santander Consumer Renting, S.r.l.

On 26 April 2022 and 30 March 2022, respectively, Santander Consumer Bank, S.p.A. set up two companies to engage 
in  the  operating  lease  activity,  Drive,  S.r.l.  and  Santander  Consumer  Renting,  S.r.l.,  by  issuing  1,000,000  shares  and 
2,000,000 shares, respectively, with a par value of EUR 1 each. Both companies began to do business at the end of the 
second quarter of 2022.

In December 2022, both companies increased capital directly under reserves without issuing any shares:

 55

 
 
•

•

Drive, S.r.l.: capital increase of EUR 4 million.

Santander Consumer Renting, S.r.l.: capital increase of EUR 2 million.

Reorganisation of the Stellantis global agreement

On 10 July 2014, Peugeot, S.A., Banque PSA Finance, S.A. and Santander Consumer Finance, S.A. entered into an initial 
agreement (“Original Framework”) to cooperate in the distribution of financial and insurance products in a number of 
European countries. 

Following the January 2021 merger of Peugeot, S.A. and Fiat Chrysler, the Stellantis Group was formed and became 
the  successor  of  Peugeot,  S.A.,  forcing  the  parties  to  reassess  the  terms  of  the  agreement  and  establish  a  new 
cooperation arrangement. The purpose of the new arrangement (“Framework Agreement”) entered into on 31 March 
2022 between Stellantis, N.V., Santander Consumer Finance, S.A. and Banque PSA Finance is to define the terms and 
conditions of the new cooperation, which supersedes the “Original Framework”.

The new terms and conditions (“Framework Agreement”) have enhanced the prevailing global cooperation (“Original 
Agreement")  and  Santander  Consumer  Finance  will  finance  all  the  Stellantis  brand  vehicles  in  seven  European 
countries:  Spain,  Belgium,  France,  Italy,  Netherlands,  Poland  and  Portugal,  where  financing,  finance  lease  and 
operating  lease  products  will  be  offered  jointly  to  end  customers  for  all  the  Stellantis  brands:  Abarth,  Alfa  Romeo, 
Chrysler, Citroën, Dodge, DS, Fiat, Fiat Professional, Jeep, Lancia, Maserati, Opel, Peugeot, RAM and Vauxhall. 

In  exchange,  as  a  result  of  a  process  initiated  by  the  Stellantis  Group,  it  is  also  agreed  that  Santander  Consumer 
Finance will no longer finance the activities of Stellantis, N.V. and Banque PSA Finance, S.A. in Germany and the United 
Kingdom,  specifically  at  PSA  Bank  Deutschland  GmbH  (and  its  branch  in  Austria)  and  PSA  UK  Finance  Limited, 
respectively, which will entail the divestment of these subsidiaries in those countries. 

The  agreement  is  also  subject  to  the  obtainment  of  the  corresponding  regulatory  and  competition  authorisations, 
among other conditions. It is expected to be closed in the first half of 2023. 

MCE Group Bank

In November 2022, Santander Consumer Bank AG reached an agreement to purchase all of the shares in MCE Bank, 
GmbH on 31 March 2023.

MCE  Bank  GmbH  is  Mitsubishi's  captive  financial  institution  in  Germany.  It  has  a  banking  licence  and  is  engaged  in 
providing  financial  services,  essentially  in  the  automotive  industry,  and  in  deposit-taking,  its  shareholders  being 
various  companies  of  the  Mitsubishi  Group.  MCE  Bank  GmbH  in  turn  has  the  following  subsidiaries  that  are  wholly 
owned, directly or indirectly:

• MCE Verwaltung GmbH, engaged in managing real estate for the group in Germany.

• Midata Service GmbH, engaged in providing IT services, particularly to dealers.

•

•

AMS Auto Markt am Schieferstein GmbH, engaged in remarketing activities.

TVG-Trappgroup Versicherungsvermittlungs GmbH, engaged in insurance intermediation for retail customers 
and dealers.

Also  in  November  2022,  Santander  Consumer  Bank  AG  reached  an  agreement  with  Emil  Frey  Automobil  Holding 
Deutschland  GmbH  to  sell  9.99%  of  its  ownership  interest  in  MCE  Bank  GmbH  following  the  acquisition  described 
above. 

These agreements have bolstered Santander Consumer Bank AG’s activities in the German market.

The acquisition agreement is subject to the obtainment of the corresponding regulatory authorisations, among other 
conditions. The acquisition agreement is expected to be closed during the first quarter of 2023 and the sale agreement 
before the end of the first half of 2023. 

Vinturas Group

In  2020  and  2021,  Santander  Consumer  Finance,  S.A.  took  part  in  several  capital  increases  in  the  Dutch  company 
Vinturas Holding, B.V. (whose corporate objects include holding shares in companies developing a blockchain logistics 

 56

platform  so  as  to  digitalise  the  supply  chain),  having  reached  a  shareholding  of  14.75%  at  31  December  2021  for  a 
total amount of EUR 500,000.

In 2022, an impairment loss was recognised for the entire ownership interest.

There were no other material changes to the Group's consolidation scope in 2022.

b.2) Financial Year 2021

PSA Finance Belux, S.A y PSA Financial Services Nederland, B.V. 

During the month of August 2021, a corporate reorganization was carried out in the Group through which PSA Financial 
Services Spain, E.F.C., S.A. acquired 100% of the stake in PSA Finance Belux, S.A and PSA Financial Services Nederland, 
B.V. Prior to the acquisition, both were already controlled entities, 50% owned by Santander Consumer Finance, S.A. 
(Belgian Branch) and Banque PSA Finance, and Santander Consumer Finance Benelux, B.V. and Banque PSA Finance, 
S.A.,  respectively.  Both  purchase  operations  were  carried  out  at  consolidated  book  values  after  obtaining  the 
corresponding authorizations from the European and local authorities.

PSA Finance UK Limited

On 30 July 2021, the Group, through its Spanish subsidiary PSA Financial Services Spain E.F.C., S.A. (divided into a 50% 
by  equal  parts  between  Santander  Consumer  Finance,  S.A.  and  Banque  PSA  Finance,  S.A),  entered  into  a  sale  and 
purchase agreement with Santander Consumer (UK) PLC and Banque PSA Finance, S.A. for the acquisition of 100% of 
the  shares  in  PSA  Finance  UK  Limited.  This  company  is  engaged  mainly  in  auto  financing  for  Peugeot-Citroën  and 
providing other related services in the United Kingdom.

The above-mentioned purchase transaction was carried out after obtaining the corresponding authorisations from the 
European and local authorities.

At the time of the transaction, PSA Finance UK Limited's share capital was fully paid up in the amount of GBP 437,280, 
consisting of 437,280 shares with a par value of GBP 1 each. The acquisition was completed as follows:

•

•

Acquisition from Santander Consumer UK PLC of its entire equity interest (50%), comprising 218,640 shares, for 
the amount of GBP 153,753,627.79.

Acquisition from Banque PSA Finance, S.A. of its entire equity interest (50%), consisting of 218,640 shares, for 
the amount of GBP 153,753,627.79.

Under the sale and purchase agreement, in September 2021 PSA Financial Services Spain E.F.C., S.A. made payment of 
the final price adjustment, paying an additional GBP 67,765.66 to each shareholder.

The detail  of the acquired business is as follows:

Company acquired

Core business

Acquisition 
date

% shareholding 
(voting rights) 
acquired

Purchase 
consideration 
(million euro)

PSA Finance UK Limited

Auto  financing  and  other 
related services.

30/07/2021

100%

360.1

 57

 
Set out below is an analysis of the net assets of the acquired business: 

Loans and advances

Non-current assets

Current assets

Financial liabilities at amortised cost

Non-current and current liabilities

Provisions

Net assets

Purchase consideration:

Carrying amount 
(EUR millions)

2,896.0

7.4

984.9

(3,485.6)

(129.6)

(3.1)

360.1

360.1

At the issuance date of these annual accounts, the business combination recognised after studying the allocation of the 
price to the net assets acquired.

The fair value of the acquired receivables, mainly of a financial nature, amounted to EUR 2,986 million and matched 
the  gross  contractual  amounts.  At  the  acquisition  date,  the  parent  company's  directors  identified  no  indication  that 
they would not be collected in full.

Net cash flow on the acquisition:

Cash paid

Less: cash and cash equivalents.

Total

EUR

Million

360.1

(450.0)

(89.9)

At 31 December 2021, this company contributed a profit of EUR 10 million to the consolidated Group’s results.  Had the 
business combination taken place on 1 January 2021, a profit of approximately EUR 33 million had been contributed at 
31 December 2021.

TIM-SCB JV S.p.A.

On 17 February 2020, the Group, through its Italian subsidiary Santander Consumer Bank, S.p.A., entered into a joint 
venture agreement with the Italian mobile, telecommunications and Internet company TIM, S.p.A., with stakes of 51% 
and 49%, respectively. The main purpose of this joint venture is to finance telecommunication devices and to sell other 
financial  products.  The  company  was  set  up  on  19  February  2020  subject  to  European  and  local  authority  approval, 
which was received on 4 November 2020.

The company had an initial share capital of EUR 2 million, consisting of 2 million shares with a par value of EUR 1 each. 
Each partner contributed capital in accordance with its percentage shareholding.

On 29 October 2020, a capital increase of EUR 4 million was agreed to reach a share capital figure of EUR 6 million. 
This capital increase was subscribed and paid up by the shareholders according to their percentage shareholdings. The 
capital increase was carried out by issuing 4 million shares with a par value of EUR 1 each.

On 4 January 2021, the pending capital increase of EUR 34 million carried out to reach share capital of EUR 40 million 
and  start  up  the  business.  This  capital  increase  was  subscribed  by  the  shareholders  in  line  with  their  percentage 
shareholdings. The capital increase was carried out by issuing 34 million new shares with a par value of EUR 1 each.

The company's business began in February 2021.

In  October  2021,  the  company  carried  out  a  new  capital  increase  of  EUR  15  million  in  reserves  without  issuing  new 
shares.  

 58

 
 
Hyundai Capital Bank Europe, GmbH

On 4 November 2020, Santander Consumer Bank AG, Hyundai Capital Services Inc. and Hyundai Capital Bank Europe, 
GmbH entered into an addendum to the original shareholders' agreement in order to open a branch of Hyundai Capital 
Bank Europe, GmbH in Italy to engage in auto financing for Hyundai and Kia (end customers and dealers), as well as 
other related services, by raising funds from the public via deposits and loans in the Italian market.

After obtaining regulatory approvals, the branch began to operate in October 2021. 

Merger  of  Santander  Consumer  Finance,  S.A.  and  Santander  Consumer  Bank,  S.A.,  Santander  Consumer  Mediación 
OBSV, S.L., Banco Santander Consumer Portugal, S.A., and Santander Consumer Finance Benelux, B.V.

Belgium

On  11  December  2020,  the  sole  shareholder  of  Santander  Consumer  Bank,  S.A.  (Santander  Consumer  Finance,  S.A.) 
approved the merger of Santander Consumer Bank, S.A. and Santander Consumer Finance, S.A. 

On registration of this merger and with effect as from 3 March 2021, Santander Consumer Bank, S.A. was wound up 
without  liquidation  and  all  its  assets  and  liabilities  were  transferred  en  bloc  to  Santander  Consumer  Finance,  S.A., 
which  acquired  them  by  way  of  universal  succession  and  without  interruption.  On  the  same  date,  the  assets  and 
liabilities  of  Santander  Consumer  Bank,  S.A.  were  automatically  assigned  to  the  branch  that  Santander  Consumer 
Finance, S.A. had set up in Belgium in the framework of the merger.

In accordance with applicable accounting regulations, 1 January 2021 was set for the merger as the date as from which 
the  target  company's  operations  are  deemed  to  have  been  carried  out  by  the  acquiring  company  for  accounting 
purposes.

OBSV

On  18  March  2021,  Santander  Consumer  Finance,  S.A.  approved  the  merger  of  Santander  Consumer  Mediación 
Operador  de  Banca-Seguros  Vinculado,  S.L.U.  (target  company)  into  Santander  Consumer  Finance,  S.A.  (acquiring 
company).

Under applicable accounting regulations, 1 January 2021 was set for the merger as the date as from which the target 
company's operations are deemed to have been carried out by the acquiring company for accounting purposes.

Portugal

On 18 March 2021, the members of the Boards of Directors of Santander Consumer Finance, S.A. and Banco Santander 
Consumer  Portugal,  S.A.  approved  the  merger  of  Banco  Santander  Consumer  Portugal,  S.A.  (target  company)  into 
Santander Consumer Finance, S.A. (acquiring company). 

On registration of this merger and with effect as from 28 September 2021, Banco Santander Consumer Portugal, S.A. 
was  wound  up  without  liquidation  and  all  its  assets  and  liabilities  were  transferred  en  bloc  to  Santander  Consumer 
Finance,  S.A.,  which  acquired  them  by  way  of  universal  succession  and  without  interruption.  On  the  same  date,  the 
assets  and  liabilities  of  Banco  Santander  Consumer  Portugal,  S.A.  were  automatically  assigned  to  the  branch  that 
Santander Consumer Finance, S.A. had set up in Portugal in the framework of the merger. 

In accordance with applicable accounting regulations, 1 January 2021 was set for the merger as the date as from which 
the  target  company's  operations  are  deemed  to  have  been  carried  out  by  the  acquiring  company  for  accounting 
purposes.

Netherlands

On 20 September 2021, the Board of Directors of Santander Consumer Finance Benelux B.V. approved the merger of 
Santander  Consumer  Finance  Benelux  B.V.  (target  company)  into  Santander  Consumer  Finance,  S.A.    (acquiring 
company). 

 59

The merger took place in the context of the corporate reorganisation of the Santander Consumer Finance, S.A. Group’s 
business in the Netherlands, which was conducted through its wholly-owned subsidiary, the Dutch financial institution 
Santander Consumer Finance Benelux B.V., until 25 November 2021. Since the merger, business has been carried on 
through a branch of Santander Consumer Finance, S.A. in the Netherlands, which was opened in parallel to the merger. 
In addition, Santander Consumer Finance Benelux B.V. had a branch in Belgium through which it conducted business in 
that country. Since the merger, the business has been carried on through the Belgian branch of Santander Consumer 
Finance, S.A., which was already operational.

In accordance with applicable legislation, 1 January 2021 was set for the merger as the date as from which the target 
company's operations are deemed to have been carried out by the acquiring company for accounting purposes.

Notifications of acquisitions of shareholdings:
The notifications on the acquisition of shareholdings that must be reported, if applicable, in the notes to the financial 
statements in accordance with Articles 155 of the Capital Companies Act and Article 125 of Royal Legislative Decree 
4/2015,  of  October  23,  which  approved  the  Consolidated  Text  of  the  Securities  Market  Act;  if  applicable.  They  are 
included in Annex III.

4. The Bank’s profit distribution and earnings per share

a) The Bank’s profit distribution 

The distribution of the Bank's net profit for 2022 that the Board of Directors will propose for approval by the 
shareholders at the Annual General Meeting and the proposal approved for 2021 by the Bank’s Shareholders at 
the Annual General Meeting held on 13 March 2022 is as follows:

Distributable profit:

Balance per the income statement

Appropriation:

To dividends paid

To legal reserve

To voluntary reserve

Total

EUR Thousands

2022

2021

851,793

600,855

652,203 
85,179
114,411
851,793

490,562
60,086
50,207
600,855

On  28  April  2022,  in  view  of  the  Company's  liquidity  statement,  the  Board  of  Directors  resolved,  to  pay  an 
interim dividend of EUR 351,475 thousand. The dividend was settled on 29 April 2022.

On  28  July  2022,  in  view  of  the  Company's  liquidity  statement,  the  Board  of  Directors  resolved  to  pay  an 
interim dividend of EUR 300,728 thousand out of 2022 profits. The dividend was settled on 2 August 2022.

The  provisional  accounting  statement  required  under  article  277  of  the  Consolidated  Text  of  the  Spanish 
Corporate Enterprises Act, prepared by the Bank's Directors and reflecting the existence of sufficient funds to 
cover the distribution of an interim dividend, was as follows:

Estimated profit before tax

Less:

Estimated income tax

Appropriation to legal reserve

Distributable profit

Interim dividend to be distributed

Gross dividend per share (euros) (*)

EUR Thousands
30/06/2022 31/03/2022

802,973

400,627

(13,199)
(78,977)
351,475
359,322
0.16

(6,977)
(39,365)
—
354,285
0.19

(*) Estimate made based on the number of Bank shares existing at the date of approval of the interim dividend.

 60

 
 
b) Basic and diluted earnings per share

Basic  Earnings  Per  Share  (EPS)  is  calculated  by  dividing  the  net  profit  for  the  year  attributable  to  the  Parent 
adjusted by the after-tax amount of the remuneration of contingently convertible preference shares recognised 
in  equity  (see  Note  23)  by  the  weighted  average  number  of  the  Bank's  shares  outstanding  during  the  year, 
excluding the average number of treasury shares, if any, held in the year.

              Accordingly:

Consolidated profit attributable to the parent
Remuneration of contingently convertible preferred 
equity (Note 23)

Dilutive effect of changes in profit for the year arising 
from potential conversion of ordinary shares

Profit or loss from discontinuing operations (net of 
noncontrolling interests)
Profit or loss from continuing operations (net of 
noncontrolling interests)
Weighted average number of shares outstanding
Adjusted number of shares
Basic and diluted EPS (Euro)

Of which:

From continued operations

EUR Thousands

2022

2021

1,242,860

1,174,689

(72,875)
1,169,985

(72,873)
1,101,816

—

—

—

—

1,169,985

1,101,816
1,879,546,172 1,879,546,172
1,879,546,172 1,879,546,172
0.5862

0.6225

0.6225

0.5862

5.  Remuneration and other benefits of the Bank’s directors and senior management  

a) Bylaw-stipulated emoluments and other fees

Certain  criteria  are  established  for  setting  directors'  remuneration  at  the  proposal  of  the  Remuneration 
Committee. Those who perform executive functions in any of the Santander Group companies do not receive 
any  remuneration  for  their  Board  and  committee  duties.  Independent  directors  unrelated  to  the  Santander 
Group  receive  remuneration  for  the  performance  of  their  director  duties  and  for  each  of  their  committee 
positions.

In 2022 the Board of Directors received remuneration amounting to EUR 656 thousand in the form of bylaw-
stipulated emoluments and attendance fees (EUR 516 thousand in 2021), related in full to six external Board 
members on 31 December 2022 and 2021, detailed as follows:

Antonio Escámez Torres

Jean Pierre Landau

Benita Ferrero-Waldner

Luis Alberto Salazar-Simpson Bos

José Manuel Robles

Javier Monzón de Cáceres

Andreu Plaza López

EUR Thousands

2022

2021

150

112

82

112

97

103

—

128

95

69

95

82

—

47

 61

 
 
b) Post-employment and other long-term benefits 

The  Santander  Group's  supplementary  pension  obligations  to  all  active  and  retired  personnel  include  those 
relating to current and former directors of the Bank who perform (or have performed) executive functions in the 
Santander Group. Directors who perform such duties in any of the Santander Group companies do not receive 
any post-employment or other benefits as remuneration for holding office at Santander Consumer Finance, S.A.

In 2022, the pension payments made to former members of the Bank’s Board of Directors amounted to EUR 
775 thousand in 2022 (EUR 914 thousand in 2021) and were made mainly by other Santander Group entities 
that do not belong to the Santander Consumer Finance Group.

c) Loans and deposits 

The balances corresponding to direct exposures of the Bank and other Group entities at 31 December 2022 and 
2021 are presented in Note 46.

All  the  transactions  with  the  Group  were  performed  on  an  arm’s-length  basis  or  the  related  remuneration  in 
kind was recognised.

d) Senior management 

The remuneration received by the Bank’s non-director senior managers (14 and 13 persons in 2022 and 2021, 
respectively) amounted to EUR 9,417 thousand in 2022 and EUR 7,169 thousand in 2021 and was paid in full by 
other Santander Group entities that do not belong to the Group. Additionally, in 2022 no senior managers have 
perceived compensation for non-compete agreements.

The  remuneration  in  kind  paid  to  the  Bank’s  non-director  senior  managers  totaled  approximately  EUR  99 
thousand in 2022 (EUR 88 thousand at 31 December 2021).

In 2022 contributions amounting to EUR 1,023 thousand (EUR 685 thousand at 31 December 2021) were made 
to  defined  contribution  pension  plans  for  the  Bank’s  non-director  senior  managers.  These  contributions  were 
made by other Santander Group entities that do not belong to the Group. In 2022 and 2021 no payments were 
made in this connection.

The principles governing the share options granted to the Bank’s senior managers, excluding Directors, are the 
same  as  those  explained  in  Note  5-c.  The  Bank's  and  other  Group  entities'  direct  risk  exposure  to  senior 
managers who, as of 31 December 2022 and 2021, are not Bank Directors are detailed in Note 46. 

All  the  transactions  with  the  Group  were  performed  on  an  arm’s-length  basis  or  the  related  remuneration  in 
kind was recognised.

e) Termination benefits

The  executive  Directors  and  senior  executives  at  Santander  Group  entities  have  indefinite-term  employment 
contracts. Executive Directors or senior executives whose contracts are terminated voluntarily or due to breach 
of  duties  are  not  entitled  to  receive  any  economic  compensation.  If  the  contract  is  terminated  for  any  other 
reason, they will be entitled only to the corresponding legally-stipulated termination benefit.

f)

Information on investments held by the directors in other companies and conflicts of interest

None of the members of the Board of Directors has stated that he is involved in a situation of conflict of interest 
of those established in article 229 of the Capital Company Law, direct or indirect, that they or persons related to 
them may have with the interest of Santander Consumer Finance, S.A.

 62

6. Loans and advances to credit institutions 

The  detail,  by  type  and  currency,  of  “Loans  and  Advances  to  Credit  Institutions”  in  the  accompanying 
consolidated balance sheets as at 31 December 2022 and 2021 is as follows:

Type:
Time deposits
Reverse repurchase agreements
Other accounts

Currency:
Euro
Foreign currency

EUR Thousands

2022

2021

62,135
67,249
260,922
390,306

283,237
107,069
390,306

203,131
268,117
149,975
621,223

436,565
184,658
621,223

At December 31, 2022, the balances held under this heading relate mainly to Santander Consumer Bank A.S. 
(Nordics) in the amount of EUR 96,768 thousand (EUR 177,989 thousand at December 31, 2021).

Note  44  contains  a  detail  of  the  terms  to  maturity  and  estimated  fair  value  of  these  assets  at  31  December 
2022 and 2021 and fair values in the years then ended.

A  significant  portion  of  the  loans  and  advances  to  credit  institutions  relates  to  balances  with  associates  and 
Santander Group entities (see Note 46).

At  31  December  2022,  the  breakdown  of  the  exposure  by  impairment  phase  of  the  assets  recognised  under 
IFRS9 was EUR 392,325  thousand, all of which are registered in phase 1 ( EUR 623,353 thousand  in phase 1 , 
in 2021) and of the impairment loss provision was EUR 2,019 thousand, all of which are registered in phase 1 
(EUR 2,130 thousand  in phase 1, in 2021).

 63

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
7. Debt instruments

The detail, by classification, type and currency, of Debt Instruments in the accompanying consolidated balance 
sheets as at 31 December 2022 and 2021 is as follows:

Classification:
Financial assets at fair value through other comprehensive 
income
Non-trading financial assets mandatoriliy measured at fair value 
through profit or loss
Financial assets at amortised cost

Type:
Spanish sovereign debt
Foreign sovereign debt
Issued by financial institutions
Other fixed income securities
Impairment losses

Currency:
Euro
Foreign currency
Gross total

Less - Impairment losses

EUR Thousands

2022

2021

726,508

1,054,760

1,444

2,593

6,185,061
6,913,013

3,472,396
4,529,749

921,128
5,347,062
141,587
503,362
(126)
6,913,013

1,135,286
2,665,246
244,149
485,467
(399)
4,529,749

6,582,093
331,046
6,913,139

3,962,246
567,902
4,530,148

(126)
6,913,013

(399)
4,529,749

At 31 December 2022 and 2021, the amount regarding the exposure by impairment staging relating to "Debt 
securities" as well as the allowance for impairment was classified in its entirety in stage 1.

The  balance  at  31  December  2022  and  2021  of  the  "Spanish  Government  Debt  Securities"  account  in  the 
foregoing  table  relates  mainly  to  “other  debts  issued  the  Spanish  Government”  acquired  by  Santander 
Consumer Finance, S.A.

The  balance  as  of  December  31,  2022  of  the  “Foreign  Government  Debt”  accounted  in  the  table  above 
corresponds  mainly  to  Italian  bonds  acquired  by  Santander  Consumer  Finance,  S.A.  for  EUR  1,157,907 
thousand, to Finnish, Belgian and Norwegian Treasury Bonds acquired by the subsidiary Santander Consumer 
Bank  AS  (Norway)  for  around  EUR  43,672  thousand,  EUR  72,477  thousand  and  EUR  70,896  thousand, 
respectively,  German,  Italian,  Luxembourg,  Belgian  and  French  treasuries  acquired  by  the  German  subsidiary 
Santander  Consumer  Bank  AG  for  EUR  1,583,068  thousand,  EUR  718,290  thousand,  EUR  222,574  thousand, 
EUR  316,592  thousand  and  EUR  268,148  thousand  respectively,  and  Italian  Treasury  Bonds  acquired  by  the 
Italian  subsidiaries  Santander  Consumer  Bank  S.p.A.  and  Banca  PSA  Italia  S.p.A.  for  about  EUR  448,845 
thousand.

The balance at December 31, 2021 of the "Foreign Government Debt" account in the above table corresponds 
mainly to Danish, Finnish and Norwegian Treasury Bonds acquired by the subsidiary Santander Consumer Bank 
AS  (Norway)  for  EUR  242,235  thousand,  EUR  140,246  thousand  and  EUR  132,665  thousand,  respectively, 
Italian  Treasury  Bonds  purchased  by  the  Italian  subsidiaries  Santander  Consumer  Bank  S.p.A.  and  Banca  PSA 
Italia  S.p.A.  for  EUR  674,085  thousand,  German  and  French  Treasury  Bonds  purchased  by  the  German 
subsidiary Santander Consumer Bank AG for EUR 502,383 thousand and EUR 512,722 thousand respectively.

 64

 
The balance as of December 31, 2022 of the "Debt Securities - Issued by Financial Entities" account in the above 
table  mainly  includes  bonds  issued  by  the  financial  entities  Nykredit  Realkredit  A/S,  Nordea  Eiendomskreditt 
AS, DNB Boligkredit AS, acquired by the subsidiary Santander Consumer Bank A.S. (Norway) for an amount of 
141,541 thousand euros; and the line "Other fixed income securities" in the above table mainly includes bonds 
issued  by  KfW  Kreditanstalt  für  Wiederaufbau  -  German  Development  Bank  acquired  by  the  subsidiary 
Santander Consumer Bank AG (Germany) for an amount of EUR 501,031 thousand.

includes  mainly  bonds 

The balance at December 31, 2021 of the "Debt securities - Issued by financial entities" account in the above 
table 
institutions  Nykredit  Realkredit  A/S,  Nordea 
Eiendomskreditt AS, DNB Boligkredit AS purchased by the subsidiary Santander Consumer Bank A. S. (Norway) 
for  an  amount  of  EUR  63,667  thousand;  and  bonds  issued  by  European  Investment  Bank  acquired  by  the 
subsidiary Santander Consumer Bank AG (Germany) for an amount of EUR 155,274 thousand.

issued  by  the  financial 

Note 44 to these consolidated financial statements details the maturity of these financial assets at the end of 
2022 and 2021.

8. Equity instruments

The  detail  of  Equity  instruments  in  the  accompanying  consolidated  balance  sheets  for  the  year  ended  in  31 
December 2022 and 2021, based on their classification and type is as follows:

Classification:
Financial assets at fair value through other 
comprehensive income
Mandatory to VR with results changes

Type:
Spanish companies
Foreign companies

Add - Valuation adjustments

EUR Thousands

2022

2021

14,143
45
14,188

998
13,190

14,188
7,818
22,006

13,806
26
13,832

—
13,832

13,832
8,785
22,617

The changes in "Financial assets at fair value through other comprehensive income - Equity instruments" as of 
December 31, 2022 and 2021 in the accompanying consolidated balance sheet is as follows:

Balance at beginning of period
Net additions (disposals)
Valuation adjustments
Currency translation and other differences
Balance at end of period

EUR Thousands

2022

2021

22,591
337
(967)
—
21,961

19,105
208
3,278
—
22,591

 65

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
9. Financial assets and liabilities held for trading

a) Derivatives held for trading

In the following table, the detail of the fair value of the trading derivatives held by the Group as of 31 December 
2022 and 2021 is presented, classified according to their inherent risk:

EUR Thousand

2022

2021

Assets

Liabilities

Assets

Liabilities

Inherent rate risk
Foreign exchange rate

463,159
31,505

466,009
22

51,428
48

52,440
5,729

494,664(*)

466,031(*)

51,476(*)

58,169(*)

(*) Of which, on 31 December 2022, EUR 334.747 thousand and EUR 307.105 thousand of asset and liability 
balances,  respectively,  correspond  to  balances  with  Santander  Group  entities  (EUR  29.519    thousand  and 
EUR 35.449 thousand of asset and liability balances, respectively, corresponded to balances with Santander 
Group entities on 31 December 2021) -see Note 46.

The table above shows the maximum credit risk exposure of the asset balances.

b) Notional and market value of trading derivatives

Below is a detail of the notional and market value of trading derivatives arranged by the Group, as of December 
31, 2022 and 2021, classified according to inherent risks:

Trading derivatives:
Inherent rate risk-
Forward rate agreements

Interest rate swaps
Options and futures and other

Credit risk
Credit Default Swap

Exchange risk
Buy foreign exchange

Currency options
Foreign exchange swaps
Derivatives on securities and commodities (*)

EUR Thousand

2022

2021

Notional 
Value

Market Value

Notional 
Value

Market Value

—
19,353,328
3,414,249

—
(4,682)
1,832

—
18,878,901
4,050,244

—
(997)
(10)

—

—

—

—

1,797,740

31,489

852,841

(5,680)

19
48,628
—

24,613,964

(6)
—
—
28,633

—
31,006
—

23,812,992

—
(6)
—
(6,693)

 66

 
 
10. Loans and receivables - Customers

a) Balance composition

The  composition  of  these  balances  in  the  consolidated  balance  sheets,  broken  down  by  classification  is  as 
follows:

Financial assets at amortized cost

EUR Thousands

2022

2021

106,499,445 
106,499,445 

99,559,283

Non-trading financial assets mandatorily measured at fair valor 
through profit or loss

387

379

Which:

Value corrections for impairment

(1,956,054)

(2,115,180)

Loans and advances to customers without considering value 
corrections for impairment

108,455,886  101,674,842 

Note 44 shows the detail of the maturity of financial assets at amortised cost and their average interest rates.

Note  47  shows  the  Group's  total  exposure,  based  on  the  geographical  origin  of  the  issuer.  There  are  no 
unspecified term loans to customers for significant amounts.

 67

 
 
 
b) Detail

Following  is  a  detail  of  the  loans  and  advances  granted  to  the  Group's  customers,  which  reflect  the  Group's 
exposure to credit risk in its core business, excluding the balance of impairment losses, in accordance with the 
type and status of the transactions, the geographical area of their residence and the type of interest rate on the 
transactions:

Loan type and status:
Commercial credit
Secured loans
Other terms loans
Finance leases
Receivables on demand and other
Credit card receivables
Impaired assets

Geographical area:
Spain and Portugal
Italy
France
Germany and Austria
Scandinavia
United Kingdom
Other

Interest rate formula:
Fixed rate
Floating rate

Currency:
Euros
Foreign currency

Less:
Impairment changes
TOTAL

EUR Thousands

2022

2021

358,983
20,956,543
56,323,555
25,347,169
1,139,088
2,150,500
2,180,048
108,455,886

14,951,535
10,351,612
15,940,474
42,099,289
17,815,074
2,819,118
4,478,784
108,455,886

2,756,540
19,385,018
49,938,270
24,330,411
993,854
2,237,697
2,033,052
101,674,842

14,602,431
9,079,017
14,733,804
38,774,496
17,583,374

2,973,796

3,927,924
101,674,842

79,507,813
28,948,073
108,455,886

75,697,315
25,977,527
101,674,842

90,628,942
17,826,944
108,455,886

84,127,603
17,547,239
101,674,842

(1,956,054)
106,499,832

(2,115,180)
99,559,662

As  of  December  31,  2022  and  2021,  the  Group  had  EUR  919  and  179  thousand,  respectively,  of  loans  and 
advances  granted  to  Spanish  Public  Administrations  with  a  rating  of  A  and  with  EUR  198,952  and  192,369 
thousand, respectively, granted to the Public Sector of other countries (as of December 31, 2022, this amount 
included, based on the issuer's rating: 66% AAA, 30% AA, 0% A and 5% BBB and 0% without rating).

Excluding Public Administrations, the amount of loans and advances at December 31, 2022 and 2021 amounts 
to EUR 108,256,015 and 101,482,294 thousand.

On  22  May  2014,  the  Bank  subscribed  4,152  mortgage  participation  certificates  issued  by  Banco  Santander, 
S.A. for EUR 424,397 thousand, which were recognised under “Loans and Receivables - Loans and Advances to 
Customers”  in  the  consolidated  balance  sheet  and  are  included  in  the  heading  “Secured  loans”  in  the  table 
above. These mortgage participation certificates relate to loans maturing at between 3 and 39 years and earn 
annual interest of between 0.20% and 4.52%. 

 68

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
On  26  April  2012,  the  Bank  subscribed  3,425  mortgage  participation  certificates  issued  by  Banco  Santander, 
S.A. for EUR 416,625 thousand, which were recognised under “Loans and Receivables - Loans and Advances to 
Customers”  in  the  consolidated  balance  sheet  and  are  included  in  the  heading  “Secured  loans”  in  the  table 
above. These mortgage participation certificates relate to loans maturing at between 1 and 38 years and earn 
annual interest of between 0.002 % and 4.08%. 

The outstanding balance of these mortgage participation certificates amounted to EUR 303.311 thousand on 31 
December 2022 (EUR 358.003  thousand as of 31 December 2021).

On  December  2022,  loans  to  customers  assigned  to  own  or  third-party  commitments  amounted  to  EUR  0 
thousand (31 December 2021: EUR 600,000 thousand) (see Notes 18 and 19), without taking into consideration 
for these purposes the consolidated loan portfolio held through various securitisation special-purpose vehicles 
included in the Group's scope of consolidation (see Appendix I).

Note 47 contains certain information relating to the restructured/refinanced portfolio, as well as the detail of 
loans to customers by activity, net of impairment charges, as of 31 December 2022 and 2021. 

The gross exposure broken down by impairment stage of loans and advances to customers recognised under 
"Financial assets at amortised cost and “Financial assets at fair value through other comprehensive income” in 
2022 and 2021 is detailed below:

2022

Stage 1

Stage 2

Stage 3

Total

EUR Thousands

Balance at beginning of period

96,229,354

3,412,057

2,033,052

101,674,463

Movements

Transfers:

Transfer to Stage 2 from Stage 1

Transfer to Stage 3 from Stage 1

Transfer to Stage 3 from Stage 2

Transfer to Stage 1 from Stage 2

Transfer to Stage 2 from Stage 3

Transfer to Stage 1 from Stage 3

Net changes in financial assets

Write-offs

Exchange differences and other

Balance at end of period

(2,549,410)

2,549,410

(721,064)

—

—

(514,371)

1,140,767

(1,140,767)

—

28,108

137,777

—

8,935,179

(366,402)

—

(832,506)

102,230,428

—

(32,681)

4,045,023

—

721,064

514,371

—

(137,777)

(28,108)

(153,166)

(749,860)

(19,528)

—

—

—

—

—
—

8,415,611
(749,860)

(884,715)

2,180,048

108,455,499

In  addition,  the  Group  has  EUR  27,052,044  thousand  under  loans  commitments  and  financial  guarantees 
granted, subject to impairment, of which EUR 26,865,725  thousand are under stage 1, EUR 127,214  thousand 
under stage 2 and EUR 59,105 thousand under stage 3.

2021

Stage 1

Stage 2

Stage 3

Total

Miles de Euros

Balance at beginning of period

93,457,480

4,153,264

2,026,916

99,637,660

Movements

Transfers:

Transfer to Stage 2 from Stage 1

Transfer to Stage 3 from Stage 1

Transfer to Stage 3 from Stage 2

Transfer to Stage 1 from Stage 2

Transfer to Stage 2 from Stage 3

Transfer to Stage 1 from Stage 3

Net changes in financial assets

Write-offs

Exchange differences and other

Balance at end of period

(3,005,374)

3,005,374

(524,834)

—

—

(723,395)

2,218,259

(2,218,259)

—

212,840

31,241

227,363

—

3,825,219

96,229,354

—

(1,103,925)

—

86,158

—

524,834

723,395

—

(212,840)

(31,241)

(221,303)

(803,588)

26,879

—

—

—

—

—
—

(1,097,865)
(803,588)

3,938,256

3,412,057

2,033,052

101,674,463

 69

As  of  December  31,  2021,  the  Group  had  EUR  25,495,968  thousand  under  loans  commitments  and  financial 
guarantees  granted,  subject  to  impairment,  of  which  EUR  25,192,422  thousand  were  under  phase  1,  EUR 
237,580 thousand under phase 2 and EUR 65,966 thousand under phase 3.

c)    Impairment  losses  on  loans  and  advances  to  customers  at  amortised  cost  and  at  fair  value  through  other 

comprehensive income

The  changes  in  the  impairment  losses  on  the  assets  making  up  the  balances  of  financial  assets  at  amortised 
cost and at fair value through other comprehensive income - Loans and advances - Customers:

Balance at beginning of period
Impairment losses through profit or loss
Of which:
Impairment charges to profit or loss
Reversal of impairment charges to profit or loss

Write-off impaired balances against recorded impairment allowance
Currency translation differences and other changes
Balance at end of period
Of which:
By asset class:
Impaired Assets
Other
By calculation method:
Calculated individually
Calculated collectively

EUR Thousands

2022

2021

2,115,180
641,332

2,197,400
677,629

2,334,407 
(1,693,075) 
(749,860) 
(50,598)
1,956,054 

2,071,425
   (1,393,796)
(803,588)
43,739
2,115,180

1,228,609
727,445

143,520
1,812,534

1,292,581
822,599

114,572
2,000,608

Following is the change in the loan loss provision in 2022 and 2021, broken down by impairment stage of loans 
and advances to customers, recognised under "Financial assets at amortised cost" under IFRS 9:

Balance at beginning of period

Transfers:

Transfer to Stage 2 from Stage 1

Transfer to Stage 3 from Stage 1

Transfer to Stage 3 from Stage 2

Transfer to Stage 1 from Stage 2

Transfer to Stage 2 from Stage 3

Transfer to Stage 1 from Stage 3

Net changes in financial assets and changes in 
credit risk

Write-offs

Exchange differences and other

Balance at end of period

2022

EUR Thousand

Stage 1

Stage 2

528,498

294,101

Stage 3
1,292,581

Total
2,115,180

(61,758)
(18,621)
—
38,894
—
881

307,013
—
(191,044)
(140,762)
20,220
—

(9,044)

(28,753)

(2,133)
476,717 

(10,047)
250,728

—
226,461
400,045
—
(96,059)
(13,340)

207,199
(749,860)
(38,418)
1,228,609

245,255
207,840
209,001
(101,868)
(75,839)
(12,459)

169,402
(749,860)
(50,598)
1,956,054

 70

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Balance at beginning of period

Transfers:

Transfer to Stage 2 from Stage 1

Transfer to Stage 3 from Stage 1

Transfer to Stage 3 from Stage 2

Transfer to Stage 1 from Stage 2

Transfer to Stage 2 from Stage 3

Transfer to Stage 1 from Stage 3

Net changes in financial assets and changes 
in credit risk

Write-offs

Exchange differences and other

Balance at end of period

2021

Stage 1
540,238

(85,952)
(15,809)
—
52,505
—
414

15,556 
—

528,498 

EUR Thousand
Stage 2
289,195

Stage 3
1,367,967

454,982
—
(195,825)
(250,356)
30,638
—

(50,469)
—
15,936
294,101

—
186,375
528,043
—
(155,726)
(12,683)

175,936
(803,588)
6,257
1,292,581

Total
2,197,400
—
369,030
170,566
332,218
(197,851)
(125,088)
(12,269)

141,023
(803,588)
43,739
2,115,180

As of 31 December 2022 and 2021, the Group had no significant amounts in purchased impaired assets.

In  2022,  a  reversal  amounting  to  EUR  272  thousand  (provision  of  EUR  75  thousand  in  2021)  and  results  for 
assets  on  hold  recovered  amounting  to  EUR  189,129  thousand  (EUR  183,219  thousand  in  2021)  have  been 
recorded  in  Fixed  Income.  Additionally,  no  amount  has  been  recognized  in  the  account  for  renegotiation  or 
contractual modification (EUR 575 thousand in 2021). With all of this, the amount recorded under the heading 
Impairment or reversal of impairment of financial assets not measured at fair value through profit or loss and 
net  gain  or  loss  from  changes  in:  Financial  assets  at  fair  value  through  other  comprehensive  income  and 
financial  assets  at  amortized  cost  (IFRS  9)  and,  in  Loans  and  receivables  (IAS  39);  amounts  to  EUR  451,931 
thousand (EUR 495,060 euros in 2021).

In 2022 and 2021, the Group has sold the following portfolios of written-off loans:

Company

Santander Consumer Bank AG (Germany)
Santander Consumer Bank S.p.A. (Italy)
Santander Consumer Bank AS (Norway)
Santander Consumer Finance Oy (Finland)
Santander Consumer Bank GmbH (Austria)
Financiera El Corte Inglés, E.F.C., S.A. (Spain)
PSA Banque France (France)
PSA Financial Services Spain (Spain)
PSA Bank Deutschland GmbH (Germany)
Santander Consumer Finance, S.A. (Spain)
Of which:
Spanish subsidiary in Portugal (*)
Spanish subsidiary in Netherlands (*)

EUR Thousands

31/12/2022

31/12/2021

Nominal 
Value
258,000
16,600
58,700
10,600
41,800
— 
40,000
—
21,400
         151,300 

Nominal 
Value
204,400
39,500
81,600
19,700
34,700
88,500
—
—
—
28,800

25,400
7,900
662,700

10,700
18,100
497,200

              (*) See note 1.a

The  selling  price  of  the  portfolios  of  written-off  loans  in  2022  was  EUR  145,600  thousand  (EUR  138,800  
thousand in 2021). The profit from these sales profit was registered in “Impairment charges and reversals from 
financial assets not at fair value through profit or loss – Financial assets at amortised cost” of the accompanying 
consolidated income statement. 

 71

 
 
 
Home purchase loans granted to those households by the main business in Spain

The  quantitative  information  on  the  home  purchase  loans  granted  to  households  by  the  Group's  main 
businesses in Spain at 31 December 2022 and 2021 is as follows:

31-12-2022
EUR Thousands

31-12-2021
EUR Thousands

Gross amount

Of which: 
nonperforming

Gross amount

Of which: 
nonperforming

Loans for home purchases
Without mortgage guarantee
With mortgage guarantee

—
1,216,220
1,216,220

—
55,421
55,421

—
1,375,816
1,375,816

—
62,394
62,394

The detail, by loan-to-value ratio, of the home purchase mortgage loans granted by the Group to households in 
Spain at 31 December 2022 and 2021 is as follows:

2022

Loan to value ratio

0-40%

40-60%

60-80%

60-100%

Over 100%

TOTAL

299
5

315
9

218
11

169
8

215
22

1,216
55

2021

Loan to value ratio

0-40%

40-60%

60-80%

60-100%

Over 100%

TOTAL

328
5

372
10

243
10

190
10

243
27

1,376
62

EUR millions
Gross amount

Of which :non-
performing

EUR millions
Gross amount

Of which :non-
performing

Securitizations

The  balance  of  Financial  assets  at  amortised  cost  –  Customers  in  the  accompanying  consolidated  balance 
sheets  for  the  years  ended  31  December  2022  and  2021  includes  the  securitised  loans  transferred  to  third 
parties on which the Group has retained risks, albeit partially, and which therefore, in accordance with current 
regulations, cannot be derecognised. The breakdown of the securitised amounts as of 31 December 2022 and 
2021 , classified by the subsidiaries which originated the securitised portfolio, and on the basis of whether the 
requirements for derecognition had been met (see Note 2-d), is as follows: 

 72

 
 
Derecognised

Maintained in balance sheet

Of which

Santander Consumer Bank AG
Compagnie Generale de Credit Aux Particuliers  - Credipar S.A.
Santander Consumer Bank S.p.A.
SANTANDER CONSUMER FINANCE, S.A. (*)
PSA Bank Deutschland GmbH
Banca PSA Italia S.p.a.
Financiera El Corte Inglés, E.F.C., S.A.
Santander Consumer Bank GmbH
PSA FINANCE UK LIMITED
Santander Consumer Finance Oy
PSA Financial Services, Spain, EFC, SA
Other securizations

Total

EUR Thousands

2022

2021

—

—

32,479,951

34,481,056

11,985,025
5,772,604
2,362,857
2,346,467
1,673,300
1,391,508 
1,342,660 
1,341,132
1,252,528
1,196,631
1,121,800
693,439

13,596,370
6,254,964
2,761,232
2,309,085
1,943,488
1,536,125
1,186,556
432,548
1,458,763
1,218,947
807,022
975,956

32,479,951

34,481,056

The securitised assets relate mainly to vehicle financing and consumer finance.

In 2022 and 2021 the subsidiaries mentioned in the foregoing table securitised receivables amounting to EUR 
5,026,660 and 7,569,000 thousand respectively. Since substantially all the risks and rewards associated with 
these receivables had not been transferred, they were not derecognised. 

Note 19 details the liabilities associated with these securitisation transactions.

Impaired assets

The changes in balance of the financial assets classified as financial assets at amortised cost - Customers and 
considered to be impared due to credit risk (non-performing assets) were as follows:

Balance at beginning of year
Additions net of recoveries
Written-off assets
Exchanges differences and other(net)
Balance at end of year

EUR Thousands

2022

2021

2,033,052
916,383
(749,860)
(19,527)
  2,180,048 

2,026,916
799,684
(803,588)
10,040
2,033,052

The  amounts  above,  once  the  corresponding  provisions  are  deducted,  represent  the  Group’s  best  estimate  of 
the discounted cash flows expected to be recovered from impaired assets.

The non-performing loans ratio is calculated by dividing the financial assets at amortized cost (customers) in 
Stage 3 and contingent risks recorded in the consolidated balance sheets at December 31, 2022 of this year by 
the  total  balance  of  financial  assets  at  amortized  cost  (customers  and  contingent  risks),  the  ratio  stood  at 
2.06% at 31 December 2022 and 2021.

 73

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
11. Assets and liabilities in disposal groups classified as held for sale

The balance of “Non-Current Assets Held for Sale” in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets as at 31 December 
2022  and  2021  includes  the  amount  of  foreclosed  assets  (recovered  by  the  consolidated  entities  on  non-performing 
loans), net of impairment losses, and the assets of subsidiaries classified as discontinued operations, the detail being 
as follows:

Enclosed tangible assets

Of which Foreclosed tangible assets in Spain

Other tangible assets held for sale

EUR Thousands
31/12/2022 31/12/2021

8,477
2,568 

36,860
45,337

11,692
2,772

38,694

38,694
50,386

As of December 31, 2022, the provisions established for the total assets from foreclosures are 15,487 thousand euros 
(16,566 thousand euros in 2021). The allocations made during said years have amounted to 753 and 2,455 thousand 
euros respectively and the recoveries made during said years have amounted to 1,405 and 1,910 thousand euros (see 
Note 43).

Disclosures on assets received by the businesses in Spain in payment of debts

The  detail  of  the  foreclosed  assets  of  the  Group's  businesses  in  Spain,  based  on  the  purpose  of  the  initially  granted 
loans or credit facilities giving rise to them, at 31 December 2022 and 2021 is as follows:

31/12/2022

31/12/2021

EUR Thousand

Gross book 
value

Impairment 
losses

Of which: 
impaired 
since 
acquisition

Carrying 
value

Gross book 
value

Impairment 
losses

Of which: 
impaired 
since 
acquisition

Carrying 
value

Property assets arising from financing 
granted for construction and property 
development

Of which:

Completed buildings

Residential

Other

Land

Developed land

Other

Property assets arising from home 
purchase mortgage financing granted to 
households

Other property assets received in 
payment of debts

Total property assets

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

14,744

(12,364)

(8,973)

2,380

15,335

(12,813)

(9,393)

2,522

1,267 

(1,079)

16,011

(13,443)

(1,062)

(10,035)

188

2,568

1,809

17,144

(1,559)

(14,372)

(1,346)

(10,739)

250

2,772

 74

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
12. Investments in joint ventures and associates

The  detail,  by  company,  of  investments  in  joint  ventures  and  associates  in  the  accompanying  consolidated  balance 
sheets as at 31 December 2022 and 2021 is as follows:

Associates
Santander Consumer Bank S.A. (Poland)
Santander Consumer Multirent, Sp, z.o.o
Santander Consumer Finanse Sp. z.o.o. (Poland)
Payever Gmbh
PSA Finance Polska Sp. z.o.o.
Santander Consumer Financial Solutions SP. Z.O.O.
PSA Consumer Finance Polska SP. Z.O.O.

Other

Of which, Goodwill:
Payever Gmbh
Santander Consumer Bank S.A. (Poland)

Joint ventures:
Fortune Auto Finance Co. Ltd. (China)
Stellantis Insurance Europe Ltd (Malta)
Stellantis Life Insurance Europe, Ltd (Malta)
Other

EUR Thousands

2022

2021

401,297
24,270
8,393
6,124
1,480
717
550

31
442,862

1,238
97,049
98,287

244,333
30,621 
6,681
280
281,915
724,777

394,026
11,723
6,152
1,462
7,473
803
628

32
422,299

1,238
98,891
100,129

222,290
29,939
7,655
231
260,115
682,414

The changes in 2022 and 2021  in investments in joint ventures and associates is as follows: 

Balance at beginning of period
Purchases and capital increases
Sales
Dividends paid
Effect of equity method accounting (Note 32)
Changes in the consolidation perimeter
Value impairment adjustments (Note 3.b)
Currency translation differences and other
Balance at end of period

EUR Thousands

2022

2021

682,414
— 
—
(3,894)
96,736
— 
— 
(50,479)
724,777

635,248
—
—
(1,639)
63,790
—
—
(14,985)
682,414

 75

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Impairment losses

In 2022 and 2021 there is no evidence of significant impairment of the Group's investments.

The financial information on the associates and joint ventures is summarised below:

Data on 31 December
Total assets
Total liabilities
Equity
Group's share of the net assets of associates
Goodwill
Total Group share
Data for the year
Total income
Total profit
Group's share of the profit of associates

EUR million

2022

2021 (*)

8,589
(6,932)
(1,657)
626 
99
725

1,585
194
97 

9,951
(8,396)
(1,555)
582
100
682

1,442
141
64

(*) This information was obtained from the financial statements of each of the investees, which had not yet been 
approved by the respective control bodies at the date of preparation of these consolidated financial statements. 
However, the Bank’s Directors consider that they will be approved without any changes.

Other information

A summary of the financial information as of the end of December 2022 on the main associates and joint ventures 
(obtained  from  the  information  available  at  the  date  of  preparation  of  the  consolidated  financial  statements  is 
detailed below:

Joint ventures

Associates

SANTANDER CONSUMER BANK SPÓLKA 
AKCYJNA

FORTUNE AUTO FINANCE CO., LTD

Current assets

Non-current assets

Total assets

Current liabilities

Non-current liabilities

Total liabilities

Net attributable profit for the period

Other comprehensive income

Other

Total equity

Total liabilities and equity

Income from ordinary activities

Profit for the period from continuing 
operations

Income after taxes from discontinued 
operations

185,310

3,449,798

3,635,108

166,033

2,648,217

2,814,250

76,717

(121,811)

865,952

820,858

3,635,108

399,469

76,718

—

175,682

1,863,766

2,039,448

29,237

1,521,546

1,550,783

56,671

12,313

419,681

488,665

2,039,448

257,290

56,670

—

 76

 
 
13. Tangible assets

The changes in 2022 and 2021 in the balance of “Tangible Assets” in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets as 
at 31 December 2022 and 2021 were as follows

EUR Thousands

For own use

Tangible assets

Of which: right pf use operating lease

Other assests 
assigned under 
operating 
lease

Investment 
Property

Total

For own use

Other assests 
assigned under 
operating 
lease

Investment 
Property

Total

Cost:

Balances as of 31 December 2020

714,926

1,528,269

Additions/Disposals(net)

Additions

Disposals

Net Additions/disposals due to changes in 
the consolidation perimeter

Currency Transaction differences

Transfers and other

33,962

54,362

503,616

985,399

(20,400)

(481,783)

4,962

962

10,194

—

2,415

56,773

Balances as of 31 December 2021

765,006

2,091,073

Additions/Disposals (net)

Additions

Disposals

Net Additions/disposals due to changes in 
the consolidation perimeter

Currency Transaction differences

Transfers and other

Balances as of 31 December 2022

15,435

24,652

(9,217)

2,419

(3,112)

(40,345)

739,403

736,533

1,129,494

(392,961)

59,504

2,922

388,298

3,278,330

Accumulated Amortization:

Balances as of 31 December 2020

(313,519)

(90,829)

Net Additions/disposals due to changes in 
the consolidation perimeter

Charges

Disposals and retirements

Currency translation differences

Transfers and others

Balances as of 31 December 2021
Net Additions/disposals due to changes in 
the consolidation perimeter

Charges

Disposals and retirements

Currency translation differences

Transfers and others

—

(74,847)

—

—

8,547

(434)

184,635

(281)

16,612

(274,166)

(363,641)

(180,641)

(1,383)

(71,061)

6,402

1,871

57,298

—

—

139,519

(1,358)

(436,889)

(479,369)

Balances as of 31 December 2022

(370,514)

Impairment losses:

Balances as of 31 December 2020

(527)

(7,124)

Net Additions/disposals due to changes in 
the consolidation perimeter

Charges

Releases

Disposals and retirements

Transfers and other

Balances as of  31 December 2021

Net Additions/disposals due to changes in 
the consolidation perimeter

Charges

Releases

Disposals and retirements

Transfers and other

Balances as of  31 December 2022

Net Tangible asset:

—

(1,041)

202

795

(464)

(1,035)

—

(968)

18

1,025

29

(931)

—

(89)

3,629

234

(1,073)

(4,423)

—

(1,397)

1,362

805

343

(3,310)

Balances as of 31 December 2021

400,330

1,906,009

Balances as of 31 December 2022

367,958

2,795,651

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

2,243,195

328,830

537,578

1,039,761

(502,183)

4,962

3,377

15,567

19,905

(4,338)

4,962

777

66,967

79,009

—

2,856,079

429,145

751,968

1,154,146

(402,178)

61,923

(190)

347,953

2,964

8,222

(5,258)

1,048

(2,446)

2,092

4,017,733

432,803

(404,348)

(82,993)

—

—

(74,847)

(45,314)

193,182

(715)

2,560

(325)

(257,554)

(12,439)

(544,282)

(138,511)

(1,383)

(71,061)

145,921

513

(379,591)

291

(42,523)

3,787

1,333

7,854

(849,883)

(167,769)

(7,651)

(527)

—

(1,130)

3,831

1,029

(1,537)

(5,458)

—

(2,365)

1,380

1,830

372

(4,241)

—

(684)

25

576

(424)

(1,034)

(353)

18

416

23

(930)

2,306,339

289,600

3,163,609

264,104

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

328,830

15,567

19,905

(4,338)

4,962

777

79,009

429,145

2,964

8,222

(5,258)

1,048

(2,446)

2,092

432,803

(82,993)

—

(45,314)

2,560

(325)

(12,439)

(138,511)

291

(42,523)

3,787

1,333

7,854

(167,769)

(527)

—

(684)

25

576

(424)

(1,034)

(353)

18

416

23

(930)

289,600

264,104

(1) The period depreciation charges are recognised under “Amortization” in the consolidated income statement.

 77

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The balance of tangible assets acquired under finance leases amounted to EUR 264,104 thousand as of 31 December 
2022 (EUR 289,600 thousand in 2021). It is part of the Group’s policies to arrange for insurance contracts to cover all 
possible risks deriving from all elements in its tangible assets. 

The Group has incurred EUR 570 thousand in net gains in 2022 (EUR 236 thousand net losses in 2021) from the sale of 
tangible assets (Note 42).

The detail, by class of asset, of “Property, Plant and Equipment - For Own Use” in the consolidated balance sheets as at 
31 December 2022 and 2021 is as follows:

EUR Thousands

Cost

Accumulated 
depreciation

Fund

Carrying 
amount

Of which:
Right-of-use for 
operating lease

Buildings

Furniture

IT equipment

Other

Balances as of December 2021

Buildings

Furniture

IT equipment

Other

Balances as of 31 December 2022

433,532

201,704

105,408

24,362

765,006

436,328

195,987

88,724

18,364

739,403

(135,611)

(123,092)

(87,945)

(16,993)

(363,641)

(164,762)

(123,586)

(70,748)

(11,418)

(370,514)

—

—

—

(1,035)

(1,035)

—

—

—

(931)

(931)

297,921

78,612

17,463

6,334

400,330

271,566

72,401

17,976

6,015

367,958

287,235

3,158

240

(1,033)

289,600

261,036

4,017

—

(949)

264,104

The net balance of “Property, Plant and Equipment for Own Use” on 31 December 2022 includes approximately EUR 
337,732 thousand (EUR 372,090 thousand on 31 December 2021) relating to property, plant and equipment owned by 
Group subsidiaries located abroad.

 78

 
 
 
 
14. Goodwill

The detail of “Goodwill” in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets as of 31 December 2022 and 2021, based on 
the cash-generating units which originate it, is as follows:

Germany
Austria
Nordics (Scandinavia)
Netherlands (*)
Spain
Total

Miles de Euros

2022

2021

1,297,469
98,074
215,443
13,897
87,543
1,712,426

1,297,469
98,074
223,974
—
87,963
1,707,480

(*)  Corresponds  to  the  goodwill  originated  by  the  acquisition  of  Riemersma  Leasing,  B.V. 
(see note 3).

At least once per year (or whenever there is any indication of impairment), the Group reviews goodwill for impairment 
(i.e. a potential reduction in its recoverable amount to below its carrying amount). The first step that must be taken in 
order  to  perform  this  analysis  is  the  identification  of  the  cash-generating  units,  i.e.  the  Group's  smallest  identifiable 
groups of assets that generate cash inflows that generate cash inflows that are largely independent of the cash inflows 
from other assets or groups of assets. 

The amount to be recovered of each cash-generating unit is determined taking into consideration the carrying amount 
(including any fair value adjustment arising from the business combination) of all the assets and liabilities of all the 
independent legal entities composing the cash-generating unit, together with the related goodwill. 

This  book  value  to  be  recovered  from  the  cash  generating  unit  is  compared  with  its  recoverable  amount  in  order  to 
determine whether there is impairment.

The Group assesses the existence of any indication that might be considered to be evidence of impairment of the cash-
generating  unit  by  reviewing  certain  information,  including  the  following:  (i)  various  macroeconomic  variables  that 
might affect its investments (population data, political situation and economic situation including the banking sector-, 
among  others)  and  (ii)  various  microeconomic  variables  comparing  the  investments  of  the  Group  with  the  financial 
services  industry  of  the  country  in  which  the  cash-generating  unit  carries  on  most  of  its  business  activities  (balance 
sheet  composition,  total  funds  under  management,  results,  efficiency  ratio,  capital  adequacy  ratio  and  return  on 
equity, among others). 

Regardless of whether there is any indication of impairment, every year the Group calculates the recoverable amount 
of each cash-generating unit to which goodwill has been allocated and, to this end, it uses price quotations, if available, 
market references (multiples), internal estimates, and appraisals performed by independent experts. 

Firstly, the Group determines the recoverable amount by calculating the fair value of each cash-generating unit on the 
basis of the quoted price of the cash-generating units, if available, and of the price earnings ratios of comparable local 
entities.

In addition, the Group performs estimates of the recoverable amounts of certain cash-generating units by calculating 
their  value  in  use  using  discounted  cash  flows.  The  main  assumptions  used  in  this  calculation  are:  (i)  earnings 
projections  based  on  the  financial  budgets  approved  by  the  directors  which  normally  cover  a  three-  five  year  period 
(unless a longer time horizon can be justified), ii) discount rates determined as the cost of capital taking into account 
the risk-free rate of return plus a risk premium in line with the market and the business in which the units operate and 
(iii) constant growth rates to estimate earnings to perpetuity that do not exceed the long-term average growth rate for 
the market in which the cash-generating unit in question operates. 

 79

The cash flow projections used by Group management to obtain the values in use are based on the financial budgets 
approved by both local management of the related units and the Group's Directors. The Group's budgetary estimation 
process  is  common  for  all  the  cash-generating  units.  The  local  management  teams  prepare  their  budgets  using  the 
following key assumptions:

a) Microeconomic  variables  of  the  cash-generating  unit:  management  takes  into  consideration  the  current 
balance sheet structure, the product mix on offer and the business decisions taken by local management in 
this regard.

b) Macroeconomic  variables:  growth  is  estimated  on  the  basis  of  the  changing  environment,  taking  into 
consideration expected GDP growth in the unit's geographical location and forecast trends in interest and 
exchange rates. These data, which are based on external information sources, are provided by the Group's 
economic research service.

c) Past  performance  variables:  in  addition,  management  takes  into  consideration  in  the  projection  the 
difference  (both  positive  and  negative)  between  the  cash-generating  unit's  past  performance  and  that  of 
the market.

During the 2022 financial year, the Group has not recorded impairment losses.

The main assumptions used to determine the recoverable amount, at the end of 2022 and 2021, of the most significant 
cash-generating units that have been valued by discounting cash flows are shown below:

2022

Projected 
Period
3 years
5 years
5 years

Discount 
rate (*)
9.4%
9.4%
11.0%

Nominal 
perpetuity 
growth rate
2.3%
2.3%
2.5%

Austria
Germany
Nordics (Scandinavia)

(*) Post-tax discount rate used for consistency with earnings projection estimates

2021

Projected 
Period
3 years
5 years
5 years

Discount 
rate (*)
8.3%
8.3%
9.9%

Nominal 
perpetuity 
growth rate
1.8%
1.8%
2.0%

Austria
Germany
Nordics (Scandinavia)

(*) Post-tax discount rate used for consistency with earnings projection estimates

The  variations  reflected  in  the  hypotheses  used  in  the  2022  financial  year  are  mainly  a  consequence  of  the  current 
macroeconomic scenario, as well as the growing level of inflation and the difficulties in the supply chains, which have 
caused  a  rapid  increase  in  the  reference  interest  rates  of  the  central  banks  in  the  main  countries  where  the  Group's 
CGUs are located.

Given  the  degree  of  uncertainty  of  the  main  hypotheses  mentioned  above  on  which  the  recoverable  amount  of  the 
cash-generating units is based, the Group performs a sensitivity analysis that has consisted of adjusting the discount 
rate by +/- 50 basis points, adjusting +/-50 basis points the growth rate in perpetuity and reduce cash flow projections 
by 5%. These changes in the key assumptions in isolation mean that the recoverable amount of all the cash-generating 
units continues to exceed their book value and have been considered by the Group as reasonably possible in a stable 
economic  environment  and  in  which  no  They  contemplate  non-recurring  events  that  are  unrelated  to  the  business 
operations of the cash-generating units.

 80

The movement that has occurred in the balance of this heading of the accompanying consolidated balance sheets as of 
December 31, 2022 and 2021, during the years 2022 and 2021, has been as follows:

Balance at beginning of period
Acquisitions
Additions
Impairment value (Note 41)
Currency translation differences and other
Balance at end of period

EUR Thousands

2022

2021

1,707,480
13,897
—
—
(8,951)
1,712,426

1,709,913
—
—
—
(2,433)
1,707,480

Santander  Consumer  Finance  Group  has  goodwill  generated  by  cash-generating  units  located  in  countries  with 
currencies other than the euro (mainly in Nordics) and consequently generate exchange differences when converting to 
euros,  at  the  closing  exchange  rate,  the  amount  of  such  goodwill  expressed  in  foreign  currency.  Thus,  during  the 
financial  year  2022  there  has  been  a  decrease  due  to  exchange  differences  and  other  concepts  amounting  to  8,951 
thousand  euros  (decrease  of  2,433  million  euros  in  2021),  which,  in  accordance  with  current  regulations,  have  been 
recorded charged to the heading 'Other accumulated comprehensive income - Items that can be reclassified in results - 
Currency conversion of net worth, through the attached consolidated statement of recognized income and expenses.

15. Other intangible assets

The detail of “Other Intangible Assets” in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets as of 31 December 2022 and 
2021 is as follows:

With finite useful lives
Client portfolio
IT developments
Other

Estimated 
useful life

EUR Thousand

2022

2021

2 years
3 years

23,349
360,170
1,996
385,515

26,828
327,055
2,150
356,033

The changes in 2022 and 2021 in “Other Intangible Assets” in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets were as 
follows:

Balance at beginning of period
Net additions
Amortization charges 
Impairment losses (Note 41)
Balance at year-end

(1)

EUR Thousand

2022

2021

356,033
158,831
(117,702)
(11,647)
385,515

314,444
169,304
(116,053)
(11,662)
356,033

(1)  The  amortisation  charges  for  the  period  are  recognised  under  "Amortisation"  in  the 
accompanying consolidated income statement.

Most of the additions in 2022 and 2021 relate to the implementation of management and accounting software at 
certain Group companies, mainly in Germany, Spain, and Norway . Additionally, there are additions amounting to 
EUR 26,724 thousand corresponding to the customer portfolio of Allane SE (entity acquired during 2021, see Note 
3).

 81

In 2022 the Group has derecognised intangible asset elements that have generated losses due to obsolescence for 
EUR 11,647 thousand (EUR 11,662 thousand in 2021) recognised under “Impairment charges and reversals from 
financial assets not at fair value through profit or loss” in the consolidated financial statements (see Note 41). 

16. Other assets and other liabilities 

The  detail  of  “Other  Assets”  and  “Other  Liabilities”  in  the  accompanying  consolidated  balance  sheets  as  at  31 
December 2022 and 2021 is as follows:

Inventories
Prepaid expenses
Accrued expenses
Transactions in transit
Other

EUR Thousand

Assets

Liabilities

2022

2021

2022

2021

8,880
200,307
—
3,894
772,083
985,164

3,777
178,822
—
8,179
521,688
712,466

—
—
967,856
76,225
830,749
1,874,830

—
—
867,763
47,675
927,449
1,842,887

17. Deposits -  Central Banks and Deposits – Credit institutions

The  balance  of  “Financial  Liabilities  at  Amortised  Cost  -  Deposits  from  Central  Banks”  in  the  accompanying 
consolidated  balance  sheets  as  of  31  December  2022  and  2021,  of  EUR  17,900,641  thousand  and  EUR  19,997,499 
thousand respectively, corresponds mainly to term deposits of the Group entities, including the balances of the long-
term conditional financing from the European Central Bank TLTRO (Targeted Longer-Term Refinancing Operation).

As  of  December  31,  2022,  the  balance  of  conditional  long-term  financing  from  the  European  Central  Bank  TLTRO 
(Targeted Longer-Term Refinancing Operation) amounted to EUR 18,160,112 thousand, all belonging to TILTRO III. 

As of December 31, 2022, the income recognized in the consolidated profit and loss account corresponding to TLTRO III 
amounts to 83,202 thousand euros (184,139 thousand euros as of December 31, 2021).

The  detail,  by  type  and  currency,  of  the  balance  of  “Financial  Liabilities  at  Amortised  Cost  -  Deposits  from  Credit 
Institutions” in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets as of 31 December 2022 and 2021 is as follows:

Type:
Deposits on demand
Term deposits
Reverse repurchase agreements
Subordinated deposits

Currency
Euro
Foreign currency

EUR Thousands

2022

2021

273,895
10,890,128
—
456,179
11,620,202

185,566
10,965,116
174,363
455,224
11,780,269

11,552,343
67,859
11,620,202

11,684,171
96,098
11,780,269

A significant portion of these deposits from credit institutions on 31 December 2022 and 2021 relate to transactions 
performed with Santander Group entities (see Note 46).

 82

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Note 44 contains a detail of the terms to maturity and estimated fair value of these financial liabilities at amortised 
cost on 31 December 2022 and 2021.

On  31  December  2022  and  2022,  the  consolidated  entities  had  unused  credit  facilities  amounting  to  EUR  368.650 
thousand and 544,964 thousand, respectively.

The detail of the balance of subordinated liabilities on 31 December 2022 and 2021 based on the currency in which the 
issue is denominated is as follows:

EUR Thousands

2022

2021

Currency of issue
Euros
Balance at end of 
period

2022
456,179

2021
455,224

456,179

455,224

Outstanding 
amount 
(millions)

431,000

Annual interest 
rate 
(31/12/2022)
%

2.34 

Outstanding 
amount 
(millions)

570,500

Annual interest 
rate 
(31/12/2021)
%

2.04 

The  list  of  subordinated  liabilities  denominated  in  euro  on  31  December  2022  and  2021,  set  out  by  company,  is  as 
follows:

2022

Company

EUR Thousands

Counterparty

Santander Consumer Finance S.A.

200,000 Banco Santander, S.A.

Santander Consumer Finance S.A.

200,000 Banco Santander, S.A.

Banca PSA Italia S.p.a.

11,000 Banque PSA France

PSA Financial Services Spain EFC SA

20,000 Banque PSA France

Date

Early 
cancellation

Maturity date

(2)

(2)

(2)

(2)

06/06/2029

08/05/2029

22/11/2029

19/12/2027

Add - Valuation adjustments

Total

(1) It cannot be canceled early.
(2) It can be canceled early

25,179  

456,179  

2021

Company

EUR Thousands

Counterparty

Santander Consumer Finance S.A.

200,000 Banco Santander, S.A.

Santander Consumer Finance S.A.

200,000 Banco Santander, S.A.

Santander Consumer Holding GmbH

11,000 Banque PSA France

Santander Consumer Holding GmbH

22,500 Banque PSA France

Banca PSA Italia S.p.a.

20,000 Banque PSA France

Date

Early 
cancellation

Maturity date

(2)

(2)

(2)

(2)

(2)

06/06/2029

08/05/2029

18/12/2028

24/10/2029

19/12/2027

Add- Valuation adjustments

Total

(1) It cannot be canceled early.
(2) It can be canceled early

1,724  

455,224  

 83

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The movement that has occurred in the balance of this heading of the consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 
2022 and 2021 is as follows:

Balance at beginning of period
Additions
Amortizations(*)

Santander Consumer Holding GmbH

Net additions/disposals due to changes in the consolidation perimeter
Currency translation and other
Balance at end of period

EUR Thousands

2022

2021

455,224
—
—
—

—
955
456,179

1,372,018
—
(800,000)
(800,000)

(117,000)
206
455,224

(*)  During  the  2022  financial  year  there  have  been  no  amortizations  (the  balance  related  to  amortizations  in  the  2021 
financial year amounted to 800,000 thousand euros). The interest paid as remuneration for these issues is 10,627 thousand 
euros (13,361 thousand euros in 2021). The balance related to amortizations and interest paid are included in the cash flow 
from financing activities. 

18. Deposits - Customers

The detail, by type, geographical area and currency, of “Customer Deposits” in the accompanying consolidated balance 
sheets as of 31 December 2022 and 2021 is as follows:

Type:
On demand-

Current accounts
Savings accounts
Other deposits on demand

Term deposits

Fixed-term and other deposits
Subordinated liabilities

Geographical area:

Spain and Portugal
Germany
Italy
France
Scandinavia
Austria
Other

By currency:
Euros
Foreign currency

EUR Thousands

2022

2021

20,183,923
12,490,865
1,453

19,365,490
12,320,358
1,129

8,510,920
140,066
41,327,227

7,261,195
140,307
39,088,479

2,070,991
25,201,401
1,357,795
3,387,033
7,217,679
2,060,958
31,370
41,327,227

1,633,728
23,518,888
1,290,210
3,467,646
7,340,655
1,789,291
48,061
39,088,479

34,106,738
7,220,489
41,327,227

31,740,455
7,348,024
39,088,479

 84

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
As  of  December  31,  2021  in  the  above  table,  the  “Impositions  and  other  term  deposits”  account  included  individual 
mortgage bonds issued by the Bank on July 20, 2007 for a nominal amount of 150,000 thousand euros that matured 
on 20 July 2022 and that were guaranteed by mortgages registered in favor of the Bank (see Notes 10 and 19). These 
bonds were subscribed by Santander Investment Bolsa, Sociedad de Valores, S.A., which assigned them, in turn, to the 
Fondo de Titulización de Activos, Independent Mortgage Bond Securitization Program. The annual interest rate of these 
bonds  was  5.135%  and  they  matured  on  July  20,  2022.  There  were  no  early  repayment  options  for  the  Bank  or  the 
holder, except for those legally established assumptions.

Likewise, on December 31, 2022, said heading includes guarantees received for an amount of  EUR 141,255 thousand 
(EUR 192,424 thousand as of December 31, 2021) and other installment debits for an amount of EUR 18,625 thousand 
(EUR 20,239 thousand as of December 31, 2021).

Note 44 contains details of the terms to maturity and estimated fair value of these financial liabilities at amortised cost 
on 31 December 2022 and 2021 and of the related average annual interest rates in the years then ended.

19. Debt securities issued

The detail, by type, of “Debt securities in issue” in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets as of 31 December 
2022 and 2021 is as follows:

.

Bonds and debentures outstanding
Mortgage-backed bonds
Notes and other securities
Subordinated

EUR Thousands

2022

2021

31,242,461
—
6,695,321
917,978
38,855,760

34,756,330
450,012
5,142,670
303,219
40,652,231

Bonds and debentures outstanding

The balance of “Bonds and Debentures Outstanding” in the foregoing table includes, inter alia, the outstanding balance 
of  the  bonds  and  debentures  issued  by  Group  subsidiaries  –  PSA  Banque  France,  S.A.  (France),  Santander  Consumer 
Bank AG (Germany) and Santander Consumer Bank AS (Norway) – amounting to EUR 6,112 million as of 31 December 
2022  (EUR  7,844  million  in  2021),  and  the  balance,  at  that  date,  of  the  financing  obtained  by  the  Group  in  the 
securitisation transactions carried out by the Group's subsidiaries, amounting to 12,584 million euros (12,891 million 
euros at December 31, 2021).

The Bank’s Shareholders Meeting, held on March 3, 2022, agreed to authorize the Bank's Board of Directors to issue 
multi-currency fixed-income securities up to an amount of EUR 45 billion. In turn, the Board of Directors, at its meeting 
held  on  April  28,  2022,  delegated  these  powers  to  the  Bank's  Executive  Committee.  The  Board  of  Directors,  at  its 
meeting  held  on  May  19,  2022,  resolved  to  issue  a  Euro  Medium  Term  Note  Program,  replacing  the  one  described 
above, for a maximum nominal outstanding amount not exceeding EUR 25 billion. This program was listed on the Irish 
Stock Exchange on June 16, 2022.

As  of  December  31,  2022,  the  outstanding  balance  of  these  notes  amounted  to  12,942,874  thousand  euros 
(13,126,683  thousand  euros  as  of  December  31,  2021),  maturing  between  May  30,  2023  and  12  May  2032.  The 
annual interest rate of these financial liabilities amounts between 0% and 4.110% (0% and 1.356% as of December 
31, 2021).

Mortgage-backed bonds

On  31  December  2022,  the  balance  of  “Mortgage-Backed  Bonds”  in  the  foregoing  table  includes  the  amount  of  the 
mortgage-backed bonds issued by the Bank on 6 May 2019. These bonds, which are listed on the Spanish AIAF fixed-
income market, are secured by mortgages registered in the Bank’s favour (see Note 9), have a principal amount of EUR 
450,000 thousand and mature on 6 May 2022. The annual interest rate on these liabilities is 0.00% and there are no 
early redemption options on these bonds for the Bank or for the holders, except in the legally stipulated circumstances.

 85

 
 
 
 
Notes and other securities

The balance of the "Promissory notes and effects" account in the above table corresponds to issues made by the Bank, 
admitted to trading, which have accrued an average annual interest of 0.19% in fiscal year 2022 (-0.367% in fiscal year 
2021), According to the following detail: 

•

At  the  meeting  held  on  20  October  2022,  the  Bank's  Executive  Committee  resolved  to  issue  a  Notes 
Programme, replacing the previous, with a maximum principal amount outstanding that may not exceed EUR 
5,000  million.  These  notes,  with  a  unit  nominal  value  of  EUR  100,000,  have  maturities  ranging  from  a 
minimum of 3 business days to a maximum of 731 calendar days (2 years and 1 day). This programme was 
registered  in  the  Official  Registers  of  the  Spanish  National  Securities  Market  Commission  (CNMV)  on  15 
November 2022.

The balance of the promissory notes listed on the AIAF market amounted to 523,300 thousand euros as of December 
31, 2022 (82,200 thousand euros as of December 31, 2021).

•

At the meeting held on 19 May 2022, the Bank’s Executive Committee resolved to launch a Euro Commercial 
Paper programme with a maximum principal amount outstanding that may not exceed EUR 10,000 million. 
The  maturities  of  this  commercial  paper  range  from  a  minimum  of  1  day  to  a  maximum  of  364  days.  The 
programme was registered in the Irish Stock Exchange on 16 June 2022.

The outstanding balance of this commercial paper recognised in these consolidated financial statements amounted to 
EUR 4,408,500 thousand on 31 December 2022 (EUR 4,320,000 thousand as of 31 December, 2021).

Additionally,  on  31  December  2022  Santander  Consumer  Bank  AG  maintained  issues  in  promissory  notes  and 
marketable  securities  amounting  to  EUR  835,000  thousand  and  PSA  Banque  France  EUR  980,000  thousand  (EUR 
605,000 thousand and EUR 129,000 thousand, respectively as of December 31, 2022).

Subordinated marketable securities

In  the  scope  of  said  programme,  three  subordinated  notes  whose  outstanding  balance  amounts  to  EUR  900,000 
thousand and whose average maturity date and average annual interest rate are 1 April 2031 and 2.157% each.

Other information

As of 31 December 2022 and 2021, none of these issues are convertible into Bank shares or granted privileges or rights 
which, in certain circumstances, make them convertible into shares.

Note 44 contains a detail of the terms to maturity and estimated fair value of these financial liabilities at amortised 
cost on 31 December 2022 and 2021 and of the related average annual interest rates in the years then ended.

 86

Information on issues, repurchases and redemption of debt securities

Below is a detail, as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, of the outstanding balance of the debt securities issued by the 
Bank or by any other entity of the Group, on said dates, taking into account the market in which they are traded, in each 
case. Likewise, a detail of the movement that has occurred in this balance during the years 2022 and 2021 is shown: 

EUR Thousands

2022

Santander Consumer Finance

Bonds and debentures in 
circulation

Mortgage-backed bonds

Total Bonds and debentures in 
circulation

Notes and other securities

Subordinated securities

Total

Outstanding 
Balance at 
01/01/22

34,756,330

450,012

35,206,342

5,142,670

303,219

40,652,231

Perimeter

Issues

Repurchases or 
Redemptions

Exchange Rate 
and Other 
Adjustments (*)

Outstanding 
Balance on 
31/12/22

—

—

—

—

—

—

5,330,095

(8,589,994)

(253,970)

31,242,461

—

(450,000)

(12)

—

5,330,095

(9,039,994)

(253,982)

31,242,461

7,331,200

(5,720,600)

(57,949)

6,695,321

600,000

—

14,759

917,978

13,261,295

(14,760,594)

(297,172)

38,855,760

EUR Thousands

2021

Santander Consumer Finance

Bonds and debentures in 
circulation

Outstanding 
Balance at 
01/01/21

Perimeter

Issues

Repurchases or 
Redemptions

Exchange Rate 
and Other 
Adjustments (*)

Outstanding 
Balance on 
31/12/21

31,143,866

1,168,433

11,010,477

(8,575,706)

9,260

34,756,330

Mortgage-backed bonds

450,048

—

—

—

(36)

450,012

Total Bonds and debentures in 
circulation

Notes and other securities

Subordinated securities

31,593,914

1,168,433

11,010,477

(8,575,706)

9,224

35,206,342

4,770,259

202,175

—

—

5,391,200

(5,022,400)

100,000

—

3,611

1,044

5,142,670

303,219

Total

36,566,348

1,168,433

16,501,677

(13,598,106)

13,879

40,652,231

Other issues guaranteed by the Group 

As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, the Group guarantees certain debt securities issued by Group companies.

Information required Royal Decree 716/2009

Article 21 of Royal Decree 716/2009, of April 24, establishes that entities issuing mortgage backed assets or mortgage 
bonds will keep a special accounting record of the mortgage loans and credits that serve as collateral for said issues, of 
the replacement assets that back them and the derivative financial instruments linked to each issuance. Said special 
accounting  record  must  also  indicate  whether  or  not  the  mortgage  loans  and  credits  are  eligible  in  accordance  with 
article  3  of  the  aforementioned  Royal  Decree  716/2009.  The  Bank  of  Spain  will  determine  the  essential  data  of  the 
aforementioned  registry  that  must  be  included  in  the  annual  accounts  of  the  issuing  entity,  having  defined  various 
statements of public information on the mortgage market in Bank of Spain Circular 4/2017.

Mortgage-backed bonds

The mortgage-backed bonds issued by the Bank were securities the principal and interest of which were specifically 
secured by mortgages, there being no need for registration in the Property Register, without prejudice to the issuer's 
unlimited liability. The total amount of the mortgage backed bond issued have matured during 2022.

 87

The mortgage-backed bonds included the holder’s financial claim on the issuer, secured as indicated in the preceding 
paragraph,  and  may  have  been  enforced  to  claim  payment  from  the  issuer  after  maturity.  The  holders  of  these 
securities had the status of special preferential creditors vis-à-vis all other creditors (established in Article 1923,3 of 
the  Spanish  Civil  Code)  in  relation  to  all  the  mortgage  loans  and  credits  registered  in  the  issuer's  favour  and,  where 
appropriate, in relation to the cash flows generated by the derivative financial instruments associated with the issues. 

In the event of insolvency, the holders of mortgage-backed bonds enjoyed the special privilege established in Article 
90, 1.1 of Insolvency Law 22/2003, of 9 July. Without prejudice to the foregoing, in accordance with Article 84, 2.7 of 
the Insolvency Law, during the  insolvency proceedings, the  payments relating to the repayment of the principal and 
interest of the bonds issued and outstanding at the date of the insolvency filing were settled up to the amount of the 
income  received  by  the  insolvent  party  from  the  mortgage  loans  and  credits  and,  where  appropriate,  from  the 
replacement assets backing the bonds and from the cash flows generated by the financial instruments associated with 
the issues (Final Provision 19 of the Insolvency Law). 

If, due to a timing mismatch, the income received by the insolvent party were to be insufficient to meet the payments 
described in the preceding paragraph, the insolvency managers would have settled them by realising the replacement 
assets  set  aside  to  cover  the  issue  and,  if  this  was  not  sufficient,  they  would  have  obtained  financing  to  meet  the 
mandated payments to the holders of the mortgage-backed bonds, and the finance provider have subrogated to the 
position of the bond-holders. 

In the event that the measure indicated in Article 155 of the Insolvency Law were to be adopted, the payments to all 
holders  of  the  mortgage-backed  bonds  issued  would  have  been  made  on  a  pro-rata  basis,  irrespective  of  the  issue 
dates of the bonds..

Mortgage-backed bond issuers had an early redemption option solely for the purpose of complying with the limits on 
the volume of outstanding mortgage-backed bonds stipulated by mortgage market regulations.

None of the mortgage-backed bonds issued by the Group entities had replacement assets assigned to them.

Annex  VI  contains  the  additional  information  required  by  the  Bank  of  Spain  in  relation  to  article  21  of  Royal  Decree 
716/2009, of April 24, which establishes that the issuing entities of mortgage-backed bonds or mortgage bonds will 
keep  an  accounting  record  of  the  mortgage  loans  and  credits  that  serve  as  collateral  for  these  issues,  of  the 
replacement assets that back them and of the derivative financial instruments linked to each issue.

20. Other financial liabilities

The  detail  of  “Other  Financial  Liabilities”  in  the  accompanying  consolidated  balance  sheets  as  of  31  December  2022 
and 2021 is as follows:

Declared dividends payable
Trade payables
Tax collection accounts
Other financial liabilities (*)

EUR Thousands

2022

—
180,029
25,934
1,167,437
1,373,400

2021
637,093
171,519
25,213
917,728
1,751,553

(*) At 31 December 2022, the balance included EUR 3,718 thousand relating to balances payable on consolidation for 
tax purposes to Banco Santander, S.A., (EUR 1,861 thousand as of 31 December 2021).

Note 44 contains a detail of the terms to maturity and estimated fair value of these financial liabilities on 31 December 
2022 and 2021.

 88

 
Lease liabilities

The cash outflow of leases in 2022 was EUR 37,017 thousand (EUR 36,762 thousand in 2021). 

The analysis of the maturities of lease liabilities as of 31 December 2022 and 2021 is shown below:

Maturity Analysis – Discounted payments

Within 1 year

Between 1 year and 3 years

Between 3 years and 5 years

More than 5 years

EUR Thousands

2022

2021

45,351

93,687

43,577

75,522

54,615

74,101

60,547

94,960

Recognised lease liabilities as of December 31

258,137

284,223

No  significant  variable  payments  not  included  in  the  valuation  of  lease  liabilities  have  been  made  during  2022  and 
2021.

Disclosures on the average period of payment to suppliers. Additional Provision Three “Disclosure obligation” provided 
for in Law 15/2010, of 5 July

Additional  Provision  Three  of  Law  15/2010,  of  5  July,  amending  Law  3/2004,  of  29  December,  on  combating  late 
payment in commercial transactions, amended by Final Provision Two of Law 31/2014, of 3 December, establishes the 
obligation  for  companies  to  expressly  disclose  their  average  periods  of  payment  to  suppliers  in  the  notes  to  their 
financial statements, and stipulates that the Spanish Accounting and Audit Institute (“ICAC”) shall indicate, by way of a 
resolution, such adaptations as may be required, in accordance with the provisions of this Law, in order for companies 
not  covered  by  Article  2,1  of  Organic  Law  2/2012,  of  27  April,  on  Budgetary  Stability  and  Financial  Sustainability  to 
correctly apply the methodology for calculating the average period of payment to suppliers established by the Ministry 
of  Finance  and  Public  Administration.  This  disclosure  obligation  is  also  applicable  to  the  consolidated  financial 
statements of such companies as prepare them, although solely in respect of the fully consolidated companies located 
in Spain.

The  aforementioned  ICAC  Resolution  (Resolution  of  29  January  2016  on  the  disclosures  to  be  included  in  notes  to 
financial statements on the average period of payment to suppliers in commercial transactions), which was published 
in the Spanish Official State Gazette on 4 February 2016, implements, inter alia, the methodology that must be applied 
to calculate the average period of payment to suppliers. Therefore, this methodology was applied by the Bank for the 
purpose of preparing the disclosures included in this connection in these consolidated financial statements.

In  order  to  ensure  a  proper  understanding  of  the  disclosures  contained  in  this  Note,  as  provided  for  in  the 
aforementioned applicable legislation, it should be noted that “suppliers” are considered to be only those suppliers of 
goods  and  services  to  the  Group's  Spanish  companies  for  which  the  related  expense  is  recognised,  mainly,  under 
“Administrative Expenses – Other Administrative Expenses” in the consolidated income statement; this Note does not 
include,  therefore,  any  information  on  payments  in  financial  transactions  constituting  the  Group's  object  and  core 
activity  or  on  payments  to  any  non-current  asset  suppliers,  which  in  any  case  were  made  in  accordance  with  the 
periods established in the corresponding agreements and in current legislation.

Also,  it  should  be  noted  that,  in  accordance  with  the  provisions  of  the  aforementioned  ICAC  Resolution,  only 
transactions for goods or services received for which payment has accrued since the entry into force of Law 31/2014 
were taken into consideration and that, given the nature of the services that the Group's consolidated Spanish entities 
receive,  for  the  purpose  of  preparing  this  information  “period  of  payment  (days)”  was  deemed  to  be  the  period 
between the date of receipt of the invoices and the payment date.

 89

The information for 2022 and 2021 required under the aforementioned legislation, in the format required by the ICAC 
Resolution mentioned above for the Spanish consolidated Group companies in these consolidated financial statements, 
is as follows:

Average period of payment to suppliers
Ratio of transactions settled
Ratio of transactions not yet settled

Total payments made

Total payments outstanding

2022
Days

2021
Days

20.82
20.80
21.26
EUR Thousands
349,897

15.09
14.91
20.10
EUR Thousands
312,822

12,410

11,049

It should be noted that although under Law 3/2014, of 29 December, the maximum period for payment to suppliers is 
60  days,  Law  11/2013,  of  26  July,  established  a  maximum  payment  period  of  30  days,  extendable  by  agreement 
between the parties to a maximum of 60 days.

The  average  period  and  the  ratios  of  transactions  settled  and  transactions  not  yet  settled  shown  in  the  table  above 
were calculated on the basis of the definitions and methodology established in the aforementioned ICAC Resolution of 
29 January 2016.

Additionally,  in  accordance  with  Law  18/2022  of  September  28,  listed  commercial  companies  must  report  in  the 
average payment period to suppliers, additionally, the monetary volume and number of invoices paid in a period less 
than  the  maximum  established  in  the  delinquency  regulations  and  the  percentage  that  it  represents  over  the  total 
number of invoices and over the total monetary payments to its suppliers.

Paid Invoices
Invoices paid in a period less than the maximum 
over the total number of invoices paid
Total payments made
Invoices paid in a period less than the maximum 
on the total amount of invoices paid

EUR Thousands
2022
39,693

98.97%
1,330,871

96.71%

Suppliers, for the exclusive purpose of providing the information provided for in this Resolution, are considered to be 
commercial creditors for debts with suppliers of goods or services.

“Average period of payment to suppliers” is understood to be the period that elapses from the delivery of the goods or 
the provision of services by the supplier and the material payment of the operation.

 90

21. Provisions

The detail of “Provisions” in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets as of 31 December 2022 and 2021 is as 
follows:

Provision for pensions and other employment defined benefit obligations
Provisions for other long-term employee benefits
Provisions for taxes and other legal contingencies
Provisions for commitments and guarantees given
Other provisions

EUR Thousands

2022

2021

414,385
31,488
10,089
28,010
126,903
610,875

598,456
44,442
9,576
39,403
134,033
825,910

The changes in 2022 and 2021 in the balances of these items in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets were 
as follows:

2022

Pensions and 
similar 
obligations

Other long 
term 
employee 
benefits

Taxes and 
other legal 
contingencies

Contingent 
liabilities and 
commitments

Total

Other 
provisions 
(****) 

Balances at beginning of period

Net inclusion (exclusion) of

Entities in (from) the Group

Additions/(Reversals) charged (credited) to 
income:

Interest expense (Note 31)

Other Interest

Staff costs (Note 39)

Net additions to provisions (amounts used) 

(*) (***)

Changes in value recognised in equity

Payments to retired employees and pre-
retirees with a charge to internal 
provisions (**)

Insurance premiums paid, return premiums 
received and payments to external funds

Amounts used

Transfers, exchange differences and other 
changes

Balances at end of year

598,456

—

17,850

8,105

—

11,999

(2,254)

616,306

44,442

—

9,576

—

39,403

134,033

825,910

—

—

—

(2,447)

12,939

(11,332)

25,449

575

—

1,313

(4,335)

41,995

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

12,939

22,515

(11,332)

28,071

25,449

159,482

(177,950)

—

(15,232)

(10,193)

(2,935)

—

—

—

—

—

—

(13,106)

(5,804)

(314)

680

(201,921)

414,385

(10,507)

31,488

(12,426)

10,089

—

—

—

—

(61)

(61)

28,010

42,459

8,680

—

13,312

20,467

868,369

(177,950)

(25,425)

(2,935)

—

—

—

(47,964)

(61,070)

15,385

9,886

(32,579)

126,903

(257,494)

610,875

(***) This amount is recognised with a charge to “Provisions or reversal of provisions” in the consolidated income statement.

(****)  Includes provisions allocated by the various group companies as a result of their normal operations.

 91

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
71,780

7,395

—

13,932

50,453

966,663

(46,673)

(29,065)

(1,238)

(81,598)

17,821

(140,753)

825,910

2021

Pensions and 
similar 
obligations

Other long 
term 
employee 
benefits

Taxes and 
other legal 
contingencies

Contingent 
liabilities and 
commitments

Other 
provisions 
(****) 

Total

636,531

—

52,500

—

22,878

—

33,396

—

146,923

2,655

892,228

2,655

20,618

7,120

—

13,261

237

657,149

4,216

4,676

5,485

36,785

275

—

671

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

3,270

56,716

4,676

27,554

5,485

38,881

36,785

186,363

Balances at beginning of period

Net inclusion (exclusion) of

Entities in (from) the Group

Additions/(Reversals) charged (credited) to 

income:

Interest expense (Note 31)

Other Interest

Staff costs (Note 39)

Net additions to provisions (amounts used) 

(*) (***)

Changes in value recognised in equity

(46,673)

—

Payments to retired employees and pre-
retirees with a charge to internal 
provisions (**)

Insurance premiums paid, return premiums 
received and payments to external funds

Amounts used

Transfers, exchange differences and other 

changes

Balances at end of year

(17,410)

(11,655)

(1,238)

—

6,628

(58,693)

598,456

—

—

(619)

(12,274)

44,442

—

—

—

(23,440)

5,462

(17,978)

9,576

—

—

—

—

522

522

39,403

—

—

—

(58,158)

5,828

(52,330)

134,033

(*) The balance of net allocations (applications) to provisions for pensions and other post-employment defined benefit obligations, as 
well as long-term employee remuneration, related in the years 2022 and 2021 is broken down as follows:

EUR Thousands

2022

2021

Expenses / (revenue)

Post-employment benefits - Spanish entities:
Past service cost
Pre-retirements
Curtailments/settlements
Return premiums received on defined contribution pension plans

Other long-term benefits - Spanish entities:

Recognised actuarial losses/(gains) (obligations and assets)

Pre-retirements
Past service cost
Curtailments/settlements

Foreign entities:

Recognised actuarial losses/(gains) (obligations and assets)

Past service cost
Pre-retirements
Curtailments/settlements

—
—
—
—
—
—

(1,370)

—
45
—
(1,325)

(4,804)

—
—
(459)
(5,263)
(6,588)

The detail of “Payments to Retired Employees and Pre-retirees with a Charge to Internal Provisions” is as follows:

9
—
—
—
9

(246)

4,984
1
(133)
4,606

155

283
(15)
(1,108)
(685)
3,930

(**) 

 92

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
EUR Thousands

2022

2021

2,024

9,712

13,689

25,425

2,081

10,813

16,171

29,065

Post-employment benefits - Spanish entities
Other long-term benefits - Spanish entities
Foreign entities

a) Provisions for pensions and similar obligations

i. Post-employment benefits: defined contribution plans -  Spanish entities

The Group guarantees the following defined contribution post-employment commitments:

Santander Consumer Finance, S.A.

Obligations guaranteed from the date of effective retirement to employees who took pre-retirement after May 
1996,  which  were  externalised  through  an  insurance  policy  taken  out  with  a  non-related  entity  (Generali 
España, Sociedad Anónima de Seguros y Reaseguros). Currently, pre-retired collective is already collecting the 
retirement compensation. 

No premiums were paid to the insurance company in 2022 and 2021 (see Note 2-r).

Spanish entities

The Collective Agreement of the Spanish entities of the Group, signed on February 2, 2012, has established a 
complementary  social  welfare  system  for  active  personnel  who  meet  certain  conditions,  which  has  been 
implemented  through  a  defined  contribution  Pension  Plan.  Said  Pension  Plan  covers  the  following 
contingencies: retirement, death, and permanent disability (total, absolute or severe disability). The Spanish 
entities of the Group have assumed the commitment to make an annual contribution of 900 euros for each of 
the  participants.  In  2022,  contributions  were  made  for  this  concept  for  an  amount  of  716  thousand  euros 
(439  thousand  euros  in  2021),  which  have  been  recorded  under  the  heading  "Administration  expenses  - 
Personnel expenses" of the attached consolidated profit and loss account (see Note 39).

Additionally,  some  of  the  branches  abroad  have  defined  contribution  plans  (mainly  Santander  Consumer 
Holland, Santander Consumer Benelux). The contributions made to these plans, in the years 2022 and 2021 
have  amounted  to  3,034  and  1,015  thousand  euros,  respectively,  which  are  recorded  under  the  heading 
"Administrative  expenses  -  Personnel  expenses"  of  the  consolidated  profit  and  loss  account  for  both  years 
(See Note 39.)

ii. Post-employment benefits: Defined benefit plans – Spanish entities

The Group guarantees as a defined benefit the following commitments of the Spanish entities:

Santander Consumer Finance, S.A.

•

•

Pension  obligations  under  the  Banking  Collective  Agreement  to  current  employees,  employees  who  took 
pre-retirement  (including  future  insurance  premiums)  and  retired  employees,  in  addition  to  other 
commitments acquired with early-retired personnel and liabilities prior to May 1996, which are covered in 
full by an internal provision.

Life  insurance  guaranteed  to  retired  employees  from  Banco  de  Fomento,  S.A.,  covered  by  an  insurance 
policy (that does not meet the requirements for externalisation) taken out with a non-related entity (AXA 
España, S.A.). The present value of future premiums is covered by an internal provision.

 93

 
 
 
 
•

Company  store  and  coal  and  gas  benefits  guaranteed  to  retired  employees  by  virtue  of  the  Internal 
Regulations of Banking Company Stores, which are covered by an internal provision. 

Additionally,  to  the  post-employment  defined  benefit  commitments  of  the  foreign  branches  acquired  during 
2021  (Greece  and  Belgium),  the  post-employment  defined  benefit  commitments  of  the  branch  in  France 
incorporated in 2022.

The  present  value  of  the  commitments  assumed  by  the  consolidated  Spanish  entities  in  terms  of  post-
employment benefits, as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, are shown below:

Present value of the obligations: To current employees

Active employees

Vested obligations to retired employees and pre-retirees

Other obligations to retired employees

Provisions - Pensions and similar obligations for defined 
contribution plans (Note 2-r)

EUR Thousands

2022

2021

—
21,006
—

—
22,351
9

21,006

22,360

The  present  value  of  the  obligations  was  determined  by  independent  actuaries  using  the  following  actuarial 
techniques: 

Valuation  method:  projected  unit  credit  method,  which  considers  each  period  of  service  as  giving  rise  to  an 
additional unit of benefit entitlement and measures each unit separately.

Actuarial  assumptions  used:  unbiased  and  mutually  compatible.  Specifically,  the  most  significant  actuarial 
assumptions used in the calculations were as follows:

Annual discount rate
Mortality tables
Cumulative annual CPI growth
Annual salary increase rate
Annual social security pension increase rate

2022

2021

3.70%
PERM/F-2020
2%
N/A
2%

0.70%
PERM/F-2020
1%
N/A
1%

The  discount  rate  used  for  the  update  of  cash-flows  was  determined  by  reference  to  high-quality  corporate 
bonds.

The estimated retirement age of each employee is the earliest at which the employee is entitled to retire or the 
agreed-upon age, as appropriate. 

 94

 
 
 
The amounts recognised in the consolidated income statements in relation to these pension obligations in 2022 and 
2021 were as follows:

Current service cost (Notes 2-r and 39)
Net interest cost (Note 31)
Expected return on assets
Extraordinary charges

Past service cost
Amount recognised in the year

EUR Thousands

2021
2022
Expenses/ (Income)

374
369
—
—
—

743

333
124
—
—
9

466

Additionally, during financial year 2022, the heading "Other accumulated comprehensive income - Actuarial gains or 
losses in defined benefit pension plans" has recorded a net credit amounting to 1,945 thousand euros with respect to 
defined benefit commitments (net charge of 1,126 thousand euros in 2021).

The movement that has occurred, during the years 2022 and 2021, in the present value of the obligation accrued for 
defined benefit commitments of the Spanish entities of the Group, has been as follows:

Present value of the obligations at beginning of year
Increase or decrease by acquisition
Current service cost (Notes 39 and 2-r)
Interest cost (Note 31)
Pre-retirements
Effect of curtailments/settlements
Benefits paid
Past service cost
Actuarial (gains)/losses (Note 2-r) (*)
Other
Present value of the obligations at end of year

EUR Thousands

2022

2021

27,513
206
374
429
—
—
(2,429)
—
(5,097)
10
21,006

25,019
5,563
333
164
—
—
(2,643)
9
(932)
—
27,513

•

(*) In 2022 includes demographic actuarial losses of 185 thousand euros and actuarial gains for financial assumptions of 
5,283 thousand euros (demographic actuarial gains of 177 thousand euros and financial actuarial losses of 755 thousand 
euros in post-employment plans in financial year 2021).

 95

The movement that has occurred, during the years 2022 and 2021, in the current value of the assets affected 
by defined benefit commitments of the Spanish entities of the Group, has been as follows: 

Present value of the obligations at beginning of year

6,341

5,871

EUR Thousands

2022

2021

Increase or decrease by acquisition

Expected return on plan assets

Actuarial (gains)/losses

Contributions

Benefits paid

Other

Fair value of plan assets at the end of year

iii. Other long term benefits -  Spanish entities

—

59

(874)

408

(405)

(105)

5,424

—

40

658

439

(595)

(72)

6,341

The long-term benefit obligations (other than post-employment benefit obligations) guaranteed by the Spanish 
subsidiaries of the Group and classified as defined benefit plans are as follows:

Santander Consumer Finance, S.A.

• Obligations to pre-retirees until the effective date of retirement, which are covered by an internal provision.

•

Life insurance guaranteed to pre-retirees, by virtue of the Group’s Collective Agreement, taken out with a 
non-related  entity  (Generali  España,  Sociedad  Anónima  de  Seguros  y  Reaseguros).  The  present  value  of 
future premiums is covered by an internal provision. 

• Health  insurance  guaranteed  to  pre-retirees  by  virtue  of  the  Group’s  Collective  Agreement.  The  present 

value of future premiums is covered by an internal provision.

•

Long-service bonus guaranteed to current employees, by virtue of the Group’s Collective Agreement, which 
is covered by an internal provision.

Santander Consumer Renting, S.L. 

• Obligations to pre-retirees until the effective date of retirement, which are covered by an internal provision.

•

Life insurance guaranteed to pre-retirees, by virtue of the Group’s Collective Agreement, taken out with a 
non-related  entity  (Generali  España,  Sociedad  Anónima  de  Seguros  y  Reaseguros).  The  present  value  of 
future premiums is covered by an internal provision. 

• Health  insurance  guaranteed  to  pre-retirees  by  virtue  of  the  Group’s  Collective  Agreement.  The  present 

value of future premiums is covered by an internal provision.

Transolver Finance, E.F.C.

• Obligations to pre-retirees until the effective date of retirement, which are covered by an internal provision.

•

Life insurance guaranteed to pre-retirees, by virtue of the Group’s Collective Agreement, taken out with a 
non-related  entity  (Generali  España,  Sociedad  Anónima  de  Seguros  y  Reaseguros).  The  present  value  of 
future premiums is covered by an internal provision. 

• Health  insurance  guaranteed  to  pre-retirees  by  virtue  of  the  Group’s  Collective  Agreement.  The  present 

value of future premiums is covered by an internal provision.

 96

Santander Consumer Finance Global Services, S.L.

• Obligations to pre retirees until the effective date of retirement which are covered by an internal provision.

The present value of the aforementioned obligations on 31 December 2022 and 2021 was as follows:

Present value of the obligations:

To pre-retirees
Long-service

Provisions - Pensions and similar obligations for 
defined contribution plans (Note 2-r)

EUR Thousands

2022

2021

20,921
145

31,527
130

21,066

31,657

The  present  value  of  the  obligations  was  determined  by  qualified  independent  actuaries  using  the  following 
actuarial techniques:

Valuation method: projected unit credit method.

Actuarial  assumptions  used:  unbiased  and  mutually  compatible.  Specifically,  the  most  significant  actuarial 
assumptions used in the calculations were as follows:

Annual discount rate
Mortality tables
Cumulative annual CPI growth
Annual salary increase rate

2022

2021

3.70%
PERM/F-2020
2%
N/A

0,70%-0,55%
PERM/F-2020
1%
N/A

Annual social security pension increase rate

2%

1%

The discount rate used for the flows was determined by reference to high-quality corporate bonds.

The estimated retirement age of each employee is the earliest at which the employee is entitled to retire or the 
agreed-upon age, as appropriate.

 97

The amounts recognised in the consolidated income statements for 2022 and 2021 in relation to these long-
term obligations were as follows:

Current service cost (Note 39)
Net interest cost (Note 31)

Expected return on insurance contracts linked to pensions
Extraordinary charges

Actuarial (gains)/losses recognised in the year
Past service cost
Pre-retirement cost

Curtailments/settlements
Amount recognised in the year

EUR Thousands

2021
2022
Expenses/(Income)

26
472

—

(1,370)
45
—
—
(827)

9
171

—

(246)
—
4,984
(132)
4,786

The changes in 2022 and 2021 in the present value of the accrued obligations for other long-term benefits at 
the Spanish entities in the Group were as follows:

Present value of the obligations at beginning of year
Current service cost (Note 39)
Interest cost (Note 31)
Pre-retirement cost
Effect of curtailments/settlements
Benefits paid
Past service cost
Actuarial (gains)/losses recognised in the year

Other
Present value of the obligations at end of year

EUR Thousands

2022

2021

31,657
26
472
—
—
(9,712)
45
(1,370)

(52)
21,066

37,684
9
171
4,984
(132)
(10,813)
—
(246)

—
31,657

The table that follows shows the estimated benefits payable at 31 December 2021 for the next ten years:

2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
2028 a 2032

EUR Thousands
9,996
7,691
6,870
4,828
3,284
8,980

 98

iv. Post-employment benefits – Other foreign subsidiaries

Some  of  the  consolidated  foreign  entities  have  acquired  obligations  with  their  employees  similar  to 
postemployment  benefits  and  other  long-term  defined  benefits.  The  technical  assumptions  applied  by  these 
companies (discount rates, mortality tables, cumulative annual CPI growth, etc.) in their actuarial estimates of 
these  obligations  are  consistent  with  the  economic  and  social  conditions  prevailing  in  the  countries  in  which 
they are located.

The detail of the present value of these obligations on 31 December 2022 and 2021, net of the assets that meet 
the requirements established in the applicable legislation in order to qualify as plan assets, is as follows:

Present value of the obligations

502,741

734,375

EUR Thousands

2022

2021

Of which:

Germany

Nordics (Scandinavia)

Less-

Plan assets

Provisions - Provisions for pensions and similar obligations (Note 
2-r)

Of which:

Internal pension funds

Net plan assets

404,410

27,576

583,341

40,000

(111,764)

(168,735)

390,977

565,640

406,972

(15,995)

588,520

(22,880)

The detail of assets classes in the plan as a percentage of the total amount of plan assets of foreign subsidiaries 
is as follows: 

Equity instruments
Debt instruments
Investment property
Other

2022

2021

9%
47%
18%
26%

6%
53%
17%
24%

The most significant actuarial assumptions used by the Group companies located in Germany to estimate the 
value of their commitments are detailed below:

Annual technical interest rate

Mortality tables

I.P.C. cumulative annual
Annual growth rate of
Annual Social Security pension review 
rate
Estimated retirement age

2022

2021

4.21%
Heubeck RT 
2018
1.90%
2.75%

1.45%
Heubeck RT 
2018
1.90%
2.75%

2.00%

2.00%

60/63(M/F)

60/63(M/F)

 99

 
 
 
 
 
 
The discount rate used for the flows was determined by reference to high-quality corporate bonds.

The amounts recognised in the consolidated income statements for 2022 and 2021 in relation to these defined 
benefit pension obligations of the Germany's foreign entities were as follows:

Current service cost (Note 39)
Net interest cost (Note 31)
Extraordinary charges
Actuarial gains or losses recognised
Past service cost
Early retirements
Effect of curtailments/settlements
Expected return on plan assets (Note 31)
Other interests
Amount recognised in the year

EUR Thousands

2022
2021
Expenses / (Income)

9,486
8,271
—
(2,530)
—
—
(134)
(417)
—
14,676

10,042
7,069
—
—
—
—
(1,131)
(336)
—
15,644

The  movement  that  has  occurred,  during  the  years  2022  and  2021,  in  the  current  value  of  the  obligation 
accrued for defined benefit commitments of foreign entities in Germany:

Present value of the obligations at beginning of year
Net inclusion/(exclusion) of entities in/(from) the Group
Current service cost (Note 39)
Interest cost
Effect of curtailments/settlements
Benefits paid
Actuarial (gains)/losses (*)
Exchange differences, transfers and other items
Present value of the obligations at end of year

EUR Thousands

2022

2021

583,341
—
9,486
7,854
(134)
(13,720)
(182,821)
404
404,410

612,226
121
10,042
6,733
(1,131)
(13,469)
(30,972)
(209)
583,341

(*)  In  2022  includes  demographic  losses  amounting  to  15,024  thousand  euros  (demographic  actuarial  gains 
amounting to 9,040 thousand euros in 2021) and financial actuarial gains amounting to 197,845 thousand euros 
(financial actuarial losses amounting to 21,932 thousand euros in financial year 2021).

 100

The  movement  that  has  occurred,  during  the  years  2022  and  2021,  in  the  fair  value  of  the  plan  assets 
associated with these defined benefit commitments of the foreign entities dependent on Germany, has been as 
follows:

Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year
Expected return on plan assets
Actuarial gains/(losses) arising in the year
Contributions
Benefits paid
Fair value of plan assets at end of year

EUR Thousands
2021
2022

30,057
417
(9,199)
786
(1,096)
20,965

30,754
336
(748)
503
(788)
30,057

The table below shows the estimated benefits payable at 31 December 2022 for the next ten years:

2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
2028 a 2032

EUR Thousands
15,114
16,112
17,705
18,995
20,106
117,244

The amounts recognised in the consolidated income statements for 2022 and 2021 in relation to these defined 
benefit pension obligations of the Group's foreign entities (without Germany) were as follows:

Current service cost (Note 39)

Net interest cost (*)

Extraordinary endowments

Actuarial Gains/losses during period

Past service cost

Effect of curtailments/settlements

Expected return on plan assets (*)

Other interests
Amount recognised in the year

EUR (Thousands)

2022

2021

Expenses / (Income)

3,426

2,357

—

(2,274)

—

(325)

(2,371)

—

813

3,032

2,023

—

283

—

(259)

(1,656)

—

3,423

(*) These items are recorded for their net amount (15 thousand euros in the 2022 financial year and 367 thousand 
euros in the 2021 financial year) under the heading "Interest expenses" of the consolidated profit and loss accounts 
for said years (see Note 31).

 101

The  changes  in  the  present  value  of  the  accrued  obligation  from  defined  benefit  pension  plans  in  2022  and 
2021 of all foreign entities, excluding Germany, as well as in the plan assets is as follows:

EUR (Thousands)

2022

2021

Present value of the obligations at beginning of year

151,034

112,823

Net inclusion/(exclusion) of entities in/(from) the Group

—

49,843

Current service cost (Note 39)

Interest cost

Pre-retirements

Effect of curtailments/settlements

Benefits paid

Benefits paid in case of liquidation

Past service cost

Actuarial (gains)/losses (*)

Exchange differences, transfers and other items

Present value of the obligations at end of year

3,426

2,357

—

(325)

(5,111)

(2,040)

—

3,032

2,023

—

(259)

(8,143)

—

—

(48,281)

(7,335)

(2,730)

98,330

(950)

151,034

(*)  In  2022  includes  demographic  actuarial  gains  amounting  to  5,665  thousand  euros  (demographic 
actuarial losses amounting to 572 thousand euros in 2021) and financial actuarial gains amounting to 
42,616  thousand  euros  (financial  actuarial  losses  amounting  to  7,907  thousand  euros  in  fiscal  year 
2021).

The  changes  in  2022  and  2021  in  the  fair  value  of  the  plan  assets  associated  with  these  defined  benefit 
obligations of the Group's foreign subsidiaries (without Germany) were as follows:

Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year
Net additions / (disposals) of Group's companies
Expected return on plan assets
Actuarial gains/(losses) arising in the year
Contributions
Benefits paid
Exchange differences and other items
Fair value of plan assets at end of year

EUR Thousands
2021
2022

138,679
—
2,371
(43,372)
2,383
(4,045)
(5,217)
90,799

67,967
64,695
1,656
7,180
3,617
(4,653)
(1,783)
138,679

The table below shows the estimated benefits payable at 31 December 2022 for the next ten years:

2023

2024

2025

2026

2027

2028 a 2032

EUR Thousands

3,668

3,719

3,183

3,818

4,768

28,100

 102

Additionally,  during  the  year  2022,  the  heading  "Other  accumulated  comprehensive  income  -  Items  that  will 
not  be  reclassified  in  results  -  Actuarial  gains  or  losses  in  defined  benefit  pension  plans"  has  recorded  a  net 
credit amounting to 119,532 thousand euros with respect to the defined benefit commitments of the foreign 
companies of the Group (net payment amounting to 54,659 thousand euros in 2021).

Also,  some  foreign  entities  have  defined  contribution  plans  (mainly  Santander  Consumer  Bank,  S.p.A., 
Santander  Consumer  Bank  AS,  Santander  Consumer  Bank,  AG,  Compagnie  Generale  de  Credit  Aux  Par).  The 
contributions made to these plans, in the years 2022 and 2021 have amounted to 37,868 and 37,214 thousand 
euros, respectively, which are recorded under the heading "Administrative expenses - Personnel expenses" of 
the consolidated profit and loss account for both years (See Note 39).

v. Sensitivity analysis

Variations in the main assumptions used in the valuation may affect the calculation of the commitments. As of 
December 31, 2022, if the discount interest rate had decreased or increased by 50 b.p., there would have been 
an  increase  or  decrease  in  the  present  value  of  post-employment  obligations  of  +6.61%  and  -7.40%, 
respectively.

vi. Funded state of pension plans in current and four preceding fiscal years

The situation of the defined benefit obligations at the end of 2022 and the four preceding years was as follows:

1. Spanish entities

Post-employment benefits

Other long-term employee benefits

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

EUR Thousands

Present value of the obligation:

To current employees

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

21,006

27,512

25,023

25,601

26,149

20,921

31,527

—

—

—

—

—

—

Vested obligations to retired 

employees

To pre-retirees

Long-service bonuses and other 

obligations

Other

—

—

—

—

—

—

Fair value of plan assets

5,424

6,341

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

113

120

—

—

—

—

31,527

33,766

42,253

145

130

130

141

138

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

Provisions for pensions

15,582

21,171

25,023

25,714

26,269

21,066

31,657

31,657

33,907

42,391

Of which:

Internal pension funds

16,997

22,360

Net pension assets

(1,415)

(1,188)

—

—

—

—

—

—

21,066

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

2. Foreign entities-

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

EUR Thousands

Present value of the obligation

502,741

734,375

725,050

687,925

576,177

Fair value of plan assets

Provisions for pensions

Of which:

Internal pension funds

Net pension assets

(111,764)

(168,735)

(98,721)

(95,192)

(79,034)

390,977

565,640

626,329

592,733

497,143

406,972

(15,995)

588,520

(22,880)

—

—

—

—

—

—

 103

 
 
b) Other provisions

The  balance  of  the  headings  "Procedural  issues  and  pending  tax  litigation"  and  "Remaining  provisions"  in  the 
"Provisions" chapter, which, among other concepts, include those corresponding to provisions for restructuring and 
tax and legal litigation, have been estimated by applying calculation procedures prudent and consistent with the 
conditions of uncertainty inherent in the obligations they cover, the definitive moment of the outflow of resources 
being determined that incorporate economic benefits for the Group for each one of the obligations in some cases 
without a fixed term for cancellation, and in other cases, depending on ongoing litigation.

The balance of this item by geographic area is as follows:

Recognised in Spanish companies
Recognised in other European Union companies

EUR Thousands
2021
2022

55,779
81,212
136,991

56,113
87,496
143,609

The breakdown of the balance as of December 31, 2022 and 2021 is shown below, under the headings "Provisions 
for  taxes  and  other  legal  contingencies"  and  "Remaining  provisions"  for  each  type  of  provision.  The  types  of 
provisions have been determined by grouping those items of a similar nature

Provisions for taxes
Provisions for other proceedings of a legal nature
Provisions for operational risks
Provisions for restructuring
Other

EUR Thousands

2022

2021

7,862
2,227
65,107
18,097
43,698
136,991

7,655
1,921
49,935
32,188
51,910
143,609

Likewise, relevant information is broken down below for each of the types of provision shown in the table above:

•

•

Provisions for taxes include provisions for tax proceedings. 

The  provisions  for  other  proceedings  of  a  legal  nature  include  provisions  for  court,  arbitration  and 
administrative  proceedings  (other  than  those  included  in  other  categories  or  types  of  provisions  stated 
separately) initiated against companies in the Santander Consumer Finance Group

As of December 31, 2022, the main processes of a legal nature that affect the Group are the following:

Mortgage portfolio in Swiss francs (CHF) in Poland: on October 3, 2019, the Court of Justice of the European Union 
(CJEU) resolved a preliminary ruling in relation to legal proceedings instituted against a bank unrelated to Grupo 
Santander, declaring abusive certain clauses in the loan contracts indexed to CHF. The CJEU has left in the hands of 
the Polish courts the decision regarding whether the contract can subsist without the abusive clause, for which they 
must  in  turn  decide  if  the  effects  of  the  cancellation  of  the  contract  are  detrimental  to  the  consumer.  In  case  of 
subsistence  of  the  contract,  the  court  may  only  integrate  it  with  supplementary  provisions  of  national  law  and 
decide, according to them, the applicable rate.

As  of  December  31,  2022,  Santander  Consumer  Bank  S.A.  presents  a  portfolio  of  mortgages  denominated  in  or 
indexed to CHF for an approximate amount of 1,891 million zlotys (EUR 404 million). On the same date, there is a 
provision in the amount of PLN 745 million (EUR 159 million) to cover the CHF mortgage portfolio

 104

 
 
 
 
In December 2020, the Chairman of the Financial Supervisory Authority (hereinafter “KNF”) announced a high-level 
proposal  for  voluntary  agreements  between  banks  and  borrowers  under  which  Swiss  franc-denominated  loans 
would  be  subject  to  settlement  as  loans  in  zlotys  with  interest  referenced  to  the  WIBOR  rate  plus  the 
corresponding margin. The Bank has been testing the KNF proposal in relation to different client groups in parallel 
with  its  own  settlement  solutions.  The  results  of  the  current  tests  have  been  incorporated  into  the  provision 
calculation model.

On February 16, 2023, the CJEU General Advocate (“AG”) issued his opinion in case no. C-520/21 pending before 
the CJEU, concerning the right of the parties to exercise claims that go beyond the reimbursement of the monetary 
benefit of a loan contract in Swiss francs that has been declared null. In the opinion of the AG, Directive 93/13/EEC 
(Directive)  does  not  prevent  consumers  from  exercising  additional  claims  against  the  bank  as  a  result  of  the 
declaration of invalidity, but the legitimacy of such claims should be decided by national courts from Poland. With 
respect  to  the  claims  of  the  banks,  the  AG's  opinion  is  that  the  Directive  prevents  the  Bank  from  exercising 
additional claims against the consumer as a consequence of such a declaration of nullity. The opinion is not binding 
and does not definitively resolve these issues, a CJEU ruling in this case is expected in 2023. As of the date of the 
consolidated annual accounts, it is not possible to predict a reliable estimate of the potential impact for the Group if 
the CJEU were to assume AG's opinion.

The Group integrates its participation in Santander Consumer Bank, S.A. (Poland) by the equity method, being its 
percentage of participation in it as of December 31, 2022 and 2021 40%.

In  addition,  provisions  for  other  operational  risks  include  mainly  provisions  for  risks  derived  from  the  business 
operations  of  Group  companies,  the  most  significant  amounts  as  of  December  31,  2022  corresponding  to  those 
registered  in  Santander  Consumer  S.A.  for  an  amount  of  27,107  thousand  euros  (18,394  thousand  euros  at 
December 31, 2021), Santander Consumer Bank, A.G. (Germany) for the amount of 12,367 thousand euros (17,855 
thousand  euros  at  December  31,  2021)  and  Santander  Consumer  Bank  A.S.  (Norway)  in  the  amount  of  14,400 
thousand euros (149 thousand euros at December 31, 2021).

Provisions  for  restructuring  include  only  the  expenses  derived  from  restructuring  processes  carried  out  by  the 
different  entities  of  the  Group.  During  2020  and  2021,  the  Group  carried  out  different  restructuring  processes  in 
some  companies  to  adapt  the  business  to  the  current  market  conditions  in  said  geographies.  In  these  cases,  the 
Group  companies  offer  their  employees  the  possibility  of  leaving  by  means  of  early  retirement  offers  and 
incentivized redundancies. As of December 31, 2022, the outstanding balance for this concept corresponds mainly 
to  the  companies  Santander  Consumer  Bank,  A.G.  (Germany),  for  the  amount  of  15,678  thousand  euros  (25,917 
thousand euros at December 31, 2021), and Compagnie Generale de Credit Aux Particuliers - Credipar S.A. (France), 
which amounts to 1,898 thousand euros (2,312 thousand euros at December 31, 2020).

The Group's general policy consists of recording provisions for processes of a tax and legal nature in which the risk 
of  loss  is  assessed  as  probable  and  no  provisions  are  recorded  when  the  risk  of  loss  is  possible  or  remote.  The 
amounts to be provisioned are calculated in accordance with the best estimate of the amount necessary to settle 
the corresponding claim, based, among other things, on an individualized analysis of the facts and legal opinions of 
internal  and  external  advisors  or  taking  into  consideration  the  historical  average  figure.  of  losses  derived  from 
claims of this nature. The final date for the outflow of resources that incorporate economic benefits for the Group 
depends on each of the obligations. In some cases, the obligations do not have a fixed settlement term and, in other 
cases, they depend on ongoing legal processes.

 105

22. Tax matters

a) Current tax receivables and payables

The balance of “Tax Assets – Current Tax Assets” in the consolidated balance sheets as of 31 December 2022 
and  2021  includes  basically  income  tax  prepayments  made  by  the  consolidated  entities  to  the  public 
authorities of the countries in which they reside. The balance of “Tax Liabilities – Current Tax Liabilities” in the 
consolidated balance sheet includes the liability for the various taxes applicable to the Group.

b) Reconciliation of the accounting profit to the income tax expense recognised in the consolidated income statement.

The reconciliation of the consolidated accounting profit to the income tax expense in the consolidated income 
statements for 2022 and 2021 is as follows:

Consolidated profit (loss) before tax
Accounting profit multiplied by income tax rate (*)
Permanent differences and adjustments (**)
Consolidated income tax expense
Effective tax rate

EUR Thousands

2022

2021

Continuing 
operations

Continuing 
operations

2,207,893
662,368
(56,098)
606,270
27.46%

2,023,932
607,180
(73,909)
533,271
26.35%

(*) Computed using nominal tax rate applicable to the Bank (30%)
(**) These include the net tax effect of permanent differences at the consolidated entities, differences resulting from 
the existence of different tax rates in the countries in which the Group operates, the effects of consolidation, prior 
years'  tax  adjustments,  and  the  effect  of  considering  the  exemptions,  tax  credits  and  tax  relief  based  on  the 
jurisdictions in which the Group companies carry on their business. 

c) Years open for review by the Tax Authorities

The Bank forms part of the Tax Group headed by Banco Santander, S.A. Under current legislation, taxes cannot 
be deemed to have been definitively settled until the tax returns filed have been reviewed by the tax authorities 
or until the four-year statute-of-limitations period has expired.

In  June  and  November  2021  the  conformity  and  non-conformity  acts  relating  to  the  Corporate  Income  Tax 
financial years 2012 to 2015 were formalised. The adjustments signed in conformity had no significant impact 
on  results  and,  in  relation  to  the  concepts  signed  in  disconformity  both  in  this  year  and  in  previous  years 
(Corporate  Income  Tax  2003  to  2011),  Banco  Santander,  S.A.,  as  the  Parent  of  the  Consolidated  Tax  Group, 
considers, in accordance with the advice of its external lawyers, that the adjustments made should not have a 
significant  impact  on  the  consolidated  financial  statements,  and  there  are  sound  arguments  as  proof  in  the 
appeals filed against them pending at the National Appellate Court (tax years 2003 to 2011) and the Economic 
Administrative Court (tax years 2012-2015). Consequently, no provision has been recorded for this concept. On 
the  other  hand,  it  should  be  noted  that,  in  those  cases  in  which  it  has  been  considered  appropriate,  the 
mechanisms available to avoid international double taxation have been used.

As of the date of formulation of these accounts, the Corporate Income Tax and other tax concepts for the years 
2017 to 2019 are being verified, with subsequent years up to 2022, included, being subject to review.

The other entities have the corresponding years open for review, pursuant to their respective tax regulations.

The  notes  to  the  separate  financial  statements  of  the  Group's  consolidated  entities  include  other  salient 
information in relation to the tax matters affecting those entities.

 106

 
Because of the possible different interpretations which can be made of the tax regulations, the outcome of the 
tax  audits  of  the  rest  of  the  years  open  for  review  may  give  rise  to  contingent  tax  liabilities.  However,  the 
Group's tax advisers and the Bank's directors consider that it is unlikely that such tax liabilities will arise, and 
that  in  any  event  the  tax  charge  arising  therefrom  would  not  materially  affect  the  Group's  consolidated 
financial statements.

d)

Regulatory changes

On the other hand, during 2022, Law 38/2022 was approved, which establishes a non-tax patrimonial benefit 
payable  to  credit  institutions  and  financial  credit  establishments  in  the  years  2023  and  2024,  the  amount  of 
which will be 4.8%. of the sum of net interest income and commissions from the previous year derived from 
the activity carried out in Spain. The payment obligation will arise on the first day of each financial year (see 
Note 1.h). Likewise, said Law establishes a 50% limitation on the integration of negative individual tax bases in 
the tax base of the Consolidated Tax Group. This limitation is expected to be in force only in 2023, setting a 10-
year term for the reversal of this positive adjustment.

 107

e) Deferred taxes

The detail of the deferred taxes on 31 December 2022 and 2021 is as follows: 

Tax assets (*)
Tax losses and tax credits
Temporary differences
Of which:
Non-deductible provisions
Valuation of financial instruments
Credit losses
Pensions
Valuation of tangible and intangible assets
Tax liabilities
Temporary differences
Of which:
Valuation of financial instruments
Valuation of tangible and intangible assets
Gains on disposal of investments
Valuation of Group investments

EUR Thousands

Monetisable

2022

Other

Total

Monetisable

2021

Other

Total

263,740

294,794

558,534

283,871

304,041

587,912

—

8,569

8,569

—

5,546

263,740

286,225

549,965

283,871

298,495

—

—

217,068

34,655

12,017

—

—

—

—

—

48,333

23,419

20,054

107,431

75,435
1,283,474

48,333

23,419

237,122

142,086

87,452

1,283,474

—

—

181,899

690,442

—

181,899

690,442

—

134,495

134,495

—

—

237,199

34,655

12,017
—

—

—

—

—

—

38,458

37,081

22,770

103,893

70,251
1,072,514

—

132,351

610,981

—

126,857

126,857

5,546

582,366

38,458

37,081

259,969

138,548

82,268
1,072,514

—

132,351

610,981

—

(*)  As  at  31  December  2022  and  2021,  EUR  148  million  in  both  exercises  of  monetisable  tax  assets  correspond  to  Spain  and  EUR  136  and  162  million  correspond  to  Italy  in  the 
respective exercises.

 108

The movement in the balance of deferred tax assets and liabilities over the last two years is shown below:

Balance as 

(debit)/ 
credit  to 
of                                 
the income 
statement

31-12-2021

Conversion 
differences on 
foreign currency 
balances and 
other items

(debit) / credit to 
asset and liability 
valuation reserve

Acquisitions 
(net) for the year

Balance as of                                 
31-12-2022

Deferred tax assets

BIN's and deductions
Temporary differences
Of which monetisable

587,912

(24,177)

5,546

2,872

582,366

(27,049)

283,871

(20,131)

Deferred tax liabilities

(1,072,514)

(167,717)

Temporary differences

(1,072,514)

(167,717)

(1,439)

151

(1,590)

—

18,685

18,685

(3,762)

—

(3,762)

—

(61,928)

(61,928)

Total

(484,602)

(191,894)

17,246

(65,690)

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

558,534

8,569

549,965

263,740

(1,283,474)

(1,283,474)

(724,940)

Balance as 

31-12-2020

of                                 

(debit)/ 
credit  to 
the income 
statement

Conversion 
differences on 
foreign currency 
balances and 
other items

(debit) / credit to 
asset and liability 
valuation reserve

Acquisitions 
(net) for the 
year

Balance as of                                 
31-12-2021

Deferred tax assets

572,791

(18,113)

(14,990)

BIN's and deductions
Temporary differences
Of which monetisable

4,104

1,429

568,687

(19,542)

309,797

(26,346)

Deferred tax liabilities
Temporary differences

(946,424)

(105,150)

(946,424)

(105,150)

13

(15,003)

420

(12,898)

(12,898)

(6,199)

—

(6,199)

—

(2,800)

(2,800)

54,423

—

54,423

—

(5,242)

(5,242)

587,912

5,546

582,366

283,871

(1,072,514)

(1,072,514)

Total

(373,633)

(123,263)

(27,888)

(8,999)

49,181

(484,602)

The balance of “Tax Assets - Deferred” in the consolidated balance sheets includes the balances receivable from the tax 
authorities in respect of deferred income tax assets. The balance of “Tax Liabilities” in the consolidated balance sheets 
includes the liability for the various deferred taxes of the group. 

On 26 June 2013, the Basel III legal framework was included in European law through Directive 2013/36 (CRD IV) and 
Regulation 575/2013 on prudential requirements for credit institutions and investment firms (CRR), directly applicable 
in every Member State as from 1 January 2014, albeit with a gradual timetable with respect to the application of, and 
compliance with, various requirements.

This legislation establishes that deferred tax assets, the use of which relies on future profits being obtained, must be 
deducted from regulatory capital. 

In this regard, pursuant to Basel III, in recent years several countries have amended their tax regimes with respect to 
certain deferred tax assets so that they may continue to be considered regulatory capital since their use does not rely 
on the future profits of the entities that generate them (referred to hereinafter as "monetisable tax assets"). Italy had 
similar  regime  to  that  described  above,  which  was  introduced  by  Decree-Law  no.  225,  of  29  December  2010,  and 
amended by Law no. 10, of 26 February 2011.

In addition, in Spain, through Royal Decree-Law 14/2013, of 29 November confirmed by Law 27/2014, of 27 November 
tax  regimes  were  established  whereby  certain  deferred  tax  assets  (arising  from  provisions  to  allowances  for  loan 
losses, provisions to allowances for foreclosed assets and provisions for pension and pre-retirement obligations) may 
be converted into tax receivables in specific circumstances. As a result, their use does not rely on the entities obtaining 
future profits and, accordingly, they are exempt from deduction from regulatory capital.. 

In  2015  Spain  completed  its  regulations  on  monetisable  tax  assets  with  the  introduction  of  a  financial  contribution 
which will involve the payment of 1.5% for maintaining the right to monetise which will be applied to the portion of the 
deferred tax assets that qualify under the legal requirements as monetisable assets generated prior to 2016.

 109

 
 
 
 
 
 
In a similar manner, Italy, by decree of 3 May 2016 has introduced a fee of 1.5% annually to maintain the monetisable 
of part of the deferred tax assets. 

The Group only recognises deferred tax assets for temporary differences or tax loss and tax credit carry forwards where 
it is considered probable that the consolidated entities that generated them will have sufficient future taxable profits 
against which they can be utilised. 

The  deferred  tax  assets  and  liabilities  are  reassessed  at  the  reporting  date  in  order  to  ascertain  whether  any 
adjustments need to be made on the basis of the findings of the analyses performed. 

These  analyses  take  into  account,  inter  alia:  (i)  the  results  generated  by  the  various  entities  in  prior  years,  (ii)  each 
entity or tax group's projected earnings, (iii) the estimated reversal of the various temporary differences, based on their 
nature,  and  (iv)  the  period  and  limits  established  by  the  legislation  of  each  country  for  the  recovery  of  the  various 
deferred  tax  assets,  thereby  concluding  on  each  entity  or  tax  group's  ability  to  recover  its  recognised  deferred  tax 
assets.

The earnings projections used in this analysis are based on the financial budgets approved by the local management of 
the relevant units and by the Group's directors. The Group's budget estimation process is common to all units. Group 
management prepares its financial budgets based on the following key assumptions:  

1) Microeconomic variables of the entities comprising the tax group at each location: consideration is given to 
the existing balance sheet structure, the mix of products offered, and the commercial strategy defined by the 
local management units at any given time based on the competitive, regulatory and market environment. 

2) Macroeconomic  variables:  the  estimated  growths  are  based  on  the  evolution  of  the  economic  environment 
considering the expected evolution of the Gross Domestic Product of each location and the forecasts of the 
behaviour  of  interest  rates,  inflation  and  exchange  rates.  Said  data  are  provided  by  the  Group's  Research 
Department, which are based on external information sources. 

In addition, the Group performs backtesting on the variables projected in the past. The differential behaviour of these 
variables  with  respect  to  the  actual  market  data  is  considered  in  the  projections  estimated  in  each  year.  Thus,  in 
relation to Spain, the deviations identified by management in recent years are due to nonrecurring events unrelated to 
the  operation  of  the  business,  such  as  the  impact  of  the  first  application  of  new  applicable  regulations,  the  costs 
assumed  for  the  acceleration  of  the  restructuring  plans  and  the  changing  effect  of  the  current  macroeconomic 
environment.

Lastly,  given  the  degree  of  uncertainty  of  these  assumptions,  the  Group  performs  a  sensitivity  analysis  of  the  most 
significant assumptions considered in the analysis of the recoverability of deferred tax assets, considering reasonable 
changes in the key assumptions on which the projected results of each entity or tax group are based and the estimated 
reversal of the various temporary differences. In relation to Spain, the sensitivity analysis consisted of adjusting growth 
(gross domestic product) by 50 basis points and adjusting inflation by 50 basis points. 

In  addition  to  the  income  taxes  recognised  in  the  consolidated  income  statements,  in  2021  and  2020  the  Group 
recognised the following amounts in consolidated equity:

Actuarial gains and losses on pension plans

Cash flow hedges
Debt instruments at fair value through other 
comprehensive income
Other
Total

EUR Thousands
Credits (Charges) to 
Consolidated Equity
2021
2022

12,289
5,036

677
(2,910)
15,092

12,289
5,036

(99)
(2,133)
15,093

 110

23. Registered share capital and equity instruments other than capital

a) Registered share capital

As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, the Bank's capital stock consisted of 1,879,546,172 registered shares, each 
with a par value of EUR 3, fully subscribed and paid up, with identical voting and dividend rights. 

On  December  20,  2019,  Holneth,  B.V.  sold  the  registered  shares  it  held  over  the  Bank,  of  which  469,886,523 
registered shares were acquired by Banco Santander, S.A. and 20 by Cántabro Catalana de Inversiones, S.A.. Thus, 
as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, Banco Santander, S.A. owned 1,879,546,152 shares and Cántabro Catalana de 
Inversiones, S.A. owned 20 shares.

b) Equity instruments other than capital

At the meeting held on 3 December 2020, the Shareholders agreed to issue preferred participations, contingently 
convertible  into  newly  issued  ordinary  shares  (henceforth  “PPCC”),  for  a  nominal  amount  of  EUR  150,000 
thousand. The payment of PPCC is subject to certain conditions, especially the availability of sufficient funds, and 
which  is  also  discretionary,  was  set  at  5%  annual  for  the  first  five  years,  revised  thereafter  by  applying  a  yearly 
margin of 5.551% over the 5-year Mid-Swap Rate.

On 14 December 2018, the Annual General Meeting of the Bank approved an issuance of contingently convertible 
preferred shares in ordinary shares of the newly issued Bank (the "PPCC") for a nominal amount of EUR 200,000 
thousand. The remuneration of the PPCCs, whose payment is subject to compliance with certain conditions for their 
distribution linked mainly to the availability of the necessary funds, as well as the decision by the Bank, was fixed 
at an annual 8.25% for the first five years, being revised thereafter applying a margin of 8.22% per year plus the 
Mid-Swap rate to five years (5 year Mid-Swap Rate). 

On  6  February  2019,  the  European  Central  Bank  approved  the  computability  of  these  PPCCs  as  Tier  1  capital 
(additional  tier  1)  under  the  new  European  regulations  on  own  resources  of  the  European  Regulation  575/2013. 
The  PPCCs  are  perpetual,  although  they  can  be  amortized  early  if  the  Bank  or  its  consolidated  group  presents  a 
ratio  of  less  than  5.125%  of  ordinary  capital  (common  equity  Tier  1  ratio)  calculated  according  to  the  applicable 
regulations. In this case and subject to compliance with certain requirements, the shares would be converted into 
ordinary shares of new issue of Santander Consumer Finance, S.A. in accordance with the value established in the 
brochure of issuance of the shares. In addition, these shares may be redeemed by the Bank's decision only when 
there is a change in the rules for calculating regulatory capital or the tax framework applicable to preferred shares, 
and with the prior approval of the European Central Bank.

On 14 December 2017, the Annual General Meeting of the Bank approved an issuance of contingently convertible 
preferred shares in ordinary shares of the newly issued Bank (the "PPCC") for a nominal amount of EUR 850,000 
thousand. The remuneration of the PPCCs, whose payment is subject to compliance with certain conditions for their 
distribution linked mainly to the availability of the necessary funds, as well as the decision by the Bank, was fixed 
at an annual 5.75% for the first five years, being revised thereafter applying a margin of 5.545% per year plus the 
Mid-Swap rate to five years (5 year Mid-Swap Rate). 

On 7 February 2018, the European Central Bank has approved the computability of these PPCCs as Tier 1 capital 
(additional  tier  1)  under  the  new  European  regulations  on  own  resources  of  the  European  Regulation  575/2013. 
The  PPCCs  are  perpetual,  although  they  can  be  amortized  early  if  the  Bank  or  its  consolidated  group  presents  a 
ratio  of  less  than  5.125%  of  ordinary  capital  (common  equity  Tier  1  ratio)  calculated  according  to  the  applicable 
regulations. In this case and subject to compliance with certain requirements, the shares would be converted into 
ordinary shares of new issue of Santander Consumer Finance, S.A. in accordance with the value established in the 
brochure of issuance of the shares. In addition, these shares may be redeemed by the Bank's decision only when 
there is a change in the rules for calculating regulatory capital or the tax framework applicable to preferred shares, 
and with the prior approval of the European Central Bank. PPCCs are traded on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. All of 
the preferred shares have been fully subscribed by Banco Santander, S.A. as of 31 December 2018 and 2017.

The accrued income on the shares issued at 31 December 2022 and 31 December 2021 amounted to EUR 325,375 
thousand and EUR 252,500 thousand, respectively, and was recognised under "Retained Earnings" having accrued 
EUR 72,875 thousand and EUR 72,873 thousand in the years 2022 and 2021, respectively.

 111

24. Share premium

The balance of “Share Premium” in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets as of 31 December 2022 and 2021 
includes the amount paid up by the Bank's shareholders in capital issues in excess of the par value. The Consolidated 
Spanish Limited Liability Companies Law expressly permits the use of the share premium account balance to increase 
capital at the entities at which it is recognised and does not establish any specific restrictions as to its use.

25. Retained earnings and other reserves

The balance of “Shareholders’ Equity - Reserves - Retained Earnings” in the accompanying consolidated balance sheet 
includes  the  net  amount  of  the  accumulated  profit  or  loss  attributable  to  the  Group  recognised  in  previous  years 
through the consolidated income statement that, in the distribution of profit, was appropriated to consolidated equity, 
as  well  as  any  own  equity  instrument  issuance  expenses  and  the  differences  between  the  selling  price  of  treasury 
shares and the cost of acquisition thereof, should the Bank perform such transactions, and the distribution of profits to 
the Bank's shareholders recognised with a charge to reserves.

The  balance  of  “Shareholders'  Equity  –  Other  Reserves  –  Reserves  or  Accumulated  Losses  in  Investments  in  Joint 
Ventures and Associates” in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets includes the net amount corresponding to 
the Group of the undistributed accumulated profit or loss generated in previous years by entities accounted for using 
the equity method, recognised through the consolidated income statement.

The  detail  of  “Shareholders’  Equity  –  Other  Reserves  -  Retained  Earnings”  and  “Shareholders'  Equity  -  Reserves  - 
Reserves or Accumulated Losses in Investments in Joint Ventures and Associates” in the consolidated balance sheets as 
of 31 December 2022 and 2021 is as follows:

Retained earnings:
Legal reserve of the Bank
Unrestricted, voluntary and other reserves
Consolidation reserves attributable to the Bank
Reserves of subsidiaries

Other reserves

Other

Reserves or accumulated losses from investments in:

Joint ventures and associates

EUR Thousands

2022

2021

716,069
575,350
166,373
2,171,545
3,629,337

652,428
452,176
162,982
1,718,272
2,985,858

(419,035)

(344,926)

439,882
20,847

398,835
53,909

Legal reserve

Under  the  Consolidated  Spanish  Capital  Companies  Law,  10%  of  net  profit  for  each  year  must  be  transferred  to  the 
legal  reserve.  These  transfers  must  be  made  until  the  balance  of  this  reserve  reaches  20%  of  the  share  capital.  The 
legal reserve can be used to increase capital provided that the remaining reserve balance does not fall below 10% of 
the increased share capital amount. Otherwise, until the legal reserve exceeds 20% of share capital, it can only be used 
to offset losses, provided that sufficient other reserves are not available for this purpose.

 112

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Reserves of subsidiaries

The detail, by company, of “Reserves of Subsidiaries”, based on the subsidiaries' contribution to the Group (considering 
the effect of consolidation adjustments), is as follows:

Santander Consumer Holding GmbH
Santander Consumer Bank S.p.A.
Auto Abs UK Loans PLC
PSA Finance UK Limited
Santander Consumer Bank Gmbh
Compagnie Generale de Credit Aux Particuliers - Credipar S.A.
PSA Financial Services, Spain, EFC, SA
Santander Consumer Finance OY
Andaluza de Inversiones, S.A. Unipersonal
Santander Consumer Bank A.S.
Santander Consumer Bank AG
PSA Banque France
Financiera el Corte Inglés, E.F.C., S.A.
Banca PSA Italia S.P.A.
PSA Bank Deutschland GmbH
Other

EUR Thousands

2022
(1,243,743)
134,787
(65,982)
90,913
213,468
321,492
37,253
255,561
9,723
1,391,900
575,757
106,062
52,359
42,528
85,985
163,484
2,171,547

2021
(1,431,523)
96,549
(3,938)
(15,356)
178,840
196,393
8,725
201,697
65,037
1,364,381
496,070
131,656
37,761
96,070
81,446
214,463
1,718,271

26. Other comprehensive income

The balances of Other comprehensive income include the amounts, net of the related tax effect, of the adjustments to 
assets and liabilities recognised in equity through the consolidated statement of recognised income and expense. The 
amounts  arising  from  subsidiaries  are  presented,  on  a  line  by  line  basis,  in  the  appropriate  items  according  to  their 
nature.

Respect  to  items  that  may  be  reclassified  to  profit  or  loss,  the  consolidated  statement  of  recognised  income  and 
expense includes changes in other comprehensive income as follows:

•

•

•

•

Revaluation  gains  (losses):  includes  the  amount  of  the  income,  net  of  the  expenses  incurred  in  the  year, 
recognised directly in equity. The amounts recognised in equity in the year remain under this item, even if in 
the same year they are transferred to the income statement or to the initial carrying amount of the assets or 
liabilities or are reclassified to another line item.

Amounts  transferred  to  income  statement:  includes  the  amount  of  the  revaluation  gains  and  losses 
previously recognised in equity, even in the same year, which are recognised in the income statement.

Amounts transferred to initial carrying amount of hedged items: includes the amount of the revaluation gains 
and losses previously recognised in equity, even in the same year, which are recognised in the initial carrying 
amount of assets or liabilities as a result of cash flow hedges.

Other reclassifications: includes the amount of the transfers made in the year between the various valuation 
adjustment items.

The amounts of these items are recognised gross, including the amount of the Other comprehensive income relating to 
non-controlling  interests,  and  the  corresponding  tax  effect  is  presented  under  a  separate  item,  except  in  the  case  of 
entities accounted for using the equity method, the amounts for which are presented net of the tax effect.

 113

a) Breakdown  of  Other  comprehensive  income  -  Items  that  will  not  be  reclassified  in  results  and  Items  that  can  be 

classified in results

Other comprehensive income

Items that will not be reclassified to profit or loss

Actuarial gains or losses on defined benefit pension plans
Assets included in disposal groups classified as held for sale

Other recognised income and expense in investments in joint ventures and associates

Changes in the fair value of equity instruments at fair value through other 
comprehensive income

Other valuation adjustments

Items that may be reclassified to profit or loss

Hedges of net investments in foreign operations (effective portion)

Currency translation differences

Derivatives – hedge accounting. Cash flow hedges (effective portion)

Changes in the fair value of debt instruments measured at fair value with changes in 
other comprehensive income

Hedging instruments (items not designated)

Assets included in disposal groups classified as held for sale

EUR Thousands

31-12-2022

31-12-2021

(582,107)

(33,865)

(41,487)
—

195

7,427

—

(548,242)

(46,397)

(495,612)

62,111

(1,149)

—

—

(645,973)

(155,201)

(163,721)
—

160

8,360

—

(490,772)

(100,443)

(351,791)

10,170

256

—

—

Share in other recognised income and expenses in investments in joint ventures and 
associates

(67,195)

(48,964)

b) Other comprehensive income- Items not reclassified to profit or loss – Actuarial gains or (-) losses on defined benefit 

pension plans

The  balance  of  "Other  comprehensive  income  -  Items  not  reclassified  to  profit  or  loss  -  Actuarial  gains  or  (-) 
losses on defined benefit pension plans” includes the actuarial gains and losses and the return on plan assets, 
less  the  administrative  expenses  and  taxes  inherent  to  the  plan,  and  any  change  in  the  effect  of  the  asset 
ceiling,  excluding  amounts  included  in  net  interest  on  the  net  liability  (asset)  relating  to  the  defined  benefit 
postemployment obligations of the consolidated companies.

Changes  in  these  items  are  mainly  recognised  in  the  consolidated  statement  of  recognised  income  and 
expense. The most significant changes in 2022 relate mainly to the variations in the main actuarial assumptions 
of the German subsidiary – actuarial gains by experience and increase of interest rates from 1.45% to 4.21%-, 
as well as actuarial earnings , mainly financial, in Nordics (Scandinavia) – increases in interest rates from 2.00% 
to 3.50% in Sweden and with actuarial gains from Spanish entities – increase in the interest rate from 0.70% to 
3.70% and gains on affected assets (in 2021 changes related mainly due to the variations in the main actuarial 
assumptions of the German subsidiary – increase in interest rates from 1.17% to 1.45%, and mainly financial 
actuarial earnings in Nordics due to the increase in interest rates from 1.50% to 2.00% in Sweden).

c)

Items that may be reclassified to profit or loss

c.1) Hedges of net investments in foreign operations (hedging derivatives)

The balance of “Other comprehensive income – Items that may be reclassified to profit or loss - Hedge of net 
investments  in  foreign  operations  (Effective  portion)”  in  consolidated  equity  includes  the  net  amount  of  the 
changes  in  the  derivatives  arranged  by  the  Group  and  designated  as  hedging  instruments  considered  to  be 
effective in hedges of this type. The changes therein in 2022 and 2021 were as follows:

Balance at beginning of period
Valuation gains/(losses)
Transferred to the income statement

Balance at end of period

EUR Thousands

2022

2021

100,443
(54,046)

—
46,397

11,864
88,579

—
100,443

 114

 
c.2) Currency translation differences 

The balance of “Currency translation differences” includes the net amount of exchange differences arising from 
non-monetary  items  whose  fair  value  is  adjusted  against  equity  and  the  differences  arising  from  the 
translation to euros of the balances of the consolidated entities whose functional currency is not the euro (see 
Note 2-a).

c.3) Derivatives – hedge accounting. Cash flow hedges (effective portion)

The  balance  of  “Hedging  derivatives.  Cash  flow  hedges  (Effective  portion)”  includes  the  net  amount  of  the 
changes in value of financial derivatives designated as hedging instruments in cash flow hedges, in respect of 
the portion of these changes considered to be effective hedges.

The changes in 2022 and 2021 were as follows:

Balance at beginning of period
Valuation gains/(losses)
Amounts transferred to the income statement

Taxation
Balance at end of period (Note 29)

EUR Thousands

2022

2021

10,170
41,409

(3,587)
796

31,593

17,997

(21,061)
62,111

(5,036)
10,170

c.4) Changes in the fair value of debt instruments at fair value through other comprehensive income

The  balance  includes  the  net  amount  of  unrealised  changes  in  the  fair  value  of  financial  assets  classified  as 
items  that  may  be  reclassified  to  profit  or  loss  –  changes  in  the  fair  value  of  debt  instruments  at  fair  value 
through profit or loss.

The changes, regardless of valuation adjustments attributable to non-controlling interests, in 2022 and 2021 
were as follows: 

Balance at beginning of period
Valuation gains/(losses)
Transferred to the consolidated income 
statement
Taxation
Balance at end of period

27. Non-controlling interests

EUR Thousands

2022

2021

256
(1,797)

526
(6,062)

(285)

5,693

677
(1,149)

99
256

“Non-Controlling  Interests”  in  the  accompanying  consolidated  balance  sheets  as  of  31  December  2022  and  2021 
includes the net amount of the equity of subsidiaries attributable to equity instruments that are not held, directly or 
indirectly, by the Group, including the portion attributed to them of the consolidated profit for the year.

 115

 
 
 
 
The detail, by Group Company, of “Non-Controlling Interests” in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets as of 
31 December 2022 and 2021 is as follows:

EUR Thousands

2022

2021

Suzuki Servicios Financieros, S.L.
PSA Banque France S.A
Financiera El Corte Inglés, E.F.C., S.A.
PSA Financial Services, Spain, E.F.C., S.A.
PSA Finance Belux S.A.
PSA Financial Services Nederland B.V.
PSA Bank Deutschland GmbH
Banca PSA Italia S.P.A.
Transolver Finance E.F.C., S.A.
PSA Renting Italia S.P.A.
Hyundai Capital Bank Europe GmbH
Allane SE
TIMFin S.p.A.
PSA FINANCE UK LIMITED

Other

Profit attributable to non-controlling 
interests:
Suzuki Servicios Financieros, S.L.
PSA Banque France S.A.
Financiera El Corte Inglés, E.F.C., S.A.
PSA Financial Services, Spain, E.F.C., S.A.
PSA Finance Belux S.A.
PSA Financial Services Nederland B.V.
PSA Bank Deutschland GmbH
Banca PSA Italia S.P.A.
Transolver Finance E.F.C., S.A.
PSA Renting Italia S.P.A.
Hyundai Capital Bank Europe GmbH
Allane SE
TIMFin S.p.A.
PSA FINANCE UK LIMITED

Other

5,668
884,248
136,517
340,674
(10,273)
(6,253)
276,059
196,277
34,813
3,581
352,332
(41,627)
22,233
1,847
(34)
2,196,062

1,003
180,290
28,639
24,200
7,362
6,279
26,080
30,922
1,646
5,706
8,108
3,501
(1,690)
36,685
32
358,763
2,554,825

4,246
716,790
129,221
369,637
(5,633)
(5,600)
283,792
160,170
33,085
1,358
351,605
(47,331)
25,952
4,576
(61)
2,021,807

1,422
165,079
27,387
26,653
7,860
8,341
29,534
33,713
1,728
4,468
541
1,629
(3,722)
11,277
62
315,972
2,337,779

 116

The changes in 2022 and 2021 in “Non-Controlling Interests” in the consolidated balance sheets were as follows:

Balance at beginning of period
Dividends

Currency translation differences and other 
(*)

EUR Thousands

2022

2021

2,337,778
(135,837)
(5,876)

2,131,896
(233,406)
123,317

Profit/(loss) attributable to NCIs

Balance at end of period

358,760
2,554,825

315,971
2,337,778

(*) Mainly includes the balances of the business combination PSA Banque France S.A.

28. Memorandum items

The  detail  of  the  balances  recognised  under  “Memorandum  Items”  in  the  consolidated  balance  sheets  as  of  31 
December 2022 and 2021 is as follows:

Loan commitments granted

25,756,041

24,122,179

EUR Thousands

31/12/2022

31/12/2021

Memorandum item: of which, 
doubtful

Financial guarantees granted
Memorandum item: of which, 
doubtful
Financial guarantees
Credit derivatives sold

56,500

62,600

84,997

189,841

—

84,997
—

—

187,253
2,588

Other commitments granted

1,211,006

1,183,948

Memorandum item: of which, 
doubtful

Technical guarantees
Other commitments

2,604

3,367

552,398
658,608

531,497
652,451

The breakdown as at 31 December 2022 of the exposures and the provision fund (see Note 10) out of balance sheet by 
impairment stage under IFRS 9 is EUR 26,865,725 and EUR 21,000 thousand in stage 1, EUR 127,214 thousand and EUR 
1,570 thousand in stage 2 and EUR 59,105 thousand and EUR 5,440 thousand in stage 3, respectively (EUR 25,192,422 
thousand  and  EUR  22,928  thousand  in  stage  1,  EUR  237,580  thousand  and  EUR  2,005  thousand  in  stage  2  and  EUR 
65,966 thousand and EUR 14,470 thousand in stage 3, respectively at 31 December 2021).

A significant portion of these guarantees will expire without any payment obligation materialising for the consolidated 
entities and, therefore, the aggregate balance of these commitments cannot be considered as an actual future need for 
financing or liquidity to be provided by the Group to third parties.

Income  from  guarantee  instruments  is  recognised  under  Fee  and  commission  income  in  the  consolidated  income 
statements  and  is  calculated  by  applying  the  rate  established  in  the  related  contract  to  the  nominal  amount  of  the 
guarantee.

 117

 
 
 
i.

Loan commitments granted

Loan  commitments  granted:  firm  commitments  of  grating  of  credit  under  predefined  terms  and  conditions, 
except for those that comply with the definition of derivatives as these can be settled in cash or through the 
delivery of issuance of another financial instrument. They include stand-by credit lines and long-term deposits. 

ii.

Financial guarantees granted

Financial guarantees include, inter alia, financial guarantee contracts such as financial bank guarantees, credit 
derivatives sold, and risks arising from derivatives arranged for the account of third parties.

iii.

Other commitments granted

Other contingent liabilities include all commitments that could give rise to the recognition of financial assets 
not  included  in  the  above  items,  such  as  technical  guarantees  and  guarantees  for  the  import  and  export  of 
goods and services.

29. Derivatives - Hedge accounting

The  Group,  within  its  financial  risk  management  strategy,  and  in  order  to  reduce  asymmetries  in  the  accounting 
treatment of its operations, enters into hedging derivatives on interest, exchange rate, credit risk or variation of stock 
prices, depending on the nature of the risk covered.

Based on its objective, the Group classifies its hedges in the following categories:

•

•

•

Cash flow hedges: cover the exposure to the variation of the cash flows associated with an asset, liability or a 
highly  probable  forecast  transaction.  This  cover  the  variable-rate  issues  in  foreign  currencies,  fixed-rate 
issues  in  non-local  currency,  variable-rate  interbank  financing  and  variable-rate  assets  (bonds,  commercial 
loans, mortgages, etc.).

Fair value hedges: cover the exposure to the variation in the fair value of assets or liabilities, attributable to an 
identified  and  hedged  risk.  This  covers  the  interest  risk  of  assets  or  liabilities  (bonds,  loans,  bills,  issues, 
deposits,  etc.)  with  coupons  or  fixed  interest  rates,  interests  in  entities,  issues  in  foreign  currencies  and 
deposits or other fixed rate liabilities.

Hedging of net investments abroad: cover the exchange rate risk of the investments in subsidiaries domiciled 
in a country with a different currency from the Euro.

 118

EUR Thousands

2022

NOMINAL 
VALUE

MARKET VALUE

ASSETS

LIABILITIES

Changes in fair 
value used to 
calculate hedge 
ineffectiveness

20,979,888

19,694,967

876,854

869,796

143,424

113,915

679,319

705,127

19,694,967

869,796

113,915

705,127

Fair value hedges:

Interest rate risk

Interest Rate Swap

Exchange rate risk

Fx Forward

Interest rate and exchange rate risk

Currency Swap

Cash flow hedges

Inherent rate risk

Interest Rate Swap

Exchange rate risk

Currency swap

456,210

456,210

828,710

828,710

7,058

7,058

—

—

5,646,185

209,136

1,663,660

51,038

1,663,660

51,038

695,276

695,276

2,405

2,405

Interest rate and exchange rate risk

3,287,249

155,692

Currency swap

3,287,249

155,692

Hedges of net investments in foreign operations

Exchange rate risk

Fx Forward

Collected deposits

1,960,672

1,960,672

45,080

45,080

1,960,672

45,080

—

—

Balance sheet line items

Derivatives - hedge 
accounting

Derivatives - hedge 
accounting

Derivatives - hedge 
accounting

Derivatives - hedge 
accounting

Derivatives - hedge 
accounting

Derivatives - hedge 
accounting

—

—

(25,808)

(25,808)

74,001

84,861

84,861

2,787

2,787

(13,647)

(13,647)

20

20

163

Derivatives - hedge 
accounting

(143) Deposits

1,258

1,258

28,251

28,251

49,584

3,000

3,000

46,137

46,137

3,444

3,444

778

778

778

—

28,586,744

1,131,071

193,786

753,341

EUR Thousands

2021

MARKET VALUE

ASSETS

LIABILITIES

Changes in fair 
value used to 
calculate hedge 
ineffectiveness

Balance sheet line items

Fair value hedges:

Interest rate risk

Interest Rate Swap

Exchange rate risk

Fx Forward

Interest rate and exchange rate risk

Currency Swap

Cash flow hedges

Inherent rate risk

Interest Rate Swap

Exchange rate risk

Currency swap

Interest rate and exchange rate risk

Currency swap

Hedges of net investments in foreign operations

Exchange rate risk

Fx Forward

Collected deposits

NOMINAL 
VALUE

15,022,347

13,576,712

13,576,712

793,625

793,625

652,009

652,009

6,424,718

2,208,724

2,208,724

59,766

50,966

50,966

5,500

5,500

3,299

3,299

21,625

14,000

14,000

6,738

6,738

887

887

57,788

66,746

8,943

8,943

314

314

1,006,904

13,865

50,877

1,006,904

13,865

50,877

3,209,090

3,209,090

34,980

34,980

2,136,966

2,136,966

2,136,966

—

4,031

4,031

4,031

—

15,555

15,555

40,279

40,279

40,279

—

54,914

61,171

61,171

—

—

(6,258)

(6,258)

19,489

13,149

13,149

1,812

1,812

4,529

4,529

—

—

—

Derivatives - hedge 
accounting

Derivatives - hedge 
accounting

Derivatives - hedge 
accounting

Derivatives - hedge 
accounting

Derivatives - hedge 
accounting

Derivatives - hedge 
accounting

Derivatives - hedge 
accounting

— Deposits

23,584,030

121,585

128,650

74,403

 119

Group entities mainly have long-term loan portfolios at fixed interest rates and are therefore exposed to changes in fair 
value due to movements in market interest rates. Entities manage this risk by contracting Interest Rate Swaps in which 
they pay a fixed rate and receive a variable rate. Only the interest rate risk is covered and, therefore, other risks, such as 
credit risk, are managed, but not covered by the entities. The interest rate risk component is determined as the change 
in the fair value of fixed rate loans that arise solely from changes in a reference rate. This strategy is designated as a 
fair value hedge and its effectiveness is assessed by comparing changes in the fair value of the loans attributable to 
changes in the benchmark interest rates with changes in the fair value of the interest rate swaps.

Additionally,  certain  Group  entities  issue  fixed  rate  debt  instruments  both  in  their  functional  currency  and  foreign 
currencies,  to  access  foreign  capital  markets  and  obtain  further  sources  of  financing.  Therefore,  these  entities  are 
exposed to both interest rate risk and exchange rate risk, which they hedge by entering different derivatives contracts 
such as interest rate swaps, FX forwards and cross currency swaps in which they pay the floating rate and receive the 
fixed rate, and which they cover with a fair value hedge.

Cash  flow  hedges  for  entities  in  the  Santander  Consumer  Finance  Group  mitigate  exchange  rate  risk  for  loans  and 
financing. These hedges involve mainly interest rate swaps and cross currency swaps. 

In any case, in the event of ineffectiveness in fair value or cash flow hedges, the entity mainly considers the following 
causes:

•

•

•

Possible economic events affecting the entity (e.g.: default),

For  movements  and  possible  market-related  differences  in  the  collateralized  and  non-collateralized  curves 
used in the valuation of derivatives and hedged items, respectively.

Possible  differences  between  the  nominal  value,  settlement/price  dates  and  credit  risk  of  the  hedged  item 
and the hedging element.

Regarding  net  foreign  investment  hedges,  the  Group  uses  these  to  mitigate  the  foreign  exchange  risk  of  the  equity 
investments in NOK and CNY currencies.

In the case of this type of hedge, the ineffectiveness scenarios are considered to be of low probability, given that the 
hedging instrument is designated considering the determined position and the spot rate at which it is found. 

 120

The following table sets out the maturity profile of the hedging instruments used in the Group's non-dynamic hedging 
strategies:

Fair value hedges:

Interest rate risk

Interest Rate Swap

Exchange rate risk

Fx Forward

Interest rate and exchange rate risk

Currency Swap

Cash flow hedges

Inherent rate risk

Interest Rate Swap

Exchange rate risk

Currency swap

Interest rate and exchange rate risk

Currency swap

Hedges of net investments in foreign 
operations

Exchange rate risk

Fx Forward

Fair value hedges:

Interest rate risk

Interest Rate Swap

Exchange rate risk

Fx Forward

Interest rate and exchange rate risk

Currency Swap

Cash flow hedges

Inherent rate risk

Interest Rate Swap

Exchange rate risk

Currency swap

Interest rate and exchange rate risk

Currency swap

Hedges of net investments in foreign 
operations

Exchange rate risk

Fx Forward

EUR Thousands

2022

1-3 months

3-12 months

1-5 years

5+ years

Total

3,602,301

15,247,675

700,319

20,979,888

3,469,411

14,619,273

700,319

19,694,967

3,469,411

14,619,273

700,319

19,694,967

Up to 1 
month

524,238

310,862

310,862

213,375

213,375

—

—

905,355

595,102

595,102

109,944

109,944

200,308

200,308

132,891

132,891

—

—

—

—

628,402

628,402

285,796

625,702

2,373,983

2,360,704

40,180

40,180

63,332

63,332

182,284

182,284

92,465

92,465

27,332

27,332

505,905

505,905

629,612

629,612

283,388

283,388

901,403

901,403

321,223

321,223

1,460,983

1,138,077

1,460,983

1,138,077

181,047

648,059

1,131,566

181,047

181,047

648,059

648,059

1,131,566

1,131,566

—

—

—

991,081

2,179,116

7,107,850

17,608,379

700,319

28,586,745

EUR Thousands

2021

1-3 months

3-12 months

1-5 years

5+ years

Total

2,591,528

9,533,400

1,845,599

15,022,346

1,928,538

9,031,990

1,845,599

13,576,711

1,928,538

9,031,990

1,845,599

13,576,711

617,976

540,440

540,440

77,535

77,535

—

—

495,346

129,991

129,991

38,677

38,677

326,678

326,678

662,990

662,990

—

—

—

—

501,410

501,410

2,741,769

2,969,477

558,561

558,561

597,335

597,335

1,450,962

1,450,962

343,872

343,872

1,585,873

1,174,643

1,585,873

1,174,643

Up to 1 
month

433,843

230,144

230,144

53,100

53,100

150,599

150,599

218,100

69,184

69,184

27,020

27,020

121,895

121,895

217,203

217,203

869,146

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

456,210

456,210

828,710

828,710

5,646,185

1,663,660

1,663,660

695,275

695,275

3,287,249

3,287,249

1,960,672

1,960,672

1,960,672

—

—

—

—

26

26

26

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

793,625

793,625

652,009

6,424,718

2,208,724

2,208,724

1,006,904

1,006,904

3,209,089

3,209,089

2,136,967

2,136,967

2,136,967

217,203

499,269

1,420,495

499,269

499,269

1,420,495

1,420,495

—

—

—

1,612,591

6,753,792

12,502,877

1,845,625

23,584,031

Additionally, for the most significant Group entities, the maturity profile as well as the average interest rate and the 
average changes in hedging instruments by term of maturity are set out in the table below.

 121

 
 
 
 
Fair Value Coverages
Interest rate risk
Interest rate instruments
Nominal
Average fixed interest rate (%) EUR
Average fixed interest rate (%) CHF
Average fixed interest rate (%) GBP

Exchange rate risk
exchange rate instruments
Nominal

Average exchange rate DKK/EUR

Average NOK/EUR exchange rate
Average CHF/EUR exchange rate
SEK/EUR average exchange rate
Average CAD/EUR exchange rate

Average GBP/EUR exchange rate

Exchange rate and interest risk
Interest rate instruments
Nominal
Average exchange rate DKK/EUR
Average fixed interest rate (%) DKK

Average fixed interest rate (%) SEK

Cash Flow Hedges
Interest rate risk
Interest rate instruments
Nominal
Average fixed interest rate (%) EUR

Exchange rate risk
exchange rate instruments
Nominal
Average NOK/EUR exchange rate
Average CHF/EUR exchange rate
Average CAD/EUR exchange rate
Average JPY/EUR exchange rate

Exchange rate and interest risk
exchange rate instruments
Nominal
SEK/EUR average exchange rate
Average NOK/EUR exchange rate
Average CHF/EUR exchange rate
Average CAD/EUR exchange rate
Average exchange rate DKK/EUR
Average exchange rate PLN/EUR

Average fixed interest rate (%) EUR
Average fixed interest rate (%) CHF

Hedges of net investments in foreign 
businesses
Exchange rate risk
exchange rate instruments
Nominal
Average NOK/EUR exchange rate
Average CNY/EUR exchange rate

2022

EUR Thousands

Up to 1 month

1-3 months

3-12 months

1-5 years

5+ years

Total

310,862

595,102

3,469,411

14,619,273

700,319

19,694,967

(0.002)

(0.627)

0.015

—

(0.628)

0.014

0.002

1.200

0.013

0.006

1.419

0.019

0.002

—

—

—

—

—

213,375

109,944

132,891

—

—

1.034

0.000

—

—

—

—

—

1.027

—

1.412

—

200,308

0.000

0.000

0.000

—

—

—

 7 

—

—

0.992

10.767

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

628,402

0.004

7.439

0.001

456,210

—

—

—

—

—

—

828,710

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

40,180

 0.121 %

92,465

 0.541 %

629,612

 0.299 %

901,403

 1.465 %

—

 — %

1,663,660

—

63,332

—

1.077

0.000

—

182,284

10.360

9.600

—

—

—

—

0%

0%

27,332

283,388

—

1.084

—

—

—

1.064

1.454

321,223

10.590

1.059

1.427

—

121.570

505,905

1,460,983

1,138,077

10.390

9.940

—

—

—

—

0%

0%

10.580

10.310

—

—

7.410

4.290

0%

0%

10.700

10.280

1.090

1.370

—

—

0%

2%

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

0%

0%

695,276

—

—

—

—

3,287,249

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

181,047

10.225

—

648,059

1,131,566

10.084

7.059

10.458

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

1,960,672

—

—

 122

 
Fair Value Coverages
Interest rate risk
Interest rate instruments
Nominal
Average fixed interest rate (%) EUR
Average fixed interest rate (%) CHF
Average fixed interest rate (%) GBP

Exchange rate risk
exchange rate instruments
Nominal
Average NOK/EUR exchange rate
Average CHF/EUR exchange rate
SEK/EUR average exchange rate
Average CAD/EUR exchange rate

Exchange rate and interest risk
Interest rate instruments
Nominal
Average exchange rate DKK/EUR
Average fixed interest rate (%) DKK

Cash Flow Hedges
Interest rate risk
Interest rate instruments
Nominal
Average fixed interest rate (%) EUR

Exchange rate risk
exchange rate instruments
Nominal
Average NOK/EUR exchange rate
Average CHF/EUR exchange rate
Average CAD/EUR exchange rate
Average JPY/EUR exchange rate

Exchange rate and interest risk
exchange rate instruments
Nominal
SEK/EUR average exchange rate
Average NOK/EUR exchange rate
Average CHF/EUR exchange rate
Average CAD/EUR exchange rate
Average exchange rate DKK/EUR
Average exchange rate PLN/EUR
Average USD/EUR exchange rate
Average JPY/EUR exchange rate

Average fixed interest rate (%) EUR
Average fixed interest rate (%) CHF

Hedges of net investments in foreign 
businesses

Exchange rate risk
exchange rate instruments
Nominal
Average NOK/EUR exchange rate
Average CNY/EUR exchange rate

2021

EUR Thousands

Up to 1 
month

1-3 months

3-12 months

1-5 years

5+ years

Total

230,144

540,440

1,928,538

9,031,990

1,845,599

13,576,711

(0.018)

(0.506)
0.540

(0.023)

(0.499)
0.529

(0.036)

(0.546)
0.504

(0.047)

(0.628)
0.498

(0.009)

0.000
0.000

53,100

77,535

662,990

—

1.017

0.862

—

150,599

7.454

0.006

—

—

0.848

—

—

—

—

1.041

—

0.858

9.907

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

501,410

7.454

0.006

793,625

652,009

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

69,184

 0.178 %

129,991

 0.189 %

558,561

1,450,962

26

2,208,724

 0.183 %

 0.055 %

-0.556%

27,020

38,677

597,335

343,872

0.000

1.077

1.570

—

121,895

10.200

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

1.08

1.51

—

—

1.131

1.52

10.59

1.094

1.548

77.139

121.57

326,678

1,585,873

1,174,643

10.14

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

 0.01 %

—

10.18

9.85

—

—

—

4.63

—

—

—

—

10.18

9.95

1.07

1.46

—

4.29

—

—

 0.89 %

 0.15 %

217,203

10.247

—

499,269

1,420,495

10.235

7.548

10.211

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

1,006,904

3,209,090

2,136,966

 123

 
 
 
The  following  table  contains  details  of  the  hedged  exposures  covered  by  the  Group's  hedging  strategies  of  31 
December 2022:

EUR Thousands

2022

Carrying amount of hedged 
items

Accumulated fair value 
adjustments to the hedge 
items

Balance Sheet line 
item

Assets

Liabilities

Assets

Liabilities

18,103,217

4,288,729

(766,024)

151,263

17,635,515

3,460,019

(766,024)

104,224

Loans and 
advances

Fair value hedges

Interest rate risk

Exchange rate risk

467,703

—

Interest rate risk and  Exchange rate 
risk

—

828,710

Cash flow hedges

Interest rate risk

Exchange rate risk

Interest rate risk and  Exchange rate 
risk

—

—

—

—

Hedges of net investments in foreign 
operations

Exchange rate risk

1,958,236

1,958,236

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

47,039

Equity Portfolio

Financial liabilities 
at amortized cost

Equity 
instruments

—

—

—

—

—

—

Changes in the 
fair value of 
hedged item 
for 
ineffectivenes
s assessment

Cash flow hedge/currency 
translation reserve

Continuing 
hedges

Discontinued 
hedges

(568,406)

(615,816)

—

47,409

(112,488)

18,087

43,731

—

—

—

—

43,197

51,093

3,980

(174,307)

(11,876)

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

43,450

43,416

—

34

—

—

20,061,454

4,288,729

(766,024)

151,263

(680,894)

43,197

43,451

The cumulative amount of adjustments to fair value hedging instruments remaining on the balance sheet for hedged 
items no longer adjusted for hedging gains and losses as of December 31, 2022 is EUR (4) million.

EUR Thousands

2021

Carrying amount of hedged 
items

Accumulated fair value 
adjustments to the hedge 
items

Balance Sheet line 
item

Changes in the 
fair value of 
hedged item 
for 
ineffectivenes
s assessment

Cash flow hedge/currency 
translation reserve

Assets

Liabilities

Assets

Liabilities

Continuing 
hedges

Discontinued 
hedges

Fair value hedges

Interest rate risk

Exchange rate risk

12,609,225

3,815,067

11,575,330

3,163,058

(51,029)

(51,029)

1,033,895

—

Interest rate risk and  Exchange rate risk

—

652,009

Cash flow hedges

Interest rate risk

Exchange rate risk

Interest rate risk and  Exchange rate risk

—

—

—

—

Hedges of net investments in foreign 
operations

Exchange rate risk

2,041,723

2,041,723

—

—

—

—

—

—

Loans and 
advances

Equity Portfolio

(2,744)

(1,883)

—

(861)

Financial liabilities 
at amortized cost

Equity instruments

—

—

—

—

—

—

(44,907)

(50,807)

—

5,901

—

—

—

—

16,440

1,286

37,012

13,644

9,996

1,335

(21,859)

2,313

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

14,650,948

3,815,067

(51,029)

(2,744)

(28,467)

13,644

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

 124

 
 
 
 
 
The cumulative amount of adjustments to fair value hedging instruments remaining on the balance sheet for hedged 
items no longer adjusted for hedging gains and losses at December 31, 2021 is EUR (7) million.

The net impact of the hedges is as follows:

EUR Thousands

2022

Amount reclassified to profit or loss due to:

Gains/(losses) 
recognised in 
other 
comprehensive 
income

Ineffective 
coverage 
recognised in 
the 
income 
statement

—

—

—

86,252

89,020  

(2,768)

Income statement line item that 
includes the ineffectiveness of 
cash flows

Gains/(losses) financial assets 
and financial liabilities

Gains/(losses) financial assets 
and financial liabilities

Gains/(losses) financial assets 
and financial liabilities

73,003

84,513

2,645

(14,155)

—

—

348

348  

—  

—

—

—

73,003

86,600

Income statement line item including 
the reclassified items

Net interest income/Assets Gains/
(losses)/ Financial Liabilities

Net interest income/Assets Gains/
(losses)/ Financial Liabilities

Net interest income/Assets Gains/
(losses)/ Financial Liabilities

Covered 
transaction 
affecting 
the income 
statement

—

—  

—  

(31,593)

5,650  

(7,705)

(29,538)

—

—

(31,593)

EUR Thousands

2021

Income statement line item that 
includes the ineffectiveness of 
cash flows

Gains/(losses) financial assets 
and financial liabilities

Gains/(losses) 
recognised in 
other 
comprehensive 
income

Ineffective 
coverage 
recognised in 
the 
income 
statement

—

—

—

—

9,171

9,528  

(357)

19,312

1,717

Gains/(losses) financial assets 
and financial liabilities

9,633

4,956

4,723

—

—

—

1,911  

—  

(194)

—

—

19,312

10,888

Gains/(losses) financial assets 
and financial liabilities

Amount reclassified to profit or loss due to:

Income statement line item including 
the reclassified items

Net interest income/Assets Gains/
(losses)/ Financial Liabilities

Net interest income/Assets Gains/
(losses)/ Financial Liabilities

Net interest income/Assets Gains/
(losses)/ Financial Liabilities

Covered 
transaction 
affecting 
the income 
statement

—

—  

—  

—  

(17,996)

(2,856)

(6,751)

(8,390)

—  

—

—

(17,996)

Fair value hedges

Interest rate risk

Interest rate risk and  Exchange rate risk

Cash flow hedges

Interest rate risk

Exchange rate risk

Interest rate risk and  Exchange rate risk

Hedges of net investments in foreign 
operations

Exchange rate risk

Fair value hedges

Interest rate risk

Interest rate risk and  Exchange rate risk

Cash flow hedges

Interest rate risk

Exchange rate risk

Interest rate risk and  Exchange rate risk

Hedges of net investments in foreign 
operations

Exchange rate risk

()*) At 31 December 2021, the detail of the total amount registered under Gains/losses recognised in other comprehensive income 
doesn't include EUR 332 thousand corresponding to Non-controlling interests from 2020.

 125

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The impact in shareholder’s equity in 2022 is as follows:

EUR Thousands

Balance at beginning of period 2021

Cash flow hedges
Interest rate risk

Transferred to the income statement
Other reclassifications

Exchange rate risk

Transferred to the income statement
Other reclassifications

Interest rate and exchange rate risk

Transferred to the income statement
Other reclassifications

Non-controlling interests
Taxation

Balance at end of period 2021

Cash flow hedges
Interest rate risk

Changes in equity transferred to the income statement
Other equity movements

Exchange rate risk

Changes in equity transferred to the income statement
Other equity movements

Interest rate and exchange rate risk

Changes in equity transferred to the income statement
Other equity movements

Non-controlling interests
Taxation

Balance at end of period 2022

(3,586)

19,312
9,633
2,856
6,777
4,956
6,751
(1,795)
4,723
8,390
(3,667)

(520)
(5,036)

10,170

73,003
84,513
(5,650)
90,163
2,645
6,891
(4,246)
(14,155)
29,538
(43,693)

(6,334)
(14,727)

62,112

 126

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
30. Interest income

“Interest Income” in the consolidated income statements for 2022 and 2021 includes the interest accrued in the year 
on  all  financial  assets  whose  implicit  or  explicit  return  is  calculated  by  applying  the  effective  interest  method, 
irrespective of measurement at fair value, with the exception of trading derivatives; and the rectifications of income as 
a result of hedge accounting. Interest is recognised gross, without deducting any tax withheld at source.

The detail of the main items of interest income earned by the Group in 2022 and 2021 is as follows:

Loans and advances – Central banks
Loans and advances – Credit institutions
Debt instruments
Loans and advances - Customers
Non – performing assets
Rectification of income as a result of heading 
transactions and other interest (*)

EUR Thousands

2022

2021

—
26,960
39,031
4,018,879
3,548

—
32,110
8,290
3,825,903
3,514

106,815
4,195,233

151,547
4,021,364

(*) Includes de recognized amount corresponding to TLTRO III (see note 17).

Most of the interest income was generated by the Group's financial assets that are measured at amortised cost or at 
fair value through accumulated other comprehensive income. 

31. Interest expenses

“Interest Expense” in the consolidated income statements for 2022 and 2021 includes the interest accrued in the year 
on all financial liabilities with an implicit or explicit return, including remuneration in kind, calculated by applying the 
effective  interest  method,  irrespective  of  measurement  at  fair  value,  with  the  exception  of  trading  derivatives;  the 
rectifications of cost as a result of hedge accounting; and the interest cost attributable to pension funds.

The  detail  of  the  main  items  of  interest  expense  and  similar  charges  incurred  by  the  Group  in  2022  and  2021  is  as 
follows:

Deposits from the Bank of Spain and 
other central banks
Deposits from credit institutions
Customer deposits
Marketable debt securities
Subordinated liabilities
Provisions for pensions (Notes 2-r, 2-s 
and 21) (*)

Rectification of expenses as a result of 
hedging transactions

Other interest

EUR Thousands

2022

2021

29,514

55,488
165,595
318,350
13,633

8,680

801
31,965
624,026

41,270

31,834
125,637
201,476
14,560

7,395

(1,399)
42,619
463,392

(*) Includes the interest on post-employment and other long-term benefits of Spanish entities amounting 
to 369 y 472 thousand, respectively in 2022 (EUR 124 y 171 thousand respectively in 2021) and of foreign 
entities, amounting to EUR 7,837 thousand (EUR 7,100 thousand in 2021) - see Note 21-.

Most of the interest expense were generated by the Group's financial liabilities that are measured at amortised cost.

 127

 
 
32. Income from entities accounted for using the equity method  

“Income  from  entities  accounted  for  using  the  equity  method”  in  the  consolidated  income  statements  for  2022  and 
2021 includes the amount of profit or loss attributable to the Group generated during the year by associates and joint 
ventures.

The detail of this item on 31 December 2022 and 2021 is as follows (see Note 12):

Santander Consumer Bank S.A. (Polonia)
Fortune Auto Finance Co., Ltd.
PSA Insurance Europe, Ltd
PSA Life Insurance Europe Ltd
Santander Consumer Multirent, S.A.
PSA Finance Polska SP. Z O.O.
Other

EUR Thousands

2022

2021

32,941
28,335
20,260
12,032
2,093
1,060
15
96,736

9,730
28,549
12,794
9,867
1,719
1,026
105
63,790

33. Income from entities accounted for using the equity method

The balance of “Commission Income” in the consolidated income statements for 2022 and 2021 comprises the amount 
of the fees and commissions accrued in the year, except those that form an integral part of the effective interest rate on 
financial  instruments,  which  are  recognised  under  “Interest  Income”  in  the  accompanying  consolidated  income 
statements.

 128

 
 
 
 
 
The detail of “Commission Income” in the consolidated income statements for 2022 and 2021 is as follows:

Collection and payment services:
Bills
Demand accounts
Cards
Checks and orders

Marketing of non-banking financial 
products:

Securities services:
Securities trading
Administration and custody
Equity management

Other:
Financial guarantees
Commitment fees
Other fees and commissions
Collection and payment services:

EUR Thousands

2022

2021

5,543
17,794
65,237
25,240
113,814

5,078
18,916
58,539
24,183
106,716

876,323
876,323

846,187
846,187

24,261
1,046
8,599
33,906

28,913
1,396
6,622
36,931

6,065
4,899
98,018
108,982
1,133,025

6,112
4,524
95,186
105,822
1,095,656

34. Commission expenses

The  balance  of  “Commission  Expense”  in  the  consolidated  income  statements  for  2022  and  2021  comprises  the 
amount of fees and commissions paid or payable by the Group accruing in the year, except those that form an integral 
part  of  the  effective  interest  rate  on  financial  instruments,  which  are  recognised  under  “Interest  Expense”  in  the 
accompanying consolidated income statements.

 129

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The detail of “Commission expenses” in the consolidated income statements for the years ended 31 December 2022 
and 2021 is as follows: 

Brokerage fees on lending and deposit transactions
Fees and commissions assigned in respect of off-balance-
Fees and commissions assigned for collection and return of 
Fees and commissions assigned in other concepts
Fees and commissions assigned for cards
Fees and commissions assigned for securities
Fees and commissions assigned to intermediaries
Other fees and commissions for placement of insurance
Other fees and commissions

EUR Thousands

2022

2021

771
15,928
7,640
16,275
11,084
17,045
71,782
164,298
44,666
349,489

628
24,532
7,517
12,556
5,934
20,575
67,181
161,212
34,047
334,182

35. Gains or losses on financial assets and liabilities
The  detail  of  this  item  of  the  consolidated  income  statements  for  2022  and  2021,  by  nature  of  the  instrument  that 
originates the change, is as follows: 

Gains/(losses) on financial instruments not at fair value through profit 
or loss, net

Financial assets at amortised cost
Other

Gains/(losses) on financial instruments held for trading, net

Gains/(losses) on non-trading financial assets mandatorily at fair 
value through profit or loss, net

Gains/(losses) on financial instruments at fair value through profit or 
loss, net

Gains/(losses) from hedge accounting, net (Note 29)

EUR Thousands

2022
2021
Income/(Expenses)

807
2
805

(6,654)
(841)
(5,813)

(10,077)

1,413

—

—

7

—

86,600
77,330

10,889
5,655

36. Currency translation differences (net)

"Currency  translation  differences  (net)”  in  the  consolidated  income  statements  for  2022  and  2021  includes  basically 
the gains or losses on currency trading, the differences that arise on translating monetary items in foreign currencies to 
the functional currency, and those disclosed on non-monetary assets in foreign currency at the time of their disposal.

 130

 
 
 
 
37. Other operating income

The detail of “Other Operating Income” in the consolidated income statements for 2022 and 2021 is as follows:

Sales and income from non-financial services (*)

Other operating income

EUR Thousands

2022

2021

436,344

114,734 

215,027

168,048

551,078

383,075

(*) As of December 31, 2022, primarily to operating lease income in Germany from Allane SE, Allane Mobility 
Consulting GmbH, in Holland from Riemersma Leasing B.V. and Santander Consumer Leasing Gmbh.

38. Other operating expenses

The detail of “Other Operating Expenses” in the consolidated income statements for 2022 and 2021 is as follows:

Contributions to deposit guarantee funds and other national 
resolution funds (Note 1-d)
Changes in inventories (*)

Other

EUR Thousands

2022

2021

81,891

82,156

216,568

117,529

415,988

23,233

219,947

325,336

(*)  Relates  mainly  to  the  expenses  related  to  the  vehicle  operating  lease  business  in  Germany  and  the 
Netherlands.

39. Staff costs

“Staff Costs” in the consolidated income statements for 2022 and 2021 includes the remuneration accrued in the year 

regarding to permanent or temporary employees on the payroll, regardless of their functions or duties. 

The detail of “Staff Costs” on 31 December 2022 and 2021 is as follows:

Wages and salaries
Social security costs
Additions to pension provisions (Note 21) (*)
Contributions to defined contribution pension funds (Note 21)

Contributions to plans - Spanish entities
Contributions to plans - foreign entities

Share-based payment costs
Other staff costs
Termination benefits

EUR Thousands

2022

2021

649,661
101,065
13,312
40,902
3,034
37,868
7
77,280
1,955
884,182

620,502
99,850
13,932
39,566
2,223
37,343
—
67,332
1,448
842,630

 131

 
 
(*) Of which:

•

•

•

•

In  2022,  EUR  374  thousand  relate  to  “current  service  cost  of  defined  benefit  post-employment  obligations 
Spanish entities” (EUR 333 thousand in 2021) (see Notes 2-r and 21).

In  2022,  EUR  9,486  thousand  relate  to  “current  service  cost  of  defined  benefit  post-employment  obligations 
Germany” (EUR 10,042 thousand in 2021) (see Notes 2-r and 21).

In  2022,  EUR  3,426  thousand  relate  to  “current  service  cost  of  defined  benefit  post-employment  obligations 
foreign entities” (EUR 3,032 thousand in 2021) (see Notes 2-r and 21).

In  2022,  EUR  26  thousand  relate  to  “current  service  cost  of  other  long-term  defined  benefit  obligations  - 
Spanish entities” (EUR 9 thousand in 2021) (see Notes 2-s and 21).

The average number of employees at the Group in 2022 and 2021, by professional category, was as follows:

The Bank:
Senior executives
Middle management
Clerical staff

Other companies

Avg no. of employees
2021
2022

43
237
829
1,109
10,168
11,277

145
484
371
1,000
10,281
11,281

The functional breakdown, by gender, of the number of employees at the Group on 31 December 2022 and 2021 is as 
follows:

Total

2022
Men

Women

Total

2021
Men

Women

Senior executives
Middle 
management
Clerical staff and 
other

97

1,262

73

772

24

87

490

1,326

70

823

17

503

10,061
11,420

4,914
5,759

5,147
5,661

9,794
11,207

4,651
5,544

5,143
5,663

On 31 December 2022 the Board of Directors of the Bank had 12 members (13 in 2021), of whom 1 were women (2 
women in 2021).

The  work  relations  between  employees  and  the  various  Group  companies  are  governed  by  the  related  collective 

agreements or similar regulations.

As 31 December 2022 and 2021, certain employees of the Group’s subsidiaries are beneficiaries of the retribution plans 

set forth in Note 5.

 132

 
 
 
 
 
40. Other administrative expenses

The detail of “Other Administrative Expenses” in the consolidated income statements for 2022 and 2021 is as follows:

Property, fixtures and supplies
Other administrative expenses
Communications
Taxes other than income tax
Technology and systems
Public relations, advertising and publicity
Per diems and travel expenses
External services
Technical reports
Insurance premiums
Other

EUR Thousands
2021
2022

46,235
8,408
37,325
55,737
319,454
80,634
13,436
214,419
86,194
7,584
2,624
872,050

43,899
39,119
37,731
55,730
288,043
68,723
8,005
191,455
79,836
6,089
2,688
821,318

“Technical reports” in the foregoing table includes the fees paid for the services provided by the auditor of the Bank and 
of certain Group companies, the detail being as follows:	

Audit
Services related with the audit
Tax Services
Other services
Total

EUR Thousands
2021
2022

17.4
0.6
—
0.2
18.2

15.0
0.6
0.1
0.3
16.0

The heading “Audit” includes the fees corresponding to the audit of the individual and consolidated annual accounts of 
Santander Consumer Finance, SA, as the case may be, of the companies that are part of the Group, the internal control 
audit (SOx) for the entities of the Group that require so and the mandatory regulatory reports required of the auditor, 
corresponding to the different locations of the Group.

The main concepts included in “Services related with the audit” correspond to aspects such as the issuance of Comfort 
letters, or other reviews required by different regulations in relation to aspects such as, for example, securitizations.

The  “Audit”  and  "Services  related  with  the  audit"  captions  include  the  fees  corresponding  to  the  audit  for  the  year, 
regardless  of  the  date  on  which  the  audit  was  completed.  In  the  event  of  subsequent  adjustments,  which  are  not 
significant in any case, and for purposes of comparison, they are presented in this note in the year to which the audit 
relates. The rest of the services are presented according to their approval by the Audit Committee.

The  services  commissioned  from  the  Group's  auditors  meet  the  independence  requirements  stipulated  by  the  Audit 
Law  (Law  22/2015,  July  20),  the  US  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission  (SEC)  rules  and  the  Public  Company 
Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB), applicable to the Group, and they do not include in any case the execution of any 
work that is incompatible with the audit function.

 133

 
41. Impairment or reversal of impairment of non-financial assets

The detail of “Impairment charges or reversal of non-financial assets” for the years 2022 and 2021 is as follows:

Tangible Assets (*)
Intangible Assets (Nota 14 y 15)
Other

EUR Thousands

2022

2021

985
11,647
9,227
21,859

(2,701)
11,662
5,911
14,872

(*) As of 31 December 2022 and 2021, no impairment charges have been registered in relation with 
own – use tangible assets – see Note 13.

The  amounts  registered  under  “impairment  charges  or  reversal  of  non-financial  assets  –  intangible  assets”  for  the 
years ended 31 December 2022 and 2021 corresponds mainly to impairment charges derived from the obsolescence of 
intangible assets.

The  amounts  registered  under  “impairment  charges  or  reversal  of  non-financial  assets  –  intangible  assets”  for  the 
years ended 31 December 2022 and 2021 corresponds mainly to impairment charges derived from the obsolescence of 
intangible - see Note 15.

42. Gains or losses on non-financial assets and investments, net
The detail of “gains or losses on non-financial assets and investments, net” for the years ended 31 December 2022 and 
2021 is as follows: 

Gains
Property, plant and equipment and intangible assets 

Losses
Property, plant and equipment and intangible assets 

EUR Thousands
2021
2022
Income/(Expenses)

791
632
1,423

(221)
(221)
1,202

803
—
803

(567)
(567)
236

43. Gains or losses on non – current assets not classified as held for sale from discontinued operations

The detail of this line item in the consolidated income statements for the years ended 31 December 2022 and 2021 is 
as follows: 

EUR Thousands

2022
2021
Income/(Expenses)

Net gains/(losses) on disposals:

(780)

(2,680)

Impairment losses (net) (Note 11)

652
(128)

(545)
(3,225)

 134

 
 
 
 
44. Other information

a) Residual maturity periods and average interest rates

The detail, by maturity, of the balances of certain items in the consolidated balance sheets as of 31 December 
2022 and 2021 is as follows:

2022

EUR thousands

On demand

Up to 1 month

1-3 Months

3-12 Months

1-5 Years

5+ Years

Total

Assets:

Cash and balances at central 
banks

Financial assets at fair value 
through other comprehensive 
income

Debt instruments (Note 7)

Financial assets at amortised 
cost

6,826,225

—

—

—

—

—

19,144

19,144

409,678

409,678

296,686

296,686

—

—

—

—

6,826,225

1,000

1,000

726,508

726,508

6,957,723

5,517,489

7,836,587

22,883,416

56,688,948

13,210,385

113,094,548

Debt instruments (Note 7)

—

105,025

1,086,118

2,106,033

2,887,885

—

6,185,061

Loans and advances

6,957,723

5,412,464

6,750,469

20,777,383

53,801,063

13,210,385

106,909,487

Central banks

Credit institutions (Note 6)

Customers (Note 10)

—

248,388

6,709,335

13,783,948

19,736

13,777

5,378,951

5,536,633

—

11,483

—

18,282

—

98,279

—

97

19,736

390,306

6,738,986

20,759,101

53,702,784

13,210,288

106,499,445

8,246,265

23,180,102

56,688,948

13,211,385

120,647,281

Liabilities:

Financial assets at amortised 
cost-Deposits

Deposits

31,982,008

2,789,937

3,198,629

12,254,331

20,370,972

252,193

70,848,070

Central banks (Note 17)

—

13

66

9,140,720

Credit institutions (Note 17)

487,358

330,687

Customers (Note 18)

31,494,650

2,459,237

1,558,296

1,640,267

788,927

2,324,684

8,750,588

8,304,618

3,315,766

9,254

17,900,641

150,316

11,620,202

92,623

41,327,227

—

274,496

4,272,678

7,616,878

17,583,722

9,107,986

38,855,760

Debt instruments in issue 
(Note 19)

Other financial liabilities 

(Note 20)

Difference (assets – liabilities)

(18,624,336)

426,276

32,408,284

750,831

3,815,264

1,721,369

602

30,698

87,623

77,370

1,373,400

7,471,909

19,901,907

38,042,317

9,437,549

111,077,230

774,356

3,278,195

18,646,631

3,773,836

9,570,051

 135

 
 
 
 
 
2021

EUR Thousands

On demand

Up to 1 
month

1-3 Months

3-12 
Months

1-5 Years

5+ Years

Total

18,965,097

—

—

—

70,162

70,162

199,833

199,833

278,187

278,187

505,578

505,578

—

—

—

— 18,965,097

1,000

1,000

1,054,760

1,054,760

6,449,444

5,411,889

6,614,870

21,730,588

51,757,354

11,699,209 103,663,354

—

497,492

650,711

1,500,550

823,643

— 3,472,396

6,449,444

4,914,397

5,964,159

20,230,038

50,933,711

11,699,209 100,190,958

Assets:

Cash and balances at central 
banks

Financial assets at fair value 
through other comprehensive 
income

Debt instruments (Note 7)

Financial assets at amortised 
cost

Debt instruments (Note 7)

Loans and advances

Central banks

Credit institutions (Note 6)

289,216

—

10,452

17,961

—

—

—

—

10,452

99,178

7,237

197,358

10,273

621,223

Customers (Note 10)

6,160,228

4,885,984

5,864,981

20,222,801

50,736,353

11,688,936

99,559,283

25,484,703

5,611,722

6,893,057

22,236,166

51,757,354

11,700,209 123,683,211

Liabilities:

Financial assets at amortised 
cost-Deposits

Deposits

29,562,819

4,591,332

2,557,760

5,890,881

27,602,970

660,485

70,866,247

Central banks (Note 17)

—

14

72

1,982,035

18,005,278

10,100

19,997,499

Credit institutions (Note 17)

206,869

268,011

1,298,551

2,912,656

6,636,415

457,767

11,780,269

Customers (Note 18)

29,355,950

4,323,307

1,259,137

996,190

2,961,277

192,618

39,088,479

Debt instruments in issue 
(Note 19)

Other financial liabilities 
(Note 20)

511,243

3,933,627

1,808,526

6,209,612

20,445,820

7,743,403

40,652,231

251,706

608,107

678,561

32,903

98,891

81,385

1,751,553

30,325,768

9,133,066

5,044,847

12,133,396

48,147,681

8,485,273 113,270,031

Difference (assets – liabilities)

(4,841,065)

(3,521,344)

1,848,210

10,102,770

3,609,673

3,214,936

10,413,180

For  a  proper  understanding  of  the  information  included  in  the  tables  above,  it  should  be  noted  that  the  these  were 
prepared  taking  into  consideration  the  contractual  maturities  of  the  financial  instruments  detailed  therein  and, 
therefore, they do not take into account the stability of certain liabilities, such as the current accounts of customers, 
and the potential for renewal which has historically been a feature of the Group's financial liabilities. Since the tables 
include only financial instruments at year-end, they do not show the Group's investments or the cash flows generated 
therefrom, or the cash flows relating to the Bank's results.

 136

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
b) Equivalent euro value of assets and liabilities

The detail of the equivalent euro value of the main foreign currency balances in the accompanying consolidated 
balance sheets as of 31 December 2022 and 2021, based on the nature of the related items, is as follows:

Cash and balances at central banks
Financial instruments held for trading
Financial assets at fair value through 

other comprehensive income
Derivatives - hedge accounting
Assets included in disposal groups
Investments in joint ventures and 

associates
Tangible assets
Intangible assets
Tax assets and liabilities
Financial instruments at amortised cost
Liabilities included in disposal groups 
classified as held for sale
Provisions
Others

Equivalent value in EUR millions
2021
2022

Assets

Liabilities

Assets

Liabilities

865
38

1
63
7

686
104
221
261
17,999

—
—
51
20,296

—
39

—
31
—

—
—
—
212
11,650

—
25
264
12,221

766
19

2
16
6

643
104
230
169
18,063

—
—
118
20,136

—
20

—
2
—

—
—
—
195
12,683

—
19
264
13,183

c) Fair value of financial assets and liabilities not measured at fair value

The  financial  assets  owned  by  the  Group  are  carried  at  fair  value  in  the  accompanying  consolidated  balance 
sheets, except for items included under cash, cash balances at central banks and others deposits on demand, 
loans  and  receivables,  equity  instruments  whose  market  value,  if  any,  cannot  be  estimated  reliably  and 
derivatives that have these instruments as their underlyings and are settled by delivery thereof, if any.

Similarly,  the  Group’s  financial  liabilities  -except  for  financial  liabilities  held  for  trading  and  derivatives-are 
carried at amortised cost in the accompanying consolidated balance sheet.

 137

i)

Financial assets at other than fair value

Following is a comparison of the carrying amounts on 31 December 2022 and 2021 of the Group's financial 
assets measured at other than fair value and their respective fair values at the end of 2022 and 2021:

2022

2021

EUR Thousands

Assets

Carrying 
amount

Fair Value

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Carrying 
amount

Fair Value

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Financial 
assets at 
amortised cost

Loans and 
advances

Debt 
instruments

106,909,487

104,883,727

—

246,580

104,637,147

100,190,958

101,768,244

—

240,620

101,527,624

6,185,061

6,097,660

6,097,660

—

—

3,472,396

3,501,586

3,501,586

—

—

113,094,548

110,981,387

6,097,660

246,580

104,637,147

103,663,354

105,269,830

3,501,586

240,620

101,527,624

ii) Financial liabilities at other than fair value

Following  is  a  comparison  of  the  carrying  amounts  on  31  December  2022  and  2021  of  the  Group's  financial 
liabilities measured at other than fair value and their respective fair values at the end of 2022 and 2021:

2022

2021

EUR Thousands

Carrying 
amount

Fair Value

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Carrying 
amount

Fair Value

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Liabilities

Financial 
liabilities at 
amortized cost

Deposits

Debt securities 
in issue and 
other financial 
liabilities (*)

70,848,070

69,483,115

— 33,413,317

36,069,798

70,866,247

70,688,225

— 35,495,682

35,192,543

38,855,760

37,826,675

4,979,748

29,533,203

3,313,724

40,652,231

40,969,477

6,920,769

30,431,583

3,617,125

109,703,830

107,309,790

4,979,748

62,946,520

39,383,522 111,518,478 111,657,702

6,920,769

65,927,265

38,809,668

(*) Additionally, other financial liabilities are registered amounting to EUR 1,373,400 thousand and EUR 1,751,553 thousand 
at December 2022 and 2021 respectively.

3. Valuation methods and inputs used

The  main  valuation  methods  and  inputs  used  in  the  estimates  as  of  31  December  2022  and  2021  of  the  fair 
values of the financial assets and liabilities in the foregoing tables were as follows:

•

Loans  and  receivables:  the  fair  value  was  estimated  using  the  present  value  method.  The  estimates  were 
made  considering  factors  such  as  the  expected  maturity  of  the  portfolio,  market  interest  rates,  spreads  on 
newly approved transactions or market spreads -when available-.

•

Financial assets at amortized cost:

1)

The fair value of deposits from central banks was taken to be their carrying amount since they are mainly 
short-term balances.

2) Deposits from credit institutions: the fair value was obtained by the present value method using market 

interest rates and spreads.

 138

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
3)

Customer  deposits:  the  fair  value  was  estimated  using  the  present  value  method.  The  estimates  were 
made considering factors such as the expected maturity of the transactions and the Group’s current cost of 
funding in similar transactions.

4) Debt securities in issue: the fair value was calculated based on market prices for these instruments when 

available- or by the present value method using market interest rates and spreads.

45. Geographical and business segment reporting

a) Geographical segments

This  primary  level  of  segmentation,  which  is  based  on  the  Group's  management  structure,  comprises  six 
segments relating to six operating areas. The operating areas, which include all the business activities carried 
on therein by the Group, are Spain, Italy, Germany, Nordics (Scandinavia), France and Other. 

The  financial  statements  of  each  operating  segment  are  prepared  by  aggregating  the  figures  for  the  Group’s 
various business units. The basic information used for segment reporting comprises the accounting data of the 
legal  units  composing  each  segment  and  the  data  available  from  the  management  information  systems.  All 
segment financial statements have been prepared on a basis consistent with the accounting policies used by 
the Group. Consequently, the sum of the figures in the income statements of the various segments is equal to 
those in the consolidated income statements. With regard to the balance sheet, due to the required segregation 
of the various business units (included in a single consolidated balance sheet), the amounts lent and borrowed 
between the units are shown as increases in the assets and liabilities of each business. These amounts relating 
to  intra-Group  liquidity  are  eliminated  and  are  shown  in  the  “Intra-Group  Eliminations”  column  in  the  table 
below in order to reconcile the amounts contributed by each business unit to the consolidated Group's balance 
sheet.

Additionally, for segment presentation purposes, the shareholders' equity shown for each geographical unit is 
that reflected in the related separate financial statements and is offset as a capital endowment made by the 
Spain area, which acts as the holding unit for the other businesses; thus, the Group's total shareholders' equity 
is reflected.

The condensed balance sheets and income statements of the various geographical segments are as follows:

 139

Consolidated balance sheet (Condensed)

Spain

Italy

Germany

Nordics

France

Other

Intra-group 
eliminations 
(*)

Total

Spain

Italy

Germany

Nordics

France

Other

Intra-group 
eliminations 
(*)

Total

2022

2021

EUR Thousands

Financial assets at amortised cost – Customers

13,435,196

10,180,074

38,654,354

17,394,410

16,353,163

5,794,708

6,643,981

108,455,886

13,035,276

8,917,503

35,653,570

17,087,823

14,561,647

7,076,402

3,227,062

99,559,283

Financial assets held-for-trading

Debt instruments

Financial assets at amortised cost – Central banks and credit 
institutions

3,540

1,926,404

2,444,141

—

120,854

9,916

450,751

3,619,344

492,215

944,262

2,451,564

1,807,037

3,394

249,295

209,173

—

1,000

356,960

494,664

174,004

6,913,013

(456)

(3,675)

139

7,649

1,449

—

674,085

1,681,037

968,561

70,162

455

1,000

42,240

51,476

1,138,579

4,529,749

853,300

(8,299,435)

410,042

713,698

370,482

276,132

1,866,363

148,170

1,066,920

(3,810,090)

631,675

Tangible and intangible assets

150,372

71,370

2,990,795

129,642

31,549

55,075

1,832,747

5,261,550

1,352,435

519,595

3,143,859

1,088,397

1,711,537

657,028

271,688

8,744,539

72,481

386,014

60,403

2,222,982

149,818

34,479

52,452

1,777,237

4,369,852

926,770

12,061,011

991,718

1,490,685

620,474

5,312,482

21,789,154

19,312,088

12,166,052

50,980,770

20,921,617

18,558,111

7,361,111

979,945

130,279,694

14,203,338

10,949,382

51,902,381

21,065,732

16,305,143

8,817,703

7,687,510

130,931,189

304,790

1,390,953

25,209,910

7,217,679

3,386,021

3,899,821

(81,947)

41,327,227

576,421

1,358,711

23,497,129

7,340,655

3,467,653

2,993,973

(146,064)

39,088,478

1,791,678

684,647

6,901,467

4,476,361

4,775,402

384,083

19,842,122

38,855,760

2,655,633

832,392

7,701,052

5,105,356

5,123,137

506,108

18,728,553

40,652,231

Cash and other

Total assets

Customer deposits

Debt securities in issued

Deposits from central banks and credit institutions

15,490,700

8,172,755

11,124,669

5,904,385

7,175,670

1,830,484

(20,177,820)

29,520,843

8,830,912

7,006,931

13,655,489

5,259,407

4,667,523

4,276,266

(11,918,761)

31,777,767

Other liabilities and equity accounting

1,258,558

749,020

2,816,140

478,134

2,573,047

244,552

236,943

8,356,394

1,080,610

610,427

2,507,292

486,877

2,098,248

Shareholders’ equity

466,362

1,168,677

4,928,585

2,845,057

647,970

1,002,171

1,160,648

12,219,470

1,059,761

1,140,919

4,541,418

2,873,438

948,582

344,553

696,804

582,182

7,710,189

441,602

11,702,524

Total funds under management

19,312,088

12,166,052

50,980,771

20,921,616

18,558,110

7,361,111

979,946

130,279,694

14,203,337

10,949,380

51,902,380

21,065,733

16,305,143

8,817,704

7,687,512

130,931,189

2022

2021

Consolidated income statement (Condensed)

Spain

Italy

Germany

Nordics

France

Other (*)

Total

Spain

Italy

Germany

Nordics

France

Other (*)

Total

NET INTEREST INCOME

540,404

357,183

1,025,770

668,299

532,357

447,194

3,571,207

579,292

357,740

1,032,130

697,293

514,898

376,619

3,557,972

Income from entities accounted for using the equity method

Net commissions

Profit/(loss) from financial operations

Other operating income/(expense)

OPERATING INCOME

16,049

62,799

8,244

9,618

3,489

80,755

12,277

(5,564)

28,486

439,316

12,215

152,164

1,865

36,344

(3,273)

(1,972)

637,114

448,140

1,657,950

701,262

10,115

104,558

48,989

(15,614)

680,405

36,732

59,764

(18,766)

(3,306)

96,736

783,536

59,686

135,326

14,792

57,620

189

7,321

3,200

74,389

(225)

(11,185)

27,172

432,734

1,086

88,089

2,583

31,252

3,003

(3,483)

10,702

109,348

1,655

(7,115)

5,341

56,131

(4,384)

(15,613)

63,790

761,474

1,324

58,014

521,620

4,646,491

659,214

423,919

1,581,211

730,648

629,488

418,094

4,442,574

Administrative and general expenses

(229,462)

(145,216)

(708,889)

(242,502)

(194,244)

(235,919)

(1,756,232)

(222,765)

(129,993)

(681,992)

(269,036)

(190,675)

(169,487)

(1,663,948)

Staff costs

Other

Amortisation

Provisions or reversal from provisions and impairment loss 
charges (net)

PROFIT OR LOSS BEFORE TAX

PROFIT OR LOSS IN RESPECT OF CONTINUING 
OPERATIONS

Profit or loss in respect of discontinued operations

CONSOLIDATED PROFIT OR LOSS

Attributable to the parent

(92,691)

(136,771)

(14,150)

(118,174)

275,329

(72,383)

(72,833)

(16,716)

(47,661)

238,547

(418,797)

(134,750)

(87,748)

(77,813)

(884,182)

(91,862)

(290,092)

(107,752)

(106,496)

(158,106)

(872,050)

(130,903)

(101,587)

(25,451)

(8,003)

(23,276)

(189,183)

(14,503)

(157,005)

690,470

(73,645)

359,664

(48,466)

429,692

(48,232)

(493,183)

(169,313)

214,191

2,207,893

252,633

(65,484)

(64,509)

(15,250)

(38,016)

240,660

(397,702)

(140,352)

(84,249)

(62,981)

(842,630)

(284,290)

(128,684)

(106,426)

(106,506)

(821,318)

(105,050)

(24,423)

(7,341)

(24,753)

(191,320)

(149,045)

(115,206)

645,124

321,983

(37,164)

394,308

(54,630)

(563,374)

169,224

2,023,932

205,405

165,600

469,856

272,881

340,528

147,353

1,601,623

183,724

157,682

438,460

247,299

310,260

153,236

1,490,661

205,405

149,887

165,600

129,422

469,856

433,407

272,881

272,881

340,528

147,353

1,601,623

160,238 1,241,714,165

1,242,860

183,724

126,381

157,682

125,112

438,460

404,848

247,299

247,299

310,260

145,162

153,236

1,490,661

125,888

1,174,689

(*) Includes reconciliation between segment information and the consolidated income statements, as well as corporate activities.

140 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Additionally, and in agreement with regulatory requirements applicable to the Bank, below is a detail:

1.

By the geographical areas indicated in the aforementioned legislation, of the balance of “Interest and Similar 
Income” recognised in the consolidated income statements for 2022 and 2021:

Spain
Abroad:

European Union
OECD countries
Other countries

Total

EUR Thousands

2022

2021

761,812

776,504

1,546,563
886,859
—
2,433,422
3,195,234

2,525,109
719,751
—
3,244,860
4,021,364

2.

A distribution of revenue (interest income, dividend income, commission income, gains/(losses) on financial 
instruments not at fair value through profit or loss, gains/(losses) on financial assets held for trading, profit or 
loss form financial assets not intended for trading compulsory valued at fair value with changes in profit or 
loss  or  gains/(losses)  from  hedge  accounting,  and  other  operating  income)  by  geographical  segment  as 
presented to the Group. For the purposes of arranged in the following table, 2022 and 2021.

Revenue (EUR Thousand)

Revenue from external 
customers

Inter-segment revenue

Total Revenue

2022

2021

2022

2021

2022

2021

969,368
599,648
2,051,454
845,036
798,404
702,770

959,559
547,300
2,006,721
799,749
734,574
458,122

206,602
23,652
441,713
94,663
523,491
256,753

118,184
14,548
448,935
64,979
507,853
183,501

1,175,970
623,300
2,493,167
939,699
1,321,895
959,523

1,077,743
561,848
2,455,656
864,728
1,242,427
641,623

—
5,966,680

—
5,506,025

(1,546,874)
—

(1,338,000)
—

(1,546,874)
5,966,680

(1,338,000)
5,506,025

Spain and Portugal
Italy
Germany
Scandinavia
France
Other

Inter-segment 
revenue 
adjustments and 
eliminations

Total

2) Business segments

At the secondary level of segment reporting, the Group is structured into two main lines of business and a third 
segment that includes those less relevant. 

The  “Automotive”  business  segment  comprises  all  the  businesses  related  to  the  financing  of  new  and  used 
vehicles,  including  operating  and  finance  lease  transactions,  as  well  as  the  contribution  to  the  result 
consolidation  of  all  the  activities  carried  out  by  the  Group  related  to  the  financing  granted  with  collateral 
received as well as stock credit for vehicles sold by dealers. 

The “Consumer Finance” business segment reflects the income from the consumer finance business, the direct 
finance segment, regardless of the distribution channel – physical and online- and includes all of the products 
commercialized for these purposes: fixed-term loans, credit cards, etc. 

 141

“Other”  includes  operations  not  included  in  any  of  the  aforementioned  categories,  mainly  mortgages  and 
corporate loans.

The condensed consolidated income statements for 2022 and 2021, by business, are as follows:

Consolidated income statement (Condensed)

EUR Thousand

2022

Vehicles

Consumer 
Financing

Other (*)

Total

NET INTEREST INCOME

2,263,273

972,172

335,762

3,571,207

Income from entities accounted for using the equity method

Net commissions

Profit/(loss) from financial operations

Other operating income

OPERATING INCOME

71,275

450,423

16,649

202,696

12,293

282,422

6,878

8,648

13,168

50,691

36,159

(76,018)

96,736

783,536

59,686

135,326

3,004,316

1,282,413

359,762

4,646,491

Administrative and general expenses

(961,574)

(472,428)

(322,230)

(1,756,232)

Staff cost

Other

Amortisation

(453,899)

(229,598)

(200,685)

(884,182)

(507,675)

(242,830)

(121,545)

(872,050)

(65,290)

(43,210)

(80,683)

(189,183)

Provisions, Impairment losses on financial assets

PROFIT/(LOSS) BEFORE TAX

(171,312)

(283,029)

(38,842)

(493,183)

1,806,140

483,746

(81,993)

2,207,893

PROFIT/(LOSS) IN RESPECT OF CONTINUING OPERATIONS

1,350,989

342,973

(92,339)

1,601,623

Profit(/loss) in respect of discontinued operations

CONSOLIDATED PROFIT/(LOSS)

1,350,989

342,973

(92,339)

1,601,623

Consolidated income statement (Condensed)

EUR Thousand

2021

Vehicles

Consumer 
Financing

Other (*)

Total

NET INTEREST INCOME

2,289,768

1,024,952

243,252

3,557,972

Income from entities accounted for using the equity method

Net commissions

Profit/(loss) from financial operations

Other operating income

OPERATING INCOME

58,591

443,830

218

9,929

258,384

21

(4,730)

59,260

1,085

124,580

(1,416)

(65,150)

63,790

761,474

1,324

58,014

2,916,987

1,291,870

233,717

4,442,574

Administrative and general expenses

(900,859)

(462,547)

(300,542)

(1,663,948)

Staff cost

Other

Amortisation

(395,416)

(217,623)

(229,591)

(842,630)

(505,443)

(244,924)

(64,372)

(46,430)

(70,951)

(80,518)

(821,318)

(191,320)

Provisions, Impairment losses on financial assets

(211,754)

(285,159)

(66,461)

(563,374)

Impairment losses on financial assets (net)

1,740,002

497,734

(213,804)

2,023,932

PROFIT/(LOSS) BEFORE TAX

1,257,492

353,329

(120,161)

1,490,660

PROFIT/(LOSS) IN RESPECT OF CONTINUING OPERATIONS

—

—

—

—

CONSOLIDATED PROFIT/(LOSS)

1,266,492

356,329

(132,160)

1,490,661

•

Includes mainly the results from the deposit and managed asset businesses, which are not individually material for the Group as a whole, 
and those arising from the Group’s financial management activity.

 142

46. Related parties

Following  is  a  detail  of  the  transactions  performed  by  the  Group  with  its  related  parties  on  31  December  2022  and 
2021, distinguishing between associates, Santander Group entities, members of the Bank's Board of Directors and the 
Bank’s  senior  managers,  and  of  the  income  and  expenses  arising  from  the  transactions  with  these  related  parties  in 
2022  and  2021.  Related  party  transactions  were  made  on  terms  equivalent  to  those  prevailing  in  arm's-length 
transactions.  

EUR Thousand

2022

2021

Associates

Santander 
group 
entities

Board 
Members 
(*)

Senior 
management 
(**)

Associates

Santander 
Group 
Entities

Board 
Members 
(**)

Senior 
Management 
(**)

Assets:

Cash, cash balances at central banks and other 

deposits on demand

Debt instruments

Loans and advances:

Customers

Credit institutions

Trading Derivatives (Note 9)

Hedging derivatives

Other assets

Liabilities:

Financial liabilities at amortized cost

Deposits from credit institutions (Note 17)

Customer deposits

Marketable debt securities

Other financial liabilities

Trading Derivatives (Note 9)

Hedging Derivatives

Other liabilities

Income statement

Interest income

Interest expenses

Commission income

Commission expense

Gains or losses on financial assets and liabilities no 
measured at fair value through profit or loss, net

Gains or losses of financial assets and liabilities held 

for trading, net

Gains or losses from hedge accounting, net

Exchange differences

Other operating income

Other operating expenses

Administrative expenses

Other gains/losses

Memorandum items

Contingent commitments

Contingent liabilities

Other commitments

—

—

727,896

—

58,675

584,591

37,111

341,326

21,564

243,265

—

—

334,747

580,245

9,710

7,369

59,398 9,827,561

— 9,761,171

59,398

66,390

— 6,720,540

25,603

17,327

—

—

307,105

150,346

1,989

42,959

5,160

7,908

— (105,415)

135,902

158,051

(2)

(5,758)

—

—

—

—

353

—

—

1,161

319,060

152,469

10,735

(3)

(3,386)

(167,230)

—

—

—

—

—

29,298

—

750,238

—

—

—

14

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

7

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

810,307

—

149,421

411,127

40,597

305,347

108,824

105,780

—

—

6,431

29,519

55,849

8,920

112,786 9,942,182

— 9,895,822

259

112,786

46,360

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

— 5,259,465

23,206

624,434

—

—

695

35,449

69,301

33,374

815

7,483

—

(42,673)

137,676

(181)

36,547

(5,074)

—

—

—

—

285

19,375

— (160,298)

353

—

4,785

(122)

(4,117)

(149,982)

—

—

82,964

26,318

—

—

—

737,237

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

1,659

1,659

—

—

—

2

3,086

—

3,086

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

(*)        Excluding  those  entities  belonging  to  the  Santander  Group  that  were  classified  as  associates  in  these  notes  to  the 

consolidated financial statements. 

(**)       See Notes 5-b and 5-c.

 143

 
 
47. Risk management

I. Risk management

Corporate principles

The  Santander  Group,  of  which  Santander  Consumer  Finance  forms  part,  has  defined  excellence  in  risk 
management as a strategic objective. It has always been a priority area of action throughout more than 150 years 
of history.

In recent years, the strategy has been accelerated to anticipate and respond to the major challenges of a constantly 
changing economic, social and regulatory environment.

Therefore,  the  risk  function  is  more  important  than  ever  for  the  Santander  Group  to  remain  a  solid,  safe  and 
sustainable  bank,  an  example  for  the  entire  financial  industry  and  a  benchmark  for  all  that  aspire  to  turn  risk 
leadership into a competitive advantage.

Santander Consumer Finance aims to build the future by managing all risks in advance and protecting the present 
thanks to a robust control environment. The risk function is based on the following pillars, which are aligned with 
the Santander Group's strategy and business model and take account of the recommendations of supervisory and 
regulatory bodies, and best market practices:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

The  business  strategy  is  defined  within  the  risk  appetite.  Santander  Consumer  Finance's  Board  determines 
the  amount  and  type  of  risk  deemed  reasonable  to  assume  when  implementing  its  business  strategy  and 
development within objective, verifiable limits consistent with the risk appetite for each relevant activity.

All risks must be  managed  by the units that generate them through advanced, integrated business models 
and  tools.  Santander  Consumer  Finance  is  promoting  advanced  risk  management  using  innovative  models 
and metrics, combined with a control, reporting and escalation framework that enables risks to be identified 
and managed from different perspectives.

Anticipatory  thinking  for  all  types  of  risks  must  be  integrated  into  risk  identification,  assessment  and 
management processes.

The risk function's independence spans all risks and provides adequate separation between risk-generating 
and risk-controlling units. It implies that it has sufficient authority and direct access to the management and 
governance bodies responsible for setting and overseeing the risk strategy and policies.

Risk management requires the best processes and infrastructures. Santander Consumer Finance aims to be a 
benchmark in the development of infrastructures and processes to support risk management.

A  risk  culture  embedded  throughout  the  organisation,  comprising  a  set  of  attitudes,  values,  skills  and 
behavioural patterns for all risks. Santander Consumer Finance understands that advanced risk management 
cannot be achieved without a strong and stable risk culture being present in each of its activities.

 144

Risks map

Santander  Consumer  Finance  has  in  place  a  recurring  process  for  identifying  the  material  risks  to  which  it  is  or 
could  be  exposed,  as  reflected  in  the  risk  map.  Material  risks  must  be  covered  by  the  risk  profile  assessment 
exercise, risk appetite, risk strategy and ICAAP/ILAAP. Below is the latest update of Santander Consumer Finance's 
risk map.

The first level includes the following risks (General Risks Framework):

•

Credit risk is the risk of financial loss arising from a contractual breach or impairment of the credit quality 
of a customer or other third party that Santander Consumer Finance has financed or in respect of whom a 
contractual obligation has been assumed.

• Market risk is the risk incurred as a result of changes in market factors that affect the value of positions in 
trading portfolios. This risk is not considered relevant within Santander Consumer Finance since it is not a 
trading institution. 

•

•

•

Liquidity risk is the risk that Santander Consumer Finance does not have the liquid financial assets required 
to meet its obligations when due, or can only obtain them at a high cost.

Structural risk is the risk arising from the management of balance sheet items, in the banking portfolio and 
in relation to insurance and pension activities.

Capital risk is the risk that Santander Group does not have sufficient capital, in quantity or quality, to meet 
its internal business objectives, regulatory requirements or market expectations. 

• Operational risk is defined as the risk of loss due to inadequacy or failure of internal processes, staff and 

systems or due to external events. This definition includes legal risk.

•

•

Financial crime risk is the risk derived from actions or the use of the group's means, products and services 
in activities of a criminal or illegal nature. These activities include, but are not limited to, money laundering, 
terrorist financing, violation of international sanctions programs, corruption, bribery, and tax evasion.

Strategic  risk  is  the  risk  of  loss  or  detriment  arising  from  strategic  decisions,  or  poor  implementation  of 
such decisions, affecting the long-term interests of our main stakeholders; or from an inability to adapt to 
the changing environment.

 145

•

Reputational  risk  is  defined  as  the  risk  of  a  current  or  potential  adverse  economic  impact  due  to  a  less 
favourable perception of the bank by employees, customers, shareholders/ investors and society in general.

• Model  risk is  the  risk  of  loss  arising  from  misuse  of  a  model  or  inaccurate  predictions  that  may  result  in 

sub-optimal decisions by the Bank.

The  material  risks  at  Santander  Consumer  Finance  are:  credit,  default  (including  concentration  and  migration), 
liquidity, structural, structural interest rate, capital, operational and strategic.

The  relevant  risks  in  Santander  Consumer  Finance  are:  direct  residual  value,  structural  exchange  rate,  pensions, 
legal, fraud,  technology and cyber risk, suppliers, business continuity, transformation, project execution, people, 
data,  processes  money  laundering  and  terrorist  financing,  regulatory  compliance,  product  governance  and 
consumer  protection,  reputational,  model  and  ESG  risks  (related  to  environmental  and  climate,  social  and 
governance factors).

There  are  two  types  of  risk  whose  relevance  has  been  increasing  in  recent  times  and  for  which  Santander 
Consumer Finance is bolstering management and control: direct residual value risk and ESG/climate risks.

Direct residual value risk is defined as the risk of loss to which a company may be exposed if, at some point during 
the  life  of  an  automobile  agreement  (loan,  lease,  etc.),  the  customer  has  the  option  or  obligation  to  return  the 
vehicle  as  full  and  final  settlement,  due  to  uncertainty  regarding  the  selling  price  of  the  vehicle  realised  at  that 
time.

ESG  factors  (environmental  and  climate,  social  and  governance)  can  affect  the  traditional  types  of  risk  (credit, 
liquidity, operational, reputational, etc.) due to the physical effects of climate change, generated by specific events 
as well as chronic changes on the environment, or the process of transition to a development model with lower 
emissions,  including  changes  in  legislation,  technology  or  the  behavior  of  economic  agents,  as  well  as  failure  to 
meet the expectations and commitments acquired.

Corporate Risk Governance

The  objective  of  the  governance  of  the  risk  function  is  to  ensure  adequate  and  efficient  decision-making  and 
effective  risk  control,  and  to  ensure  that  these  functions  are  managed  in  accordance  with  the  risk  appetite 
approved by the board of directors of Santander Consumer Finance.

The following principles have been established for this purpose:

•

•

•

•

•

Segregation between risk decisions and control.

Enhancing the responsibility of risk generating functions in the decision-making process.

Ensuring that all risk decisions have a formal approval process.

Ensuring an aggregate overview of all risk types.

Bolstering risk control committees.

• Maintaining a responsive and efficient committee structure, ensuring:

•

•

•

•

Participation  and  involvement  of  the  governance  bodies  and  senior  management  in  all  risk 
decisions, and supervision and control.

Coordination between the lines of defence in risk-management and control functions.

Alignment of objectives, monitoring to ensure they are being achieved and implementing corrective 
measures when necessary.

The existence of an adequate management and control environment for all risks.

To achieve these objectives, the Committee structure in the management model must ensure an adequate:

•

Structure, with stratification by levels of relevance, balanced delegation capacity and protocols for escalating 
incidents.

 146

•

•

Composition, with members of sufficient rank and representation of business and support areas.

Operations, i.e. frequency, minimum attendance levels and appropriate procedures.

The  governance  of  risk  activity  must  establish  and  facilitate  coordination  channels  between  the  units  and 
Santander Consumer Finance, together with alignment of management models and risk control.

The  governance  bodies  of  Santander  Consumer  Finance,  S.A.  units  are  set  up  in  accordance  with  local  legal  and 
regulatory requirements, considering the complexity of each unit.

In addition, the Silver and Bronze Committee at Santander Consumer Finance has monitored the war in Ukraine and 
the microchip/supply chain crisis and its impact on the entity's business.

Roles and responsibilities

The  Risk  function  is  structured  into  three  lines  of  defense,  in  accordance  with  corporate  policy,  to  manage  and 
control risks effectively:

–

–

–

First  line  of  defence:  Business  functions  that  take  or  generate  exposure  to  risk  constitute  the  first  line  of 
defence. The first line of defence identifies, measures, controls, monitors and reports the risks that originate 
and applies the internal regulations that regulate risk management. The generation of risks must be adjusted 
to the approved risk appetite and the associated limits.

Second line of defence: made up of the Risk functions, which independently supervise and question the risk 
management  activities  carried  out  by  the  first  line  of  defence.  This  second  line  of  defense  must  ensure, 
within  their  respective  areas  of  responsibility,  that  risks  are  managed  in  accordance  with  the  risk  appetite 
defined by senior management and promote a strong risk culture throughout the organization.

Third line of defence: the Internal Audit function is independent to ensure the board of directors, and senior 
management, the quality and effectiveness of internal controls, governance and risk management systems, 
helping to safeguard our value , solvency and reputation.

Structure of Risk Committees

The  board  of  directors  is  ultimately  responsible  for  risk  control  and  management,  delegating  these  powers  to 
commissions and committees. In Santander Consumer Finance, the Board is supported by the Risk, Regulation and 
Compliance  Supervision  Commission,  which  is  an  independent  risk  control  and  monitoring  committee.  These 
bylaw-mandated bodies form the highest level of risk governance:

Independent control bodies

– Risk, Regulation and Compliance Supervision Commission:

This  Committee's  role  is  to  assist  the  Board  of  Directors  in  the  monitoring  and  control  or  risks,  defining  and 
assessing risk policies, and determining the risk propensity and strategy.

It  is  made  up  of  external  or  non-executive  directors  (mostly  independent)  and  is  chaired  by  an  independent 
Board member.

The main duties of the Risk, Regulation and Compliance Supervision Commission are:

– To support and advise the Board of Directors in defining and assessing Santander Consumer Finance's 

risk policies and determining its risk propensity and risk strategy.

– To  ensure  that  the  pricing  policy  for  assets  and  liabilities  offered  to  customers  fully  respects  the 

business model and risk strategy.

– To  understand  and  assess  the  management  tools,  ideas  for  improvement,  progress  with  projects  and 

any other relevant activity relating to risk control.

 147

– To  determine  with  the  Board  of  Directors  the  nature,  amount,  format  and  frequency  of  the  risk 

information to be received by the Committee and the Board.

– To help establish rational and practical remuneration policies. For this purpose, without prejudice to the 
duties  of  the  Remunerations  Committee,  the  Risk  Committee  examines  whether  the  incentives  policy 
planned for the remuneration scheme considers risk, capital, liquidity and the likelihood and suitability 
of profits.

–

Executive Risk Control Committee (ERCC):

–

This collegial body is responsible for overall monitoring and control of Santander Consumer Finance's 
risks,  pursuant  to  the  powers  delegated  to  it  by  the  Board  of  Directors  of  Santander  Consumer 
Finance, S.A.

Its objectives are:

•

To  provide  a  tool  for  effective  risk  control,  ensuring  that  risks  are  managed  in  accordance  with  the 
Bank's  risk  appetite,  as  approved  by  the  Board  of  Directors  of  Santander  Consumer  Finance,  S.A., 
providing  an  overview  of  all  of  the  risks  identified  in  the  risk  map  in  the  general  risk  framework, 
including identification and monitoring of actual and emerging risks and their impact on the risk profile 
of the Santander Consumer Finance Group. 

•

To ensure the best estimate of provisions and that they are recognized correctly.

This  Committee  is  chaired  by  the  Santander  Consumer  Finance's  Chief  Risk  Officer  (CRO)  and  is  made  up  of 
members  of  its  senior  management.  In  addition  to  the  risk  function,  which  chairs  the  Committee,  the 
compliance,  finance  and  management  control  functions  are  also  represented.  The  CROs  of  local  entities  can 
take part on a regular basis to report on the risk profile of the entities and other tasks.

The Executive Risk Control Committee reports to the Risk, Regulation and Compliance Supervision Commission, 
which it assists in its function of supporting the Board.

Decision-making bodies

–

Executive Risk Committee (ERC):

The Executive Risk Committee is the collegiate body responsible for overall risk management pursuant to the 
powers delegated to it by the Board of Directors of Santander Consumer Finance S.A., monitoring all the risks 
identified in the Bank that fall within its remit.

Its objective is to provide a tool for decisions on accepting risks at the highest level, ensuring that risk decisions 
are within the limits set by the Santander Consumer Finance Group's risk appetite, as well as informing of its 
activity to the Board or its committees when it is required so.

This Committee is chaired by the Head of Santander Consumer Finance and is made up of executive directors 
and other executive of Santander Consumer Finance. The risk, financial, management control and compliance 
function are also represented, among others. The Bank's CRO is entitled to veto the Committee's decisions.

– Proposal Sub-committee (RPSc):

The  Santander  Consumer  Finance  Risk  Proposal  Sub-committee  is  a  collegiate    body  in  charge  of  making 
decisions regarding business and country transactions, credit risk, market, liquidity and structural issues (or any 
other risk if it were necessary), guaranteeing that the decisions made comply with the limits established in the 
appetite  risk  framework  of  Santander  Consumer  Finance,  as  well  as  informing  of  its  activity  to  the  Risk 
Executive Committee when it is required so.  

This  Committee  is  chaired  by  Santander  Consumer  Finance’s  CRO,  and  it  comprises  Santander  Consumer 
Finance executive positions including but not limited to the risk, financial, management control and compliance 
functions. 

 148

– Provisions Committee:

The  Provisions  Committee  is  the  decision-making  body  responsible  for  overall  management  of  provisions  in 
accordance with the powers delegated by the Executive Risk Committee of Santander Consumer Finance S.A., 
and  supervises,  within  its  sphere  of  action  and  decision,  all  matters  relating  to  provisions  in  Santander 
Consumer  Finance.  Its  purpose  is  to  be  the  instrument  for  decision-making,  ensuring  that  decisions  are 
consistent with the governance of provisions established at Santander Consumer Finance, and reporting to the 
Board of Directors or its committees on its activities when required.

The structure of the Risk Committees of the Western Hub branches:

Pursuant  to  the  merger  agreements  and  for  the  purpose  of  ensuring  proper  governance  and  continuing  the  risk 
function of the Western Hub branches by Santander Consumer Finance, S.A. (absorbing company):

•

Any powers, faculties and attributions in terms of risks that were granted individually or collectively in the 
branches, will remain in force under the same terms and conditions.

• What is particularly established in its approval and risk control committees will continue to be in force with 
the same functions, unless one or more powers are expressly claimed for itself by a higher-ranking body.

•

Any  discrepancy  in  the  understanding  of  the  attributions  and  competence  of  the  committees  will  be 
interpreted  in  the  sense  that  best  favors  the  governance  functions  of  the  company  as  a  whole  and,  in  any 
case,  subject  to  the  practices  and  uses  of  the  governing  bodies  superior  hierarchy  of  the  entity  Santander 
Consumer Finance S.A.

       Structural organisation of the risk function

The Group Chief Risk Officer (GCRO) is responsible for the risk function in Santander Consumer Finance and reports 
to the Head of Santander Consumer Finance, who is a member of the Board. 

The  GCRO  advises  and  challenges  the  executive  line  and  also  reports  independently  to  the  Risk,  Regulatory  and 
Compliance Committee and to the Board.

Advanced  risk  management  is  based  on  a  holistic,  forward-looking  approach  to  risks,  based  on  intensive  use  of 
models, to foster a robust control environment that meets the requirements of the regulator and the supervisor.

Santander Consumer Finance's risk management and control model shares certain core principles via its corporate 
frameworks. These frameworks are established by the Group and Santander Consumer Finance adheres to them 
through its management  bodies.  They shape the relationship between the subsidiaries and Santander Consumer 
Finance, including the role played by the latter in validity.

The Group-Subsidiaries  Governance Model and good governance practices for subsidiaries recommend that each 
subsidiary  should  have  a  bylaw-mandated  risk  committee  and  an  executive  risk  committee  chaired  by  the  Chief 
Executive Officer (CEO). This is in line with best corporate governance practices and consistent with those already 
in place in the Group, as set out in the corporate framework, to which Santander Consumer Finance has signed up.

Under the Group's internal governance framework, the management bodies of Santander Consumer Finance have 
their own model of risk powers (both quantitative and qualitative), which must follow the principles set out in the 
benchmark models and frameworks developed at the corporate level.

Given its capacity for comprehensive and aggregated oversight of all risks, the corporation exercises a validation 
and questioning role with regard to the operations and management policies of the units, insofar as they affect the 
Group’s risk profile.

Identifying and evaluating risks is a cornerstone for controlling and managing risk. The main risk types to which the 
Group is exposed are credit risk, market risk, operational risk and compliance and conduct risk.

Santander  Consumer  Finance  has  taken  several  initiatives  to  improve  the  relationship  between  Santander 
Consumer Finance and its subsidiaries, and to improve the model of advanced risk management. 

 149

II. Credit Risk

Credit  risk  stems  from  the  possibility  of  losses  arising  from  the  failure  of  clients  or  counterparties  to  meet  their 
financial obligations with the Group, in full or in part.

The  risk  function  in  Santander  Consumer  Finance  is  organised  by  customer  type,  distinguishing  between 
individualised and standard customers throughout the risk-management process:

•

•

Individualised  customers  are  those  assigned  to  a  risk  analyst,  mainly  because  of  the  risk  they  entail.  This 
category  includes  Wholesale  Banking  companies  and  some  Retail  Banking  companies.  Risk  management 
involves  expert  analysis,  complemented  by  decision-making  support  tools  based  on  internal  risk  assessment 
models.

Standard risks are those customers to whom no risk analyst is expressly assigned. They generally include risk 
with  individuals,  individual  businesspeople  and  non-individualised  retail  banking  companies.  Management  of 
these  risks  is  based  on  internal-assessment  and  automatic-decision  models,  complemented  by  teams  of 
analysts specialized in specific risk types when the model does not cover the risk or is not sufficiently accurate.

Key figures in 2022

The trend in non-performing assets and the cost of credit reflect the impact of the deterioration of the economic 
environment mitigated by prudent risk management, which has generally kept these figures lower than those of 
our competitors in recent years. As a result, Santander Consumer Finance maintains an adequate level of coverage 
to meet the expected loss from the credit risk portfolios managed.

As of December 2022, the default rate was 2.06%, due to the good performance of the different portfolios, despite 
the  adverse  situations  that  have  been  experienced  throughout  2022,  the  measures  applied  in  the  units  and  the 
Santander Consumer Finance risk appetite. Doubtful loans (2,239 million euros) are distributed by units as follows: 
Nordics represents 22% of the total, Spain 26%, Germany 28%, France 9%, Italy 7%, Austria 6% and others 2%. 
Regarding  the  type  of  portfolio,  Auto  represents  45%  of  the  total,  Direct  31%,  Cards  7%,  Stock  Finance  3%, 
Mortgages 3%, Durables 2% and others 9%.

Despite  the  uncertainty  and  instability  generated  by  the  post-pandemic  situation,  as  well  as  the  semiconductor 
crisis and the war between Russia and Ukraine, the non-performing loan ratio has remained stable, compared to 
the December 2021 data, being 2.06% in both years.

In terms of cost of credit, this ratio has a low risk profile thanks to the granularity and predictability of Santander 
Consumer Finance's portfolios. The 12-month cost of credit at the end of December 2022 was 0.42%.

Highlights and trends

The  profile  of  Santander  Consumer  Finance's  credit  risk  portfolio  is  characterised  by  a  diversified  geographic 
distribution and the predominance of retail banking.

 150

Global Credit Risk Map 2022 

The following table details the global map of Santander Consumer Finance's gross credit exposure by geographic 
area:

SCF Group - Gross Credit risk exposure

2022

(EUR million)
14,952
10,352
15,940
42,099
17,815
2,819
4,479
108,456

Change on December 
2021

% portfolio

2.39%
14.02%
8.19%
8.57%
1.32%
(5.20)%
14.02%
6.67%

13.79%
9.53%
14.70%
38.82%
16.43%
2.60%
4.13%
100.00%

Spain and Portugal (*)

Italy

France

Germany and Austria

Nordics (Scandinavia)

United Kingdom

Other

Total

In terms of outlook by product at December 2022, Auto represents 63% of the total gross exposure, Direct 12%, 
Mortgages 3%, Durables 2%, Stock Finance 10% and Others 10%. Germany concentrates the highest percentage of 
the  portfolio  with  39%  along  with  Austria  and  their  respective  JVs.  On  the  other  hand,  Nordics  (Scandinavia) 
represents 16%, and includes units from Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland. France, including the PSA Joint 
Ventures,  represents  10%  of  the  total.  Spain,  Portugal  and  their  respective  units  resulting  from  the  cooperation 
with PSA, represent 14% of the total.

Estimation of impairment losses 

Calculation of expected credit losses:

Grupo Santander Consumer Finance calculates expected credit losses using parameters (mainly PD and LGD) based 
on internal models according to specific requirements of IFRS 9 and other guidelines by regulators, supervisors and 
other  international  organizations  (EBA,  NCAs,  BIS,  GPPC).  Models  are  built  using  internal  information  with 
sufficiently  representative  historical  depth  and  granularity,  regulatory  and  management  experience,  as  well  as 
forward-looking information based on macroeconomic scenarios, and allow estimating losses throughout the life 
of  the  operation.  They  follow  a  defined  life  cycle  that  includes,  among  others,  a  process  of  internal  validation, 
monitoring and governance models to ensure their robustness and suitability for use.

Determination of significant increase in credit risk

In order to determine the classification in stage 2, the Group assesses whether there has been a significant increase 
in  credit  risk  (SICR)  since  the  initial  recognition  of  the  transactions,  considering  a  series  of  common  principles 
throughout the Group that guarantee that all financial instruments are subject to this assessment, which considers 
the  particularities  of  each  portfolio  and  type  of  product  on  the  basis  of  various  quantitative  and  qualitative 
indicators. Furthermore, transactions are subject to the expert judgement of the analysts, who set the thresholds 
under  an  effective  integration  in  management  and  implemented  according  to  the  approved  governance.  The 
criteria  thresholds  used  by  the  Group  are  based  on  a  series  of  principles,  and  develop  a  set  of  techniques.  The 
principles are as follows:

•

•

Universality: all financial instruments subject to a credit rating must be assessed for their possible SICR. 

Proportionality: the definition of the SICR must take into account the particularities of each portfolio. 

• Materiality: its implementation must be also consistent with the relevance of each portfolio so as not to 

incur in unnecessary costs or efforts. 

•

•

Holistic vision: the approach selected must be a combination of the most relevant credit risk aspects (e.g. 
quantitative and qualitative). 

Application  of  IFRS  9:  the  approach  must  take  into  consideration  IFRS  9  characteristics,  focusing  on  a 
comparison with credit risk at initial recognition, as well as considering forward-looking information.

 151

 
•

•

 Risk management integration: the criteria must be consistent with those metrics considered in the day-
to-day risk management.

 Documentation: Appropriate documentation must be prepared. The techniques are summarised below:

–

–

–

–

Stability  of  stage  2:  in  the  absence  of  significant  changes  in  the  portfolios  credit  quality,  the 
volume of assets in stage 2 should maintain a certain stability as a whole.

Economic reasonableness: at transaction level, stage 2 is expected to be a transitional rating for 
exposures that could eventually move to a deteriorating credit status at some point or stage 3, 
as  well  as  for  exposures  that  have  suffered  credit  deterioration  and  whose  credit  quality  is 
improving and returns to stage 1. 

Predictive  power:  it  is  expected  that  the  SICR  definition  avoids,  as  far  as  possible,  direct 
migrations from stage 1 to stage 3 without having been previously classified in stage 2. 

Time in stage 2: it is expected that the exposures do not remain categorized as stage 2 for an 
excessive time. 

The  application  of  the  aforementioned  techniques,  conclude  in  the  setting  of  one  or  several  thresholds  for  each 
portfolio  in  each  geography.  Likewise,  these  thresholds  are  subject  to  a  regular  review  by  means  of  calibration 
tests, which may entail updating the thresholds types or their values. Identifying a significant increase in credit risk: 
when classifying financial instruments under stage 2, Santander considers: 

•

•

•

•

Quantitative criteria: Santander Consumer Finance reviews and quantifies changes in the risk of default 
during  their  expected  life  based  on  their  credit  risk  level  on  initial  recognition.  To  recognize  significant 
changes  so  instruments  can  be  classified  in  stage  2,  each  subsidiary  set  quantitative  thresholds  for  its 
portfolios based on Santander's guidelines for consistent interpretation across all our footprint. 

Of those quantitative thresholds, Grupo Santander considers two: the relative threshold, which shows the 
difference  in  credit  quality  since  the  transaction  was  approved  as  a  percentage  of  change;  and  the 
absolute  threshold,  which  calculates  the  total  difference  in  credit  quality.  All  subsidiaries  apply  them 
(with different values) in the same manner. The use of one or both depends on portfolio type and other 
aspects, such as the starting point for average credit quality. 

Qualitative criteria: Several indicators aligned with ordinary credit risk management indicators (e.g. past 
due for over 30 days, forbearance, etc.). Each subsidiary defined these criteria for its portfolios. Santander 
supplements  these  qualitative  criteria  with  expert  opinions.  When  the  presumption  of  a  significant 
deterioration of credit risk is removed, due to a sufficient improvement of the credit quality, the obligor 
can be re-classified to Stage 1, without any probationary period in Stage 2.

Definition of default: Santander incorporated the new definition to provisions calculation according to the 
EBA’s  guidelines;  the  Group  is  also  considering  applying  it  to  prudential  framework.  In  addition,  the 
default definition and stage 3 have been aligned.

This definition considers the following criteria to classify exposures as stage 3: financial instruments with 
one or more payments more than 90 consecutive days past due, representing at least 1% of the client's 
total exposure or the identification of other criteria demonstrating, even in the absence of defaults, that it 
is unlikely that the counterparty is unlikely to meet all of its financial obligations. The Group applies the 
default criteria to all exposures of the impaired client. Where an obligor belongs to a group, the default 
criteria may also be applied to all exposures of the group.  The default classification is maintained during 
the 3-month test period following the disappearance of all default indicators described above, and this 
period is extended to one year for forbearances that have been classified as default.

Expected  life  of  financial  instruments:  Santander  estimates  the  expected  life  of  financial  instruments 
according to their contractual terms (e.g. prepayments, duration, purchase options, etc.). The contractual 
period (including extension options) is the maximum time frame for measuring the expected credit loss. If 
financial  instruments  have  an  undefined  maturity  period  and  available  balance  (e.g.  credit  cards), 
Santander  estimates  its  expected  life  based  on  the  total  exposure  period  and  effective  management 
practices to mitigate exposure.

 152

The  context  and  monitoring  of  the  expected  credit  loss  was  analysed  and  reviewed  during  the  health  crisis  by 
covid-19  ,  and  was  reinforced  with  collective  analysis,  monitoring  of  government  measures,  monitoring  of  the 
evolution  of  the  Group's  customers,  as  well  as  remedial  management  actions  if  necessary.  In  terms  of 
classification,  Grupo  Santander  has  maintained  the  criteria  and  thresholds  for  classification  applied  prior  to  the 
start  of  the  pandemic,  eliminating  regulatory  criteria  of  the  effect  of  moratorium  classification  as  they  have 
expired, as well as the collective analyses associated with these groups of loans. Regarding moratorium measures, 
a  rigorous  identification  and  periodic  monitoring  of  the  credit  quality  of  the  clients  and  their  payment  behaviour 
have  been  carried  out  and,  through  a  specific  individual  or  collective  evaluation,  the  timely  detection  of  the 
significant increase in credit risk. At the end of December 2022 the credit risk provisions not included any special 
measures or adjustments in relation to health crisis by covid-19.

1.

Forward-looking vision

To estimate expected losses, Grupo Santander requires a great deal of expert analysis as well as past, present and 
future data. Santander quantifies expected losses from credit events using an unbiased, weighted consideration of 
up to five future scenarios that could affect our ability to collect contractual cash flows. These scenarios take into 
account the time value of money, the relevant information available about past events and current conditions, and 
projections  of  macroeconomic  factors  that  are  considered  important  to  estimate  this  amount  (e.g.  GDP,  house 
prices, rate of unemployment, among others).

Santander  uses  forward-looking  information  in  internal  management  and  regulatory  processes  under  several 
scenarios.  The  Group's  guidelines  and  governance  ensure  synergy  and  consistency  between  these  different 
processes. 

During 2022, the Group has updated the macroeconomic scenarios included in the provision models with the most 
up-to-date  information  on  the  current  environment.  The  IASB  already  indicated  in  2021  that  the  macroeconomic 
uncertainty surrounding the pandemic made it difficult to regularly apply the expected loss calculation models of 
IFRS9.  The  European  Central  Bank  recommended  the  use  of  a  stable  and  long-term  view  (long-term).  run)  of 
macroeconomic  forecasts.  In  2022,  the  economic  recovery  that  was  expected  after  the  end  of  the  pandemic  has 
been  affected  by  the  effects  of  the  war  in  Ukraine,  which  introduces  an  additional  effect  of  volatility  in  the 
scenarios. Consequently, the Group uses a prospective vision to estimate expected losses.

2.

Additional elements 

Additional elements such an analysis of sectors or other pilars of credit risk analysis are included when necessary if 
they  have  not  been  captured  by  the  two  elements  explained  in  the  paragraph  above,  and  their  impacts  has  not 
been captured sufficiently by the macroeconomic scenarios. Collective analysis techniques are also used, when the 
potential impairment in a group of clients cannot be identified individually. 

Based on the elements described above, Grupo Santander Consumer Finance has evaluated the performance of the 
credit quality of its customers in each of the geographical areas, for the purposes of their staging classification and 
consequently, the expected credit loss calculation. 

Additional expected loss provisions due to the current macroeconomic environment

In the context of the covid-19 pandemic, during 2022 the authorities decided to gradually relax the social distance 
measures.  From  an  economic  point  of  view,  when  the  measures  were  softened  and  economic  activity  resumed, 
new imbalances emerged in the economy. Accumulated savings caused a rapid increase in demand, but there were 
supply restrictions due, in part, to the different speeds of incorporation into global supply chains and the scarcity of 
some materials,  such as  semiconductors, with great impact on the automotive industry . The money supply was 
still high and interest rates low, which caused inflation to begin to accelerate, very visibly from the second half of 
2022. Additionally, in February 2022 the Russian invasion of Ukraine began, to which the Community International 
reacted by imposing harsh economic sanctions against Russia. The fact that Russia is the main player in the oil and 
gas  market  caused  further  distortions  that  put  pressure  on  the  energy  market  and  further  boosted  inflation, 
especially 
in  Europe  (highly  dependent  on  Russian  gas).  In  these  circumstances,  the  updating  of  the 
macroeconomic scenarios has been accompanied by great uncertainty.

During 2021, following the recommendations of different organizations and international supervisors, accounting 
and prudential policies were applied and adapted, under a criterion of responsibility, to the containment measures 
put in place to combat the effects of the covid-19 health crisis, which were of a temporary and exceptional nature. 
Long-term  stable  forecasts  were  taken  into  account  and  additional  adjustments  were  made  to  the  models  (or 
overlays)  to  recognize  the  increase  in  expected  loss,  since  the  mechanical  application  of  the  methodology  for 
estimating expected loss due to credit risk in that context could have led to unexpected results.

 153

Throughout  2022,  the  adjustments  have  been  continuously  monitored,  recalculating  or  reformulating  them,  in 
such  a  way  that  the  changes  caused  by  overcoming  the  pandemic  and  the  start  of  the  war  in  Ukraine  and  the 
inflationary effects and interest rate rises are adequately reflected in the account of each entity/geography of the 
Group. In total, at the end of 2022, the additional adjustments recorded by the Santander Consumer Finance Group 
due  to  macroeconomic  aspects  amount  to  EUR  104.9  million  and  are  mainly  due  to  the  inclusion  of  additional 
effects derived from inflation and interest rates. interest, which do not respond to the historical casuistry included 
in the projection models. The Group geographies most affected by these additional adjustments are Spain, Nordics, 
France and Italy.

The detail of the exposure and the impairment losses associated with each of the phases as of December 31, 2022 
is shown below. In addition, based on the current credit quality of the operations, the exposure is divided in three 
degrees (investment, speculation and default):

Exposure and impairment losses by stage 2022

Credit quality (*)

Investment grade

Speculation grade

Default

Total Risk (**)

Impairment losses

Credit quality (*)

Investment grade
Speculation grade
Default
Total Risk (**)
Impairment losses

Stage 2

Stage 3

(EUR millions) 

Stage 1

116,422

12,674

—

129,096

477

—

4,172

—

4,172

—

—

—

2,239

2,239

1,229

Stage 3
—
—
2,099
2,099
1,307

Total

116,422

16,846

2,239

135,508

1,956

Total
113,018
12,054
2,099
127,171
1,858

Exposure and impairment losses by stage 2021

(EUR millions) 

Stage 1
113,018
8,404
—
121,422
551

Stage 2
—
3,650
—
3,650
—

(*) Detail of credit quality rating calculated for Group’s management purposes.

(**) Amortised cost assets,  Loans and advances - Customers + Loan commitments granted

As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, the Group does not present significant amounts of impaired assets purchased with 
impairment.

Provision sensitivity test

Regarding the evolution of losses due to credit risk, the Group carries out a sensitivity analysis through simulations in 
which  immediate  variations  (shocks)  of  +/-  100  bps  take  place  in  the  main  macroeconomic  variables,  assuming 
constant distribution phases of each portfolio of financial assets. In this way, a set of specific and complete scenarios is 
used, where different impacts that affect both the reference variable and the rest of the macroeconomic variables are 
simulated. These impacts may originate from productivity factors, taxes, wages or exchange rates and interest rates. 
Sensitivity is measured as the average variation of the expected loss corresponding to the aforementioned scenarios. 
Following a conservative approach, negative movements take into account an additional standard deviation to reflect 
the  possible  greater  variability  of  losses.  Finally,  in  order  to  provide  a  measure  of  comparable  sensitivity  between 

 154

portfolios, when using the statistical models for scenario analysis, the advances and lags of the model are eliminated, 
thus avoiding capturing only part of the simulated shock.

Additionally, the Group performs stress test exercises and sensitivity analysis on a recurring basis in exercises such as 
ICAAP,  strategic  plans,  budgets  and  recovery  and  resolution  plans.  In  these  exercises,  a  prospective  vision  of  the 
sensitivity of each of the Group's portfolios is created in the event of a possible deviation from the baseline scenario, 
considering  both  the  macroeconomic  evolution  materialized  in  different  scenarios,  and  the  three-year  business 
evolution. These exercises include potentially more adverse scenarios as well as more plausible scenarios.

Detail of the main geographical areas

Following is the risk information related to the most relevant geographies in exposure and credit risk allowances.

• Germany

Information on the estimation of impairment losses

The  detail  of  exposure  and  impairment  losses  associated  to  each  stage  for  Santander  Consumer  Bank  AG  and 
Santander  Consumer  Leasing  GmbH  as  of  31  December  2022  is  as  follows.  Additionally,  in  line  with  its  current 
credit quality, the exposure is classified in three grades (investment, speculation and default):

Credit Quality (*)

Investment grade

Speculation grade

Default

Total exposure (**)

Impairment losses

Credit Quality (*)

Investment grade
Speculation grade

Default

Total exposure (**)

Impairment losses

Exposure and impairment losses by stage 2022

(EUR millions)

Stage 1

37,009

—

—

37,009

88

Stage 2

Stage 3

12

1,145

—

1,157

38

—

—

566

566

272

Exposure and impairment losses by stage 2021

                                      (EUR millions)

Stage 1

34,352

—
—

34,352

89

Stage 2

Stage 3

—

941
—

941

70

—

—
509

509

360

Total

37,021

1,145

566

38,732

398

Total

34,352

941
509

35,802

519

                 (*) Detail of credit quality rating calculated for  Group’s management purposes.

(**) Amortised cost assets, Loans and advances, Customers + loan commitments granted

The NPL ratio for Germany reached 1.47% at the end of December 2022 (1.55% at the end of 2021). 

For  the  estimation  of  the  expected  losses,  the  prospective  information  is  taken  into  account.  Specifically,  for  the 
most  significant  units  in  Germany  (Santander  Consumer  Bank  AG  and  Santander  Consumer  Leasing  GmbH)  five 
prospective macroeconomic scenarios are considered, which are updated periodically, during a time horizon of 5 
years. 

The  projected  evolution  in  2022  of  the  main  macroeconomic  indicators  used  to  estimate  expected  losses  at 
Santander Consumer Bank AG and Santander Consumer Leasing, GmbH is presented below:

 155

5-year scenario (2023-2027)

Magnitudes

Worst-case 
scenario

Worse-case 
scenario

Base-case 
scenario

Better-case 
scenario

Best-case 
scenario

Interest rate

Unemployment rate

GDP growth

Housing market price surges

4.04 %

7.70 %

(0.45 %)

(4.54 %)

3.19 %

6.42 %

0.45 %

(2.55 %)

2.33 %

5.14 %

1.36 %

1.70 %

1.71 %

4.84 %

2.08 %

3.73 %

1.09 %

4.54 %

2.80 %

5.80 %

The projected evolution for the next five years of the main macroeconomic indicators used by Santander Consumer 
Bank  AG  and  Santander  Consumer  Leasing  GmbH  for  estimating  expected  losses  as  of  31  December  2021  is 
presented below:

Magnitudes

Interest rate

Unemployment rate

GDP growth

5-year scenario (2022-2026)

Worst-case 
scenario

Worse-case 
scenario

Base-case 
scenario

Better-case 
scenario

Best-case 
scenario

1.03 %

6.46 %

0.05 %

0.63 %

6.16 %

0.46 %

(0.25 %)

(0.01 %)

5.17 %

1.87 %

2.59 %

4.69 %

2.44 %

3.33 %

0.48 %

4.53 %

3.21 %

4.08 %

Housing market price surges

(1.07 %)

(0.64 %)

Each  of  the  macroeconomic  scenarios  is  associated  with  a  specific  probability  of  occurrence.  In  terms  of  their 
assignment, Santander Consumer AG and Santander Consumer Leasing, GmbH associate the highest weighting to 
the Base Scenario, while they associate the lowest weightings to the most extreme scenarios. The weightings used 
in fiscal years 2022 and 2021 are as follows:

Worst-case scenario

Worse-case scenario

Base-case scenario

Better-case scenario

Best-case scenario

5 %

20 %

50 %

20 %

5 %

The estimated sensitivity of expected losses for the most relevant portfolios in Germany as of 31 December 2022, 
based on what is detailed in the Provisions Sensitivity Exercise section is shown below:

Change in expected loss (IFRS9)

Vehicles 
New

Vehicles 
Used

Leasing 
New

Direct

5.60%

4.98%

4.71%

2.61%

(3.71%)

(3.28%)

(2.85%)

(1.61%)

(9.97%)

14.73%

(8.95%)

13.21%

(7.84%)

14.08%

(4.33%)

7.16%

GDP growth:

(100) b.p.s.

100 b.p.s.

Unemployment rate:
(100) b.p.s.

100 b.p.s.

With  regards  to  the  determination  of  classification  in  stage  2,  the  quantitative  criteria  applied  by  the  entity  are 
based  on  identifying  whether  any  increase  in  the  probability  of  default  (PD)  for  the  entire  expected  life  of  the 
operation is greater than an absolute and relative threshold. This threshold is established for each portfolio and is 
different depending on the credit risk profile characteristics of the products that form the portfolio. 

 156

The entity, among other criteria, considers that an operation presents a significant increase in risk when it presents 
positions  past  due  for  more  than  30  days.  These  criteria  depend  on  the  risk  management  practices  of  each 
portfolio.

• Nordics (Scandinavia)

Information on the estimation of impairment losses

The detail of exposure and impairment losses associated for the most significant Nordics unit (Santander Consumer 
Bank AS) as of 31 December 2022 is as follows. Additionally, in line with its current credit quality, the exposure is 
classified in three grades (investment, speculation and default):

Exposure and impairment losses by stage 2022

(EUR millions)

Credit Quality (*)

Investment grade

Speculation grade

Default

Total exposure (**)

Impairment losses

Stage 1

14,738

1,701

—

16,439

77

Stage 2

Stage 3

6

575

—

581

57

—

—

391

391

222

Exposure and impairment losses by stage 2021

(EUR millions)

Credit Quality (*)

Investment grade

Speculation grade

Default

Total exposure (**)

Impairment losses

Stage 1

5,228

10,983

—

16,211

119

Stage 2

Stage 3

—

533

—

533

58

—

—

462

462

254

(*) Detail of credit quality rating calculated for Group’s management purposes.

(**) Amortised cost assets, Loans and advances, Customers + loan commitments granted

Total

14,744

2,276

391

17,411

356

Total

5,228

11,516

462

17,206

431

The NPL ratio for Nordics (Scandinavia) has been reduced to 2.70% at the end of December 2022 (3.18% at the end 
of 2021). 

For  the  estimation  of  the  expected  losses,  the  prospective  information  is  taken  into  account.  Specifically,  for 
Santander  Consumer  Bank  AS  five  prospective  macroeconomic  scenarios  are  considered,  which  are  updated 
periodically, during a time horizon of 5 years. 

 157

• Norway

The projected evolution for the next five years of the main macroeconomic indicators used by Santander Consumer 
Bank AS for estimating expected losses as of 31 December 2022 is presented below:

5-year scenario  (2023-2027)

Magnitudes

Worst-case 
scenario

Worse-case 
scenario

Base-case 
scenario

Better-case 
scenario

Best-case 
scenario

Interest rate
Unemployment rate
Housing market price surges

GDP growth

4.23 %
5.24 %
(1.22 %)

0.36 %

4.05 %
4.82 %
(0.49 %)

1.06 %

3.30 %
3.85 %
0.22 %

1.90 %

3.10 %
3.39 %
0.55 %

2.52 %

2.80 %
3.03 %
1.06 %

3.10 %

The projected evolution for the next five years of the main macroeconomic indicators used by Santander Consumer 
Bank AS for estimating expected losses as of 31 December 2021 is presented below:

5-year scenario (2022-2026)

Magnitudes

Worst-case 
scenario

Worse-case 
scenario

Base-case 
scenario

Better-case 
scenario

Best-case 
scenario

Interest rate

Unemployment rate

Housing market price surges

GDP growth

0.62 %

4.86 %

0.22 %

0.85 %

1.53 %

4.42 %

0.61 %

1.46 %

1.52 %

3.79 %

2.46 %

2.58 %

2.39 %

3.55 %

2.79 %

3.19 %

3.52 %

3.02 %

3.72 %

3.71 %

Each  one  of  the  macroeconomic  scenarios  is  given  a  probability  of  occurrence.  As  for  its  allocation,  Santander 
Consumer Bank AS associates the base-case scenario with the highest probability of occurrence, while associating 
the lower probabilities to the most extreme scenarios. The weightings used, both in 2022 and 2021, are as follows:

Worst-case scenario

Worse-case scenario

Base-case scenario

Better-case scenario

Best-case scenario

5 %

20 %

50 %

20 %

5 %

The estimated sensitivity of expected losses for the most relevant portfolios in Norway as of 31 December 2022, 
based on what is detailed in the Provisions Sensitivity Exercise section is shown below:

GDP growth

(100) bps

100 bps

Housing market price surges

(100) bps

100 bps

Change in expected loss (IFRS9)

Auto Individuals

5.05 %

(2.00 %)

2.72 %

(1.62 %)

 158

•

Denmark

The  projected  evolution  for  the  next  five  years  of  the  main  macroeconomic  indicators  for  estimating  expected 
losses as of 31 December 2022 is presented below:

5-year scenario (2023-2027)

Magnitudes

Worst-case 
scenario

Worse-case 
scenario

Base-case 
scenario

Better-case 
scenario

Best-case 
scenario

Interest rate

Unemployment rate

Housing market price surges

GDP growth

3.88 %

5.74 %

(1.67 %)

0.19 %

3.23 %

5.24 %

0.27 %

0.80 %

2.58 %

4.72 %

2.17 %

1.59 %

1.96 %

4.22 %

4.15 %

2.11 %

1.34 %

3.90 %

5.87 %

2.60 %

The projected evolution for the next five years of the main macroeconomic indicators as of 31 December 2021 is 
presented below:

5-year scenario (2022-2026)

Magnitudes

Worst-case 
scenario

Worse-case 
scenario

Base-case 
scenario

Better-case 
scenario

Best-case 
scenario

Interest rate

Unemployment rate

Housing market price surges

GDP growth

1.42%

7.68%

(0.15)%

0.91%

1.11%

6.93%

0.74%

1.29%

0.40%

4.85%

1.57%

2.15%

0.51%

4.32%

2.92%

2.46%

0.80%

3.77%

3.91%

2.81%

Each  one  of  the  macroeconomic  scenarios  is  given  a  probability  of  occurrence.  As  for  its  allocation,  Santander 
Consumer Bank AS associates the base-case scenario with the highest probability of occurrence, while associating 
the lower probabilities to the most extreme scenarios. The weightings used, both in 2022 and 2021, are as follows:

Worst-case scenario

Worse-case scenario

Base-case scenario

Better-case scenario

Best-case scenario

5 %

20 %

50 %

20 %

5 %

The estimated sensitivity of expected losses for the most relevant portfolios in Denmark as of 31 December 2022, 
based on what is detailed in the Provisions Sensitivity Exercise section is shown below:

GDP Growth

(100) p.b.

100 p.b.

Change in expected loss (IFRS9)

Auto Individuals

3.76 %

(2.62 %)

 159

•

Sweden

The  projected  evolution  for  the  next  five  years  of  the  main  macroeconomic  indicators  for  estimating  expected 
losses as of 31 December 2022 is presented below:

5-year scenario (2023-2027)

Magnitudes

Worst-case 
scenario

Worse-case 
scenario

Base-case 
scenario

Better-case 
scenario

Best-case 
scenario

Interest rate

Unemployment rate

Housing market price surges

GDP growth

4.33 %

7.61 %

3.51 %

7.36 %

(0.57 %)

0.39 %

0.45 %

0.95 %

3.19 %

7.08 %

1.60 %

1.78 %

2.74 %

6.80 %

2.70 %

2.33 %

2.11 %

6.48 %

3.73 %

2.83 %

The  projected  evolution  for  the  next  five  years  of  the  main  macroeconomic  indicators  for  estimating  expected 
losses as of 31 December 2021 is presented below:

5-year scenario (2022-2026)

Magnitudes

Worst-case 
scenario

Worse-case 
scenario

Base-case 
scenario

Better-case 
scenario

Best-case 
scenario

Interest rate

Unemployment rate

Housing market price surges

GDP growth

1.64 %

8.54 %

0.82 %

1.40  %

1.36 %

8.20 %

1.59 %

1.72 %

0.39 %

7.02 %

2.35  %

2.46 %

0.81 %

6.71 %

2.94 %

2.81 %

1.08 %

6.30 %

3.99 %

3.11 %

Each  one  of  the  macroeconomic  scenarios  is  given  a  probability  of  occurrence.  As  for  its  allocation,  Santander 
Consumer Bank AS associates the base-case scenario with the highest probability of occurrence, while associating 
the lower probabilities to the most extreme scenarios. The weightings used, both in 2022 and 2021, are as follows:

Worst-case scenario

Worse-case scenario

Base-case scenario

Better-case scenario

Best-case scenario

5 %

20 %

50 %

20 %

5 %

The estimated sensitivity of expected losses for the most relevant portfolios in Sweden as of 31 December 2022, 
based on what is detailed in the Provisions Sensitivity Exercise section is shown below:

GDP growth:

(100) bps

100 bps

Change in expected loss (IFRS9)

Auto individuals

Direct

6.27 %

(1.30 %)

1.81 %

(0.19 %)

With  regards  to  the  determination  of  classification  in  stage  2,  the  quantitative  criteria  applied  by  the  entity  are 
based  on  identifying  whether  any  increase  in  the  probability  of  default  (PD)  for  the  entire  expected  life  of  the 
operation  is  greater  than  a  relative  threshold.  This  threshold  is  established  for  each  portfolio  and  is  different 
depending on the characteristics of the transactions, and a transaction is considered to exceed this threshold when 
the PD for the entire life of the transaction increases with respect to the PD it had at the time of initial recognition 
by 10% in relative terms. 

 160

The entity, among other criteria, considers that an operation presents a significant increase in risk when it presents 
positions  past  due  for  more  than  30  days.  These  criteria  depend  on  the  risk  management  practices  of  each 
portfolio.

•

Spain

Information on the estimation of impairment

The detail of exposure and impairment losses associated to each stage for the most significant business units in 
Spain (Santander Consumer Finance S.A.) as of 31 December 2022 is as follows. Additionally, in line with its current 
credit quality, the exposure is classified in three grades (investment, speculation and default):

Exposure and impairment losses by stage 2022

(EUR millions)

Credit Quality (*)

Investment grade

Speculation grade
Default

Total exposure (**)

Impairment losses

Stage 1

4,069

10,967
—

15,035

121

Stage 2

Stage 3

5

236
—

241

32

—

—
477

477

288

(*) Detail of credit quality rating calculated for  Group’s management purposes.

(**) Amortised cost assets, Loans and advances, Customers + loan commitments granted

Exposure and impairment losses by stage 2021

(EUR millions)

Credit Quality (*)

Investment grade

Speculation grade
Default

Total exposure (**)

Impairment losses

Stage 1

14,959

520
—

15,479

127

Stage 2

Stage 3

—

366
—

366

61

—

—
396

396

274

(*) Detail of credit quality rating calculated for  Group’s management purposes.

(**) Amortised cost assets, Loans and advances, Customers + loan commitments granted

Total

4,074

11,203
477

15,753

441

Total

14,959

886
396

16,241

462

The delinquency rate in the case of Spain has increased to 3.44% at the end of December 2022 (3.09% at the end of 
2021).

Prospective information has been considered for the estimation of the expected losses, . Specifically, regarding in 
Santander Consumer Finance, S.A. portfolio, five prospective macroeconomic scenarios are considered, which are 
updated periodically, during a time horizon of 5 years. 

 161

The projected performance in the years to follow of the macroeconomic indicators used during 2022 regarding the 
estimation pf the expected credit losses for Santander Consumer Finance, S.A. portfolios in Spain is as follows:

5-year scenario (2023-2027)

Magnitudes

Interest rate

Unemployment rate

Housing market price surges

GDP growth

Worst-case 
scenario

Worse-case 
scenario

Base-case 
scenario

Better-case 
scenario

Best-case 
scenario

3.39 %

19.43 %

1.72 %

(0.57 %)

2.98 %

16.61 %

2.34 %

0.53 %

2.59 %

12.20 %

3.31 %

2.05 %

2.25 %

10.65 %

3.83 %

3.34 %

2.00 %

9.46 %

4.29 %

4.15 %

The projected evolution for the next five years of the main macroeconomic indicators used by Santander Consumer 
Finance, S.A. for estimating expected losses as of 31 December 2021 is presented below:

5-year scenario (2022-2026)

Magnitudes

Interest rate

Unemployment rate

Housing market price surges

GDP growth

Worst-case 
scenario

Worse-case 
scenario

Base-case 
scenario

Better-case 
scenario

Best-case 
scenario

0.97 %

20.89 %

0.39 %

0.13 %

0.62 %

18.28 %

1.67 %

1.06 %

(0.25 %)

12.96 %

2.63 %

2.91 %

(0.20 %)

11.18 %

3.18 %

3.74 %

(0.01 %)

9.46 %

4.04 %

4.72 %

Each  one  of  the  macroeconomic  scenarios  is  given  a  probability  of  occurrence.  As  for  its  allocation,  Santander 
Consumer  Finance  S.A.  associates  the  base-case  scenario  with  the  highest  probability  of  occurrence,  while 
associating the lower probabilities to the most extreme scenarios. The weightings used, both in 2021 and 2022,  
are as follows:

Worst-case scenario

Worse-case scenario

Base-case scenario

Better-case scenario

Best-case scenario

5 %

20 %

50 %

20 %

5 %

The  estimated  sensitivity  of  expected  losses  for  the  most  relevant  portfolios  in  Spain  as  of  31  December  2022, 
based on what is detailed in the Provisions Sensitivity Exercise section is shown below:

GDP growth:
(100) bps
100 bps

Auto New

Change in expected loss (IFRS9)
Mortgages
Auto Used

Cards

5.03%
(3.42%)

2.99%
(2.1%)

0.91%
(0.65%)

2.61%
(1.84%)

Regarding  Stage  2  classification,  the  quantitative  criteria  that  have  been  applied  in  the  entity  are  based  in 
identifying if any increase in the PD for the whole operation life expectancy is greater than a series of absolute and 
relative thresholds. Each portfolio has its own thresholds depending on the characteristics and credit risk profile of 
the products that form this portfolio. 

As  an  example,  regarding  the  main  portfolios  of  Santander  Consumer  Finance  S.A.,  it  is  considered  that  a 
transaction should be classified as stage 2 when the PD for the whole life expectancy of the operation at any given 
moment  is  greater  than  its  PD  at  initial  recognition  in  absolute  and  relative  thresholds,  depending  on  the  sub-
segment. 

 162

Furthermore,  there  are  a  series  of  specific  qualitative  criteria  that  signal  if  the  exposure  has  had  a  significant 
increase in credit risk, regardless of the performance of its PD at initial recognition. The entity, among other criteria, 
considers  that  a  given  transaction  presents  significant  increase  in  credit  risk  when  it  is  30  days  past  due.  These 
criteria depend on management practices depending on portfolio credit risk.

II. Credit risk

Changes in 2022 

The  development  of  non-performing  assets  and  the  cost  of  credit  reflect  the  impact  of  the  worsening  economic 
environment, mitigated by prudent risk management, which has generally kept these figures lower than those of 
our competitors in recent years. As a result, Santander Consumer Finance maintains an adequate level of coverage 
to face the expected loss of the credit risk portfolios it manages.

 163

Following is a detail, by activity, of the loans and advances to customers at 31 December 2022(*):

Net exposure

Loan to Value (***)

EUR Thousands

Secured credit

Public sector

Other financial institutions

Non-financial companies and individual 
traders

Of which:

Construction and property development

Civil engineering construction

Large companies

SMEs and individual traders

Other households and non-profit institutions 
serving households

Of which:

Residential

Consumer loans

Other purposes

Total (*)

Memorandum item

Refinancing, refinanced and restructured 
transactions (**)

Unsecured loans

Property Collateral

Other collateral

Less than or Equal to 
40%

40% and Less than or 
Equal to 60%

60% and Less than or 
Equal to 80%

80% and Less than or 
Equal to 100%

More than 100%

Total

136,345 

711,093 

— 

736 

12,683 

156,638 

37 

2,344 

305 

5,835 

1,040 

15,755 

5,074 

53,936 

6,227 

79,504 

149,028 

868,467 

14,235,811 

100,505 

19,145,123 

180,124 

455,899 

1,184,261 

12,289,895 

5,135,449 

33,481,439 

79,637 

— 

6,087,747 

8,068,427 

— 

— 

45,847 

54,658 

131,929 

6,675 

6,191,419 

12,815,100 

180 

— 

76,711 

103,233 

638 

— 

200,148 

255,113 

2,819 

— 

510,680 

670,762 

125,203 

6,675 

3,369,847 

8,788,170 

3,089 

— 

2,079,880 

3,052,480 

211,566 

6,675 

12,325,013 

20,938,185 

43,632,578 

3,618,739 

24,165,622 

1,959,454 

2,380,446 

2,463,870 

12,275,055 

8,705,536 

71,416,939 

335,960 

43,225,042 

71,576 

58,715,827 

3,373,757 

76,473 

168,509 

3,719,980 

2,018 

23,971,430 

192,174 

43,480,066 

1,356,494 

447,471 

155,489 

2,141,959 

902,311 

1,459,818 

18,317 

2,842,485 

501,296 

1,944,024 

18,550 

3,664,926 

343,124 

11,773,101 

158,830 

24,623,960 

272,550 

8,423,489 

9,497 

3,711,735 

67,272,945 

432,259 

13,926,716 

105,915,873 

314,772 

23,693 

97,304 

3,947 

7,074 

17,549 

53,987 

38,440 

435,769 

(*) The distribution of credit does not include 583,959 thousand euros corresponding to customer advances.
(**) Included net amount accumulated Impairment or accumulate losses at fair value due to credit risk.
(***) Ratio as a result of dividing the carrying value of the operations as of December 31, 2022 over the last valuation of the collateral.

 164

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Following is a detail, by activity, of the loans and advances to customers at 31 December 2021(*):

Net exposure

Loan to Value (***)

EUR Thousands

Secured credit

Public sector

Other financial institutions

Non-financial companies and individual traders

Of which:

Construction and property development

Civil engineering construction

Large companies

SMEs and individual traders

Other households and non-profit institutions serving 
households

Of which:

Residential

Consumer loans

Other purposes

Total (*)

Memorandum item

Refinancing, refinanced and restructured transactions 
(**)

Unsecured loans

Property Collateral

Other collateral

Less than or Equal to 
40%

40% and Less than or 
Equal to 60%

60% and Less than or 
Equal to 80%

80% and Less than or 
Equal to 100%

More than 100%

Total

136,065 

495,007 

— 

1,274 

13,403 

100,504 

12 

1,268 

54 

2,950 

159 

6,605 

4,922 

31,577 

8,256 

59,378 

149,468 

596,785 

11,630,239 

172,019 

15,762,916 

296,442 

236,849 

2,737,030 

9,753,487 

2,911,127 

27,565,174 

64,897 

420 

5,434,403 

6,130,519 

— 

— 

61,047 

110,972 

192,209 

5,425 

4,382,634 

11,182,648 

171 

— 

123,957 

172,314 

599 

— 

70,674 

165,576 

2,319 

— 

904,044 

1,830,667 

185,517 

5,425 

2,171,636 

7,390,909 

3,603 

— 

1,173,370 

1,734,154 

257,106 

5,845 

9,878,084 

17,424,139 

42,906,366 

3,703,787 

24,160,981 

1,746,186 

2,156,561 

3,171,538 

11,226,033 

9,564,450 

70,771,134 

239,188 

3,617,745 

2,560 

1,350,250 

42,512,272 

154,906 

4,551 

81,491 

24,003,718 

154,703 

340,582 

55,354 

55,167,677 

3,877,080 

40,037,804 

2,043,908 

1,065,075 

1,063,311 

28,175 

2,396,414 

564,540 

2,577,558 

29,440 

343,168 

10,790,554 

92,311 

297,272 

9,236,264 

30,914 

3,859,493 

66,520,541 

391,100 

5,915,332 

21,016,019 

12,543,211 

99,082,561 

398,175 

32,405 

80,738 

4,384 

5,403 

27,229 

32,915 

43,212 

511,318 

(*) The distribution of credit does not include 477,101 thousand euros corresponding to customer advances.
(**) Included net amount accumulated Impairment or accumulate losses at fair value due to credit risk.
(***) Ratio as a result of dividing the carrying value of the operations as of December 31, 2021 over the last valuation of the collateral.

 165

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Forborne loan portfolio

The term “forborne loan portfolio” refers, for the purposes of the Group's risk management, to those transactions in 
which the customer has, or might foreseeably have, financial difficulty in meeting its payment obligations under the 
terms and conditions of the current agreement with Santander Consumer Finance and, accordingly, the agreement has 
been modified or cancelled or even a new transaction has been entered into.

The Santander Group, which Santander Consumer Finance Group belongs to, has a detailed customer debt forbearance 
policy that serves as a reference for the various local adaptations made for all the financial institutions forming part of 
the Group. This policy is adapted to the bank regulation establish by the EBA, like it is said in the "Guidelines relating to 
the  management  of  non-performing  and  restructured  or  refinanced  exposures"  (EBA/GL/2018/06)  of  October,  31 
2018. It is also adapted the Bank of Spain Circular 6/2021 that modifies 4/2017. 

This policy establishes strict prudential criteria for the assessment of these loans:

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

The use of this practice is restricted, and any actions that might defer the recognition of impairment must be 
avoided.

The  main  aim  must  be  to  recover  the  amounts  owed,  and  any  amounts  deemed  unrecoverable  must  be 
recognised as soon as possible. 

Forbearance must always envisage maintaining the existing guarantees and, if possible, enhance them. Not 
only  can  effective  guarantees  serve  to  mitigate  losses  given  default,  but  they  might  also  reduce  the 
probability of default.

This  practice  must  not  give  rise  to  the  granting  of  additional  funding  or  be  used  to  refinance  debt  of  other 
entities or as a cross-selling instrument.

All the alternatives to forbearance and their impacts must be assessed, making sure that the results of this 
practice will exceed those which would foreseeably be obtained if it were not performed.

Forborne  transactions  are  classified  using  more  stringent  criteria  which  prudentially  ensure  that  the 
customer's  ability  to  pay  is  restored  from  the  date  of  forbearance  and  for  an  adequate  period  of  time 
thereafter.

In  addition,  in  the  case  of  customers  that  have  been  assigned  a  risk  analyst,  it  is  particularly  important  to 
conduct an individual analysis of each specific case, for both the proper identification of the transaction and 
its subsequent classification, monitoring and adequate provisioning. 

The forbearance policy also sets out various criteria for determining the scope of transactions qualifying as forborne 
exposures  by  defining  a  detailed  series  of  objective  indicators  that  permit  identification  of  situations  of  financial 
difficulty.

Accordingly,  transactions  not  classified  as  non-performing  at  the  date  of  forbearance  are  generally  considered  to  be 
experiencing  financial  difficulty  if  at  that  date,  they  were  more  than  one  month  past  due.  Where  no  payments  have 
been missed or there are no payments more than one month past due, other indicators of financial difficulty are taken 
into account, including most notably the following: 

–

–

–

Transactions with customers who are already experiencing difficulties in other transactions.

Situations  where  a  transaction  has  to  be  modified  prematurely,  and  the  Group  has  not  yet  had  a  previous 
satisfactory experience with the customer. 

Cases in which the necessary modifications entail the grant of special conditions, such as the establishment 
of a grace period, or where these new conditions are deemed to be more favourable for the customer than 
those which would have been granted for an ordinary loan approval.

– Where  a  customer  submits  successive  loan  modification  requests  at  unreasonable  time  intervals.  In 
Consumer Finance’s case, a maximum of 1 restructuring agreement is established in a year or 3 in a period of 
5 years.

 166

–

In any case, if once the modification has been made any payment irregularity arises during a given probation 
period  (as  evidenced  by  back  testing),  even  in  the  absence  of  any  other  symptoms,  the  transaction  will  be 
deemed to be within the scope of forborne exposures.

Once  it  has  been  determined  that  the  reasons  for  the  modification  of  the  customer’s  debt  conditions  are  due  to 
financial difficulties, regardless of whether or not the customer has outstanding payments and the number of days 
payment has been outstanding, and the customer will be considered to be under monitoring for all purposes and, 
as such, will be manages in accordance with this policy.

Once  forbearance  measures  have  been  adopted,  transactions  that  have  to  remain  classified  as  nonperforming 
because at the date of forbearance they do not meet the regulatory requirements to be reclassified to a different 
category must comply with a continuous prudential payment schedule in order to assure reasonable certainty as to 
the recovery of the ability to pay. 

On  successful  completion  of  the  period,  the  duration  of  which  depends  on  the  customer's  situation  and  the 
transaction features (term and guarantees provided), the transaction is no longer considered to be nonperforming, 
although it continues to be subject to a probation period during which it undergoes special monitoring.

This  monitoring  continues  until  a  series  of  requirements  have  been  met,  including  most  notably:  a  minimum 
observation  period  of  24  months;  repayment  of  a  substantial  percentage  of  the  outstanding  amounts;  and 
settlement of the amounts that were past due at the time of forbearance. In the case that it is justified that, while 
an operation is in the 24-month Cure Period of Phase 2, there is no longer a Significant Increase in its Credit Risk, 
said  operation  may  be  reclassified  as  Phase  1  and  Non-Default.  risk,  without  the  need  to  complete  the 
aforementioned Cure Period. However, it is important to note that restructurings at the time of origination can only 
be classified as Stage 2 or Stage 3, never as Stage 1.

When forbearance is applied to a transaction classified as non-performing, the original default dates continue to be 
considered for all purposes, irrespective of whether as a result of forbearance the transaction becomes current in 
its payments. Also, the forbearance of a transaction classified as non-performing does not give rise to any release 
of the related provisions.

The renewals can be long or short term (less than two years). Carrying out renewals with terms not exceeding two 
years will be taken into account, when the borrower meets the following criteria:

–

–

–

–

That experiences temporary liquidity restrictions, for which the recovery of the client will be evidenced in the 
short term 

That  the  application  of  long-term  redirection  measures  was  not  effective  given  the  temporary  financial 
uncertainty of a general or specific nature of the client.

That they have been complying with the contractual obligations before the reinstatement

Demonstrates a clear willingness to cooperate with the entity.

As a consequence of the analysis that is carried out, both of the client's situation and of the characteristics of the 
redirection operation that is used, it must be ensured that the redirection will facilitate the reduction of the client's 
debt, and therefore it will be viable. In this sense, to assess the feasibility of the operation, the following will be 
taken into account:

a.

b.

c.

d.

That it can be demonstrated with evidence that the proposed renewal is within the customer's reach, that is, 
that a full refund is expected.

The  payment  by  the  client  of  the  outstanding  amounts,  in  full  or  in  their  majority,  and  the  considerable 
reduction of exposure in the medium-long term.

The  non-existence  of  repeated  breaches  of  the  payment  plans  that  have  given  rise  to  successive  renewals 
(more than three renewals in a period of three years)

In  the  temporary  application  of  short-term  renewal  measures,  it  can  be  proven  through  evidence  that  the 
client has sufficient payment capacity to meet the debt, principal and interest, once the period of application 
of the temporary renewal has expired.

 167

e.

The measure does not give rise to the successive application of several refinancing or restructuring measures 
for the same exposure.

In the event that operations are carried out that do not comply with the above, they will be considered non-viable 
operations and will form part of the Non-performing refinancing category.

The quantitative information required by Bank of Spain is shown below, in relation to the restructured operations in 
force as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, taking into account the above criteria:

 168

Current restructuring balances at 31 December  2022:

Without real guarantee 
(a)

TOTAL

With real guarantee

Number of 
transactions

Gross 
amount

Number of 
transactions

Gross 
amount

Maximum amount of 
the actual collateral that can 
be considered.

Real estate 
guarantee

Rest of real 
guarantees

Impairment 
of 
accumulate
d value or 
accumulate
d losses in 
fair value 
due to credit 
risk.

Of which: Non-performing/Doubtful

Without real guarantee

With real guarantee

TOTAL

Of which: Non-performing/Doubtful

Number of 
transactions

Gross 
amount

Number of 
transactions

Gross 
amount
Real 
estate 
guarant
ee

Maximum amount of 
the actual collateral that can 
be considered.

Real estate 
guarantee

Rest of real 
guarantees

Impairment 
of 
accumulate d 
value or 
accumulated 
losses in 
fair value due 
to credit risk

Gross 
amount

Total 
Guarantees

Impairment 
of 
accumulate d 
value or 
accumulated 
losses in 
fair value due 
to credit risk

Net 
Amount

Gross 
amount

Total 
Guarantees

Impairment of 
accumulate d 
value or 
accumulated 
losses in 
fair value due 
to credit risk

Net 
Amount

REFINANCING AND RESTRUCTURING

1. Credit entities

2. Public sector

3. Other financial institutions and: 
individual shareholder

4. Non-financial institutions and individual 
shareholder

Of which: Financing for constructions and 
property development

— 

— 

63 

— 

— 

699 

— 

— 

20 

— 

— 

276 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

200 

344 

— 

— 

24 

— 

— 

289 

— 

— 

8 

— 

— 

85 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

67 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

256 

975 

200 

344 

631 

374 

— 

— 

67 

— 

— 

— 

— 

256 

118 

7,632 

76,197 

6,055 

77,004 

3,209 

39,386 

33,122 

2,519 

22,466 

1,631 

  17,156 

1,611 

6,408 

24,171 

153,201 

42,595 

33,122 

120,079 

39,622 

8,019 

24,171 

15,451 

299 

2,740 

26 

285 

— 

213 

805 

36 

364 

7 

41 

— 

23 

323 

3,025 

213 

805 

2,220 

405 

23 

323 

82 

5. Other warehouses

6. Total

107,193 

418,382 

4,224 

71,992 

114,888 

495,278 

10,299 

149,272 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

— 

— 

— 

— 

19,844 

23,053 

— 

30,641 

175,315 

51,861 

215,346 

1,954 

  34,282 

70,227 

208,781 

54,404 

238,101 

3,593 

  51,523 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

6,869 

8,480 

— 

11,582 

18,057 

— 

152,590 

490,374 

177,017 

644,550 

— 

— 

50,485 

93,280 

— 

175,315 

315,059 

249,628 

208,781 

435,769 

289,624 

— 

— 

— 

18,451 

26,537 

— 

152,590 

97,038 

177,017 

112,607 

— 

— 

Financing classified as non-current assets and 
disposable groups of items that have been 
classified as held for sale
Off balance sheet: value of other guarantees 
received (not real)

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

Current restructuring balances at 31 December 2021:

Without real guarantee 
(a)

TOTAL

With real guarantee

Number of 
transactions

Gross 
amount

Number of 
transactions

Gross 
amount

Maximum amount of 
the actual collateral that 
can be considered.

Real estate 
guarantee

Rest of 
real 
guarantee
s

Without real guarantee

With real guarantee

Of which: Non-performing/Doubtful

Number of 
transactions

Gross 
amount

Number of 
transactions

Gross 
amount
Real estate 
guarantee

Maximum amount of 
the actual collateral that can 
be considered.

Real estate 
guarantee

Rest of real 
guarantees

Impairment 
of 
accumulate
d value or 
accumulate
d losses in 
fair value 
due to credit 
risk.

TOTAL

Of which: Non-performing/Doubtful

Impairment 
of 
accumulate 
d value or 
accumulate
d losses in 
fair value 
due to credit 
risk

Gross 
amount

Total 
Guarantees

Impairment 
of 
accumulate d 
value or 
accumulated 
losses in 
fair value due 
to credit risk

Net 
Amount

Gross 
amount

Total 
Guarantees

Impairment of 
accumulate d 
value or 
accumulated 
losses in 
fair value due 
to credit risk

Net 
Amount

— 

3 

83 

— 

74 

988 

— 

1 

22 

— 

1 

251 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

5 

200 

402 

— 

1 

22 

— 

7 

244 

— 

1 

8 

— 

1 

97 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

57 

— 

2 

— 

75 

— 

— 

— 

5 

— 

70 

— 

8 

247 

1,239 

200 

402 

837 

341 

— 

— 

57 

— 

2 

247 

— 

6 

94 

12,936 

140,827 

2,811 

55,759 

1,990 

42,086 

47,422 

2,710 

32,592 

1,183 

14,482 

1,389 

5,601 

29,687 

196,586 

44,076 

47,422 

149,164 

47,074 

6,990 

29,687 

17,387 

411 

4,637 

— 

— 

— 

— 

1,189 

35 

344 

— 

— 

— 

— 

254 

4,637 

— 

1,189 

3,448 

344 

— 

254 

90 

REFINANCING AND RESTRUCTURING

1. Credit entities

2. Public sector

3. Other financial institutions and: 
individual shareholder

4. Non-financial institutions and individual 
shareholder

Of which: Financing for constructions and property 
development

5. Other warehouses

6. Total

150,127 

487,125 

4,668 

86,464 

24,458 

34,896 

212,342 

91,786 

  219,914 

163,149 

629,014 

7,502 

142,475 

26,448 

77,183 

260,170 

94,519 

  252,757 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

1,654 

2,846 

— 

37,220 

51,800 

— 

9,130 

7,695 

181,617 

573,589 

59,354 

212,342 

361,247 

257,134 

10,519 

13,353 

211,553 

771,489 

103,631 

260,170 

511,319 

304,557 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

16,825 

23,872 

— 

181,617 

211,553 

— 

75,517 

93,004 

— 

Financing classified as non-current assets and 
disposable groups of items that have been 
classified as held for sale
Off balance sheet: value of other guarantees 
received (not real)

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

 169

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The  transactions  presented  in  the  foregoing  table  were  classified  at  31  December  2022  and  2021  by  nature,  as 
follows:

•

•

Non-performing:  There  will  be  reclassified  to  the  non-performing  category  the  transactions  with  an 
inadequate  payment  plan,  those  which  include  conditions  that  imply  a  delay  in  the  reimbursement  of  the 
transaction thorough regular payments or have any write-off amounts.

Normal:  they  are  classified  within  the  category  of  normal  risk,  operations  are  not  classified  as  doubtful  or 
have been reclassified in the category of doubtful risk to meet the criteria that are recognized below:

a)

That a period of one year has elapsed from the date of refinancing or restructuring.

b)

c)

That  the  holder  has  paid  the  accrued  installments  of  the  principal  interests,  reducing  the  main 
renegotiation, from the date in which the restructuring or refinancing operation was formalized.

The  holder  has  no  other  operation  with  amounts  due  in  more  than  90  days  on  the  date  of 
reclassification to the normal risk category.

c) Measurement metrics and tools

Credit rating tools

In  keeping  with  the  Santander  Group  tradition,  which  has  witnessed  the  use  of  proprietary  rating  models  since 
1993, at Santander Consumer Finance Group the credit quality of customers and transactions is also measured by 
internal scoring and rating systems. Each credit rating assigned by models relates to a certain probability of default 
or non-payment, based on the Group’s historical experience.

Since the Group focuses mainly on the retail business, assessments are based primarily on scoring models or tables 
which, combined with other credit policy rules, issue an automatic decision on the loan applications received. These 
tools have the dual advantage of allocating an objective appraisal of the level of risk and speeding up the response 
time that would be required for a purely manual analysis. 

In addition to the scoring models used for the approval and management of portfolios (rating of the transactions 
composing the portfolios in order to assess their credit quality and estimate their potential losses), other tools are 
available  to  assess  existing  accounts  and  customers  which  are  used  in  the  defaulted  loan  recovery  process.  The 
intention  is  to  cover  the  entire  “loan  cycle”  (approval,  monitoring  and  recovery)  by  means  of  statistical  rating 
models based on the Bank’s internal historical data.

For individualised corporates and institutions, which at the Group include mainly dealers/retailers, the assessment 
of the level of credit risk is based on expert rating models that combine in the form of variables the most relevant 
factors to be taken into account in the assessment, in such a way that the rating process generates appraisals that 
are consistent and comparable among customers and summarise all the relevant information. In 2018 all the units 
conducted  reviews  of  the  aforementioned  portfolios,  involving  the  participation  of  all  areas  of  the  Group.  The 
review  meetings  covered  the  largest  exposures,  companies  under  special  surveillance  and  the  main  credit 
indicators of these portfolios.

Ratings assigned to customers are reviewed periodically to include any new financial information available and the 
experience  in  the  banking  relationship.  The  frequency  of  the  reviews  is  increased  in  the  case  of  customers  that 
reach certain levels in the automatic warning systems and of customers classified as requiring special monitoring. 
The rating tools themselves are also reviewed in order to progressively fine-tune the ratings they provide.

To  a  lesser  extent,  certain  exposures  are  also  assessed  using  the  global  rating  tools  which  cover  the  global 
wholesale  banking  segment.  Management  of  this  segment  is  centralised  at  the  Risk  Division  of  the  Santander 
Group,  for  both  rating  calculation  and  risk  monitoring  purposes.  These  tools  assign  a  rating  to  each  customer, 
which  is  obtained  from  a  quantitative  or  automatic  module,  based  on  balance  sheet  ratios  or  macroeconomic 
variables, supplemented by the analyst’s expert judgement.

The  Group’s  portfolio  of  individualised  corporates  is  scarcely  representative  of  the  total  risks  managed,  since  it 
relates mainly to vehicle dealer stock financing.

 170

d) Credit risk parameters

The  assessment  of  customers  or  transactions  using  rating  or  scoring  systems  constitutes  a  judgement  of  their 
credit quality, which is quantified through the probability of default (PD). 

In addition to customer assessment, the quantification of credit risk requires the estimation of other parameters, 
such as exposure at default (EAD) and the percentage of EAD that will not be recovered (loss given default or LGD). 
Therefore, other relevant aspects are taken into account in estimating the risk involved in transactions, such as the 
quantification of off-balance-sheet exposures, which depends on the type of product, or the analysis of expected 
recoveries, which is related to the guarantees provided and other characteristics of the transaction: type of product, 
term, etc. 

These factors are the main credit risk parameters. Their combination facilitates calculation of the probable loss or 
expected  loss  (EL).  This  loss  is  considered  to  be  an  additional  cost  of  the  activity  which  is  reflected  in  the  risk 
premium and must be charged in the transaction price.

These  risk  parameters  also  make  it  possible  to  calculate  regulatory  capital  in  accordance  with  the  regulations 
deriving  from  the  new  Basel  Capital  Accord  (BIS  III).  Regulatory  capital  is  determined  as  the  difference  between 
unexpected loss and expected loss. 

Unexpected loss is the basis for the capital calculation and refers to a very high, albeit scantly probable, level of 
loss, which is not deemed to be recurring and must be catered for using capital. 

Observed loss: measurement of cost of credit

To  supplement  the  predictiveness  provided  by  the  advanced  models  described  above,  other  habitual  metrics  are 
used to facilitate prudent and effective management of credit risk based on observed loss.

In terms of recognition of losses, the cost of credit risk in Santander Consumer Finance is measured using different 
approaches: Change in non-performing loans (new defaults – cures – recovery of assets written off), net loan-loss 
provisions (gross provisions - recovery of assets written off), net losses (failures - recovery of losses) and expected 
loss. In order to obtain a monitoring ratio, the first two indicators (in 12 months) are divided by the average of 12 
months  of  the  total  portfolio  to  obtain  the  risk  premium  and  the  cost  of  credit.  These  gives  the  manager  a  full 
insight into the evolution and future prospects of the portfolio.

It  should  be  noted  that  unlike  default,  change  in  non-performing  loans  (end  doubtful  -  initial  doubtful  +  failed  - 
recovery of write-offs) refers to the total of the impaired portfolio in a period, regardless of the situation in which it 
is  found  (doubtful  and  failed).  This  makes  metrics  a  main  driver  when  it  comes  to  establishing  measures  for 
portfolio.

The  two  approaches  measure  the  same  reality  and,  consequently,  converge  in  the  long  term  although  they 
represent successive moments in credit risk cost measurement: flows of non-performing loans (MOV), coverage of 
non-performing loans (net credit loss provisions), respectively. Although they converge in the long term within the 
same economic cycle, the three approaches show differences at certain times, which are particularly significant at 
the start of a change of cycle, as observed in this period. These differences are explained by the different moment 
of  calculation  of  losses,  which  is  basically  determined  by  accounting  regulations  (for  example,  mortgage  loans 
have a coverage calendar and becomes written off “slower” than consumer portfolios). In addition, the analysis can 
be  clouded  by  changes  in  the  policy  of  hedging  and  default,  composition  of  the  portfolio,  doubtful  of  acquired 
entities,  changes  in  accounting  regulations  (IFRS9),  sale  of  portfolios  and  adjustments  on  expected  losses 
calculation parameters, etc.

e) Credit risk cycle

The  credit  risk  management  process  consists  of  identifying,  measuring  analysing,  controlling,  negotiating  and 
deciding  on  the  risks  incurred  in  the  Group’s  operations.  This  process  involves  the  areas  that  take  risks,  senior 
management and the Risk function.

As the Group is a member of the Santander Group, the process starts with senior management, through the board 
of directors and the executive risk committee, which set the risk policies and procedures, the limits and delegation 
of powers, and approve and supervise the framework for action by the risk function.

 171

The risk cycle has three phases: pre-sale, sale and post-sale. The process is constantly revised, incorporating the 
results and conclusions of the after-sale phase into the study of risk and pre-sale planning.

e1) Pre-sale

–

Study of risk and credit rating process

Generally  speaking,  risk  study  consists  of  analysing  a  customer’s  capacity  to  meet  their  contractual 
commitments  with  the  Group  and  other  creditors.  This  entails  analysing  the  customer’s  credit  quality,  risk 
operations, solvency and profitability on the basis of the risk assumed.

With  this  objective,  the  Group  has  used  rating  models  for  classifying  customer  solvency  since  1993.  These 
mechanisms  are  applied  in  the  wholesale  segment  (sovereign,  financial  entities,  corporate  banking)  and  to 
SMEs and individuals.

The  rating  results  from  a  quantitative  model  based  on  balance  sheet  ratios  or  macroeconomic  variables, 
complemented by the expert judgement of analysts. 

The ratings given to customers are regularly reviewed, incorporating the latest available financial information 
and experience in the development of the banking relationship. The regularity of the reviews increases in the 
case of customers who trigger certain levels in the automatic warning systems and who are classified as special 
watch. The rating tools are also reviewed in order to adjust the accuracy of the rating. 

While  ratings  are  used  in  the  wholesale  sector  and  for  companies  and  institutions,  scoring  techniques 
predominate for individuals and smaller companies. In general, these techniques automatically assign a score 
to the customer for decision-making purposes, as explained in the Decisions on operations section.

– Planning and setting limits

The purpose of this phase is to limit the levels of risk assumed by the Group, efficiently and comprehensively. 
The  credit  risk  planning  process  serves  to  set  the  budgets  and  limits  at  the  portfolio  level  for  subsidiaries. 
Planning  is  carried  out  through  a  dashboard  that  ensures  that  the  business  plan  and  lending  policy  are 
achieved, and that the resources needed to achieve these are available. This arose as a joint initiative between 
the Sales area and the Risk function, providing a management tool and a way of working as a team. 

Incorporating  the  volatility  of  macroeconomic  variables  that  affect  portfolio  performance  is  a  key  aspect  in 
planning.  The  Group  simulates  this  performance  under  a  range  of  adverse  and  stressed  scenarios  (stress 
testing), enabling assessment of the Group's solvency in specific situations.

Scenario  analysis  enables  senior  management  to  understand  the  portfolio's  evolution  in  the  face  of  market 
conditions and changes in the environment. It is a key tool for assessing the sufficiency of provisions in stress 
scenarios.

Limits are planned and established using documents agreed between the Business and Risk areas and approved 
by  the  Group,  setting  out  the  expected  business  results  in  terms  of  risk  and  return,  the  limits  to  which  this 
activity is subject and management of the associated risks, by group or customer. 

 172

e2) Sales

– Decisions and operations

The sales phase consists of the decision-making process, analysing and deciding on operations. Approval by the 
risk  area  is  a  prior  requirement  before  the  contracting  of  any  risk.  This  process  must  take  into  account  the 
policies defined for approving operations, the risk appetite and the elements of the operation that are relevant 
to the search for the right balance between risk and profitability.

In  the  sphere  of  standardised  customers  (individuals  and  businesses  and  SMEs  with  low  turnover),  large 
volumes of credit operations can be managed more easily by using automatic decision models for classifying 
the  customer/transaction  pair.  The  ratings  these  models  give  to  transactions  enable  lending  to  be  classified 
consistently into homogeneous risk groups, based on information on the characteristics of the transaction and 
its owner.

e3) After-sales

– Monitoring

The Monitoring function is based on a continuous process of ongoing observation, enabling early detection of 
changes that could affect the credit quality of customers, in order to take measures to correct deviations with a 
negative impact.

This monitoring is based on customer segmentation, and is carried out by dedicated local and global risk teams, 
supplemented by internal audit.

The function includes, among other tasks, the identification, monitoring and assignment of policies at customer 
level to anticipate surprises and manage them in the most appropriate way for their situation, credit policies, 
rating reviews and continuous monitoring of indicators.

The system called Santander Customer Assessment Notes (SCAN) distinguishes between four levels depending 
on  the  level  of  concern  of  the  circumstances  observed  (Specialized  Follow-up,  Intensive  Follow-up,  Ordinary 
Follow-up, Do Not Attend). The inclusion of a position in SCAN does not imply that non-compliance has been 
recorded,  but  rather  the  convenience  of  adopting  a  specific  policy  with  the  same,  determining  the  person 
responsible  and  the  time  frame  in  which  it  must  be  carried  out.  SCAN  qualified  clients  are  reviewed  at  least 
semi-annually, being such review quarterly and/or monthly for the most serious grades. The ways in which a 
firm qualifies in SCAN are the monitoring work itself, the review carried out by the internal audit, the decision of 
the  commercial  manager  who  oversees  the  firm  or  the  entry  into  operation  of  the  established  system  of 
automatic alarms. 

Ratings are reviewed at least every year, but this may be more frequent if weaknesses are detected or based on 
the rating itself.

The  main  risk  indicators  for  individual  customers,  businesses  and  SMEs  with  low  turnover  are  monitored  to 
detect  changes  in  the  performance  of  the  loan  portfolio  with  respect  to  the  projections  in  the  commercial 
strategic plans (CSPs).

f) Measurement and control

In  addition  to  monitoring  the  customers'  credit  quality,  the  Group  puts  in  place  the  necessary  control 
procedures to analyse the current credit risk portfolio and its performance throughout the different stages of 
credit risk.

This  function  assesses  risks  from  a  range  of  interrelated  standpoints.  The  key  vectors  of  control  are 
geographies,  business  areas,  management  models,  products,  etc.  The  approach  allows  for  early  detection  of 
specific focal points, and the framing of action plans to correct any impairment.

 173

Each control axis supports two types of analysis:

1.- Quantitative and qualitative portfolio analysis

Portfolio analysis continuously and systematically monitors changes in risk with respect to budgets, limits and 
benchmark  standards,  evaluating  the  effects  with  a  view  to  future  situations  driven  by  external  factors  or 
arising  from  strategic  decisions,  so  as  to  establish  measures  that  place  the  profile  and  volume  of  the  risk 
portfolio within the parameters set by the Group.

In the credit risk control phase, the following metrics, among others, are used in addition to the conventional 
ones:

– MDV (change in manage NPLs)

MDV measures how NPLs change over a period, stripping out write-offs and including recoveries. It is an 
aggregate metric at the portfolio level that enables us to react to any impairments seen in the behaviour of 
non-performing loans.

–

EL (expected loss) and capital

Expected  loss  is  an  estimate  of  the  financial  loss  that  will  occur  over  the  next  year  from  the  portfolio 
existing  at  the  given  time.  It  is  a  further  cost  of  business,  and  must  be  reflected  in  the  pricing  of 
transactions.

2.- Evaluation of control processes

A  systematic  scheduled  review  of  procedures  and  methods,  implemented  throughout  the  entire  credit  risk 
cycle, to ensure control process effectiveness and validity.

In 2006, within the corporate framework established across the Group for compliance with the Sarbanes Oxley 
Act,  a  corporate  methodology  was  created  for  the  documentation  and  certification  of  the  Control  Model, 
specified in terms of tasks, operating risks and controls. The risk division annually evaluates the efficiency of 
internal control of its activities.

Moreover,  the  internal  validation  function,  as  part  of  its  mission  to  supervise  the  quality  of  the  Group's  risk 
management, ensures that the management and control systems for the different risks inherent in the Group's 
business  comply  with  the  most  stringent  criteria  and  best  practices  seen  in  the  industry  and/or  required  by 
regulators.  In  addition,  internal  audit  is  responsible  for  ensuring  that  policies,  methods  and  procedures  are 
adequate, effectively implemented and regularly reviewed.

g) Recoveries management

Recovery  activity  is  an  important  function  within  the  Group's  risk  management  area.  The  area  responsible  is 
Collection  and  Recoveries,  which  frames  a  global  strategy  and  a  comprehensive  approach  to  recovery 
management.

The Group combines a global model with local execution, taking account of the specific features of the business 
in each area.

The  main  objective  of  the  recovery  activity  is  to  recover  outstanding  debts  and  obligations  by  managing  our 
customers, thus contributing to a lesser need for provisions and a lower cost of risk.

The specific targets of the recovery process are guided as follows:

– Achieve collection or regularisation of outstanding balances, so that an account returns to its normal state; 
if  this  is  not  possible,  the  objective  is  total  or  partial  recovery  of  debts,  whatever  their  accounting  or 
management status.

– Maintain and strengthen our relationship with the customer by addressing their behaviour with an offer of 
management  tools,  such  as  refinancing  products  according  to  their  needs,  consistently  with  careful 
corporate policies of approval and control, as established by the risk areas.  

 174

In  the  recovery  activity,  Standardised  customers  and  Individually  Managed  customers  are  segmented  or 
differentiated  with  specific  and  comprehensive  management  models  in  each  case,  according  to  basic 
specialisation criteria. 

Management is articulated through a multichannel customer relationship strategy.  The telephone channel is 
oriented towards standardised management, with a focus on achieving contact with customers and monitoring 
payment  agreements,  prioritising  and  adapting  management  actions  based  on  the  state  of  progress  of  their 
situation of "in arrears", "doubtful" or "in default", their balance sheet and their payment commitments. 

The commercial network of recovery management operates alongside the telephone channel. It is a means of 
developing  a  closer  relationship  with  selected  customers,  and  is  composed  of  teams  of  agents  with  a  highly 
commercial  focus,  specific  training  and  strong  negotiation  skills.  They  conduct  personalised  management  of 
their  own  portfolios  of  high-impact  customers  (large  balance  sheets,  special  products,  customers  requiring 
special management).

Recovery  activities  at  advanced  stages  of  non-performance  are  guided  by  a  dual  judicial  and  extra  judicial 
management  approach.  Commercial  and  follow-up  activities  by  telephone  and  via  agent  networks  are 
continued, applying strategies and practices specific to the state of progress. 

The  management  model  encourages  proactivity  and  targeted  management  through  continuous  recovery 
campaigns with specific approaches for customer groups and non-performance states, acting with predefined 
goals through specific strategies and intensive activities via appropriate channels within limited time frames.

Suitable local production and analysis of daily and monthly management information, aligned with corporate 
models, have been defined as the basis of business intelligence for ongoing decision-making for management 
guidance and results monitoring.

h)

 Concentration risk

Concentration  risk  is  a  key  component  of  credit  risk  management.  The  Santander  Group,  which  Santander 
Consumer  Finance  Group  belongs,  continuously  monitors  the  degree  of  credit  risk  concentration,  by 
geographical area/country, economic sector, product and customer group.

The Board of Directors, by reference to the risk appetite, determines the maximum levels of concentration, and 
the executive risk committee establishes the risk policies and reviews the appropriate exposure limits to ensure 
the adequate management of credit risk concentration.

Santander Consumer Finance is subject to Bank of Spain regulations on large exposures contained in the fourth 
part of the CRR (Regulation UE No.575 / 2013), according to which the exposure contracted by an entity with 
respect  to  a  client  or  related  group  of  clients  will  be  considered  'great  exposure'  when  its  value  is  equal  or 
greater  than  10%  of  its  computable  capital.  Additionally,  to  limit  large  exposures,  no  entity  may  assume 
against a client or group of clients linked to each other an exposure whose value exceeds 25% of its eligible 
capital, after taking into account the effect of credit risk reduction under rule. 

At  December  closing,  after  applying  risk  mitigation  techniques,  no  group  reached  the  aforementioned 
thresholds.

The  Santander  Consumer  Finance  Group’s  Risk  Division  works  closely  with  the  Finance  Division  in  the  active 
management  of  credit  portfolios,  which  includes  reducing  the  concentration  of  exposures  through  several 
techniques,  such  as  the  arrangement  of  credit  derivatives  for  hedging  purposes  or  the  performance  of 
securitisation transactions, in order to optimise the risk/return ratio of the total portfolio.

 175

The detail, by activity and geographical area of the counterparty, of the concentration of the Group's risk (*) at 
31 December 2022 and 2021 is as follows:

Credit institutions

Public sector

Of which:

Central government

Other

2022

EUR Thousands

Spain

Other EU 
Countries

Americas

Rest of the 
world

Total

  2,940,703 
924,475

6,497,642

5,504,140

921,804

4,255,960

2,671

1,248,180

—

—

—

—

242,744

9,681,089

42,951

6,471,566

60

5,177,824

42,891

1,293,742

Other financial institutions

10,863

1,145,014

338,628

246,749

1,741,254

Non-financial companies and individual traders

3,171,286

28,351,567

Of which:

Construction and property development

Civil engineering construction

Large companies

SMEs and individual traders

Other households and non-profit institutions 

serving households

Of which:

Residential

Consumer loans

Other purposes

—

—

211,566

6,678

1,034,445

10,699,079

2,136,841

17,434,244

—

—

—

—

—

2,673,489

34,196,342

—

—

211,566

6,678

986,488

12,720,012

1,687,001

21,258,086

10,121,975

54,814,108

14

6,575,205

71,511,302

1,318,606

2,394,903

8,714,320

52,074,766

89,049

344,439

—

14

—

—

3,713,509

6,575,205

67,364,305

—

433,488

Total 123,601,553

(*)  The  definition  of  risk  for  the  purposes  of  this  table  includes  the  following  items  on  the  public  consolidated  balance  sheet:  'Loans  and 
advances:  to  credit  institutions',  'Loans  and  advances:  central  banks',  'Loans  and  advances:  to  customers'  ,  'Debt  securities',  'Equity 
instruments', 'Derivatives', 'Derivatives - Hedge accounting', 'Participations and guarantees granted'.

Credit institutions

Public sector

Of which:

Central government

Other

Other financial institutions

2021

Spain

  5,096,843 
1,136,219

Other EU 
Countries
15,221,781

2,687,032

1,135,291

2,106,457

928

2,706

580,575

983,191

EUR Thousands

Americas

Rest of the 
world

Total

3

—

—

—

419,861

20,738,488

177,194

4,000,445

132,741

3,374,489

44,453

625,956

206,888

225,043

1,417,828

Non-financial companies and individual traders

1,962,248

23,787,207

—

2,511,404

28,260,859

Of which:

Construction and property development

Civil engineering construction

Large companies

SMEs and individual traders

Other households and non-profit institutions 

serving households

Of which:

Residential

Consumer loans

Other purposes

—

—

257,106

5,846

698,777

8,693,490

1,263,471

14,830,765

11,112,915

53,012,709

1,441,332

2,418,162

9,575,949

50,296,449

95,634

298,098

—

—

—

—

7

—

7

—

—

—

257,106

5,846

967,906

10,360,173

1,543,498

17,637,734

6,694,057

70,819,688

—

3,859,494

6,694,057

66,566,462

—

393,732
Total 125,237,308

(*)  For  the  purposes  of  this  table,  the  definition  of  risk  includes  the  following  items  in  the  public  consolidated  balance  sheet:  “Cash,  cash 
balances  at  central  banks  and  others  deposits  on  demand”,  “Deposits  to  Credit  Institutions”,  “Loans  and  Advances  to  Customers”,  “Debt 
Instruments”, “Trading Derivatives”, “Hedging Derivatives”, “Investments”, “Equity Instruments” and “Contingent Liabilities”.

 176

III. Market, structural and liquidity risk

a. Scope and definitions

The measurement perimeter, control and monitoring of the Market Risks function covers those operations where 
equity risk is assumed, as consequence of changes in market factors.

These risks are generated through two fundamental types of activities:

–

The trading activity, which includes both the provision of financial services in markets for clients, in which the 
entity is the counterparty, as well as the activity of buying and selling and own positioning in fixed income, 
variable income and currency products.

Santander  Consumer  Finance  does  not  do  negotiation  activities  (trading),  it  limits  its  treasury  activity  to 
manage the structural risk of the balance sheet and its coverage, as well as to manage the liquidity necessary 
to finance the business.

–

The  management  activity  of  the  balance  sheet  or  ALM,  which  involves  managing  the  risks  inherent  in  the 
entity's balance sheet, excluding the trading portfolio.

The risks generated in these activities are;

– Market:  risk  incurred  because  of  the  possibility  of  changes  in  market  factors  that  affect  the  value  of  the 

positions that the entity maintains in its trading portfolios (trading book).

–

–

Structural: risk caused by the management of the different balance sheet items. This risk includes both the 
losses  from  price  fluctuations  that  affect  the  available-for-sale  and  held-to-maturity  portfolios  (banking 
book),  as  well  as  the  losses  derived  from  the  management  of  the  Group's  assets  and  liabilities  valued  at 
amortized cost.

Liquidity:  risk  of  not  meeting  payment  obligations  on  time  or  doing  so  at  an  excessive  cost,  as  well  as  the 
ability to finance the growth of its volume of assets. Among the types of losses caused by this risk are losses 
due to forced sales of assets or impacts on margin due to the mismatch between forecast cash outflows and 
cash inflows.

Trading and structural market risks, depending on the market variable that generates them, can be classified as:

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

 Interest rate risk: identifies the possibility that variations in interest rates may adversely affect the value of a 
financial instrument, a portfolio or the Group.

Credit  spread  risk:  identifies  the  possibility  that  variations  in  credit  spread  curves  associated  with  specific 
issuers and types of debt may adversely affect the value of a financial instrument, a portfolio or the Group. 
The  spread  is  a  differential  between  financial  instruments  that  trade  with  a  margin  over  other  reference 
instruments, mainly IRR (Internal Rate of Return) of government securities and interbank interest rates.

Exchange rate risk: identifies the possibility that variations in the value of a position in a currency other than 
the base currency may adversely affect the value of a financial instrument, a portfolio or the Group.

Inflation  risk:  identifies  the  possibility  that  variations  in  inflation  rates  may  adversely  affect  the  value  of  a 
financial instrument, a portfolio or the Group.

Volatility risk: identifies the possibility that variations in the listed volatility of market variables may adversely 
affect the value of a financial instrument, a portfolio or the Group.

Liquidity risk: identifies the possibility that an entity or the Group will not be able to undo or close a position 
on time without impacting the market price or the cost of the transaction.

Prepayment  or  cancellation  risk:  identifies  the  possibility  that  early  cancellation  without  negotiation,  in 
operations whose contractual relationship explicitly or implicitly allows it, generates cash flows that must be 
reinvested at a potentially lower interest rate.

 177

There are other variables that exclusively affect market risk (and not structural risk), so that it can be further classified 
into:

–

–

–

–

Variable  income  risk:  identifies  the  possibility  that  changes  in  the  value  of  prices  or  in  the  expectations  of 
dividends of variable income instruments may adversely affect the value of a financial instrument, a portfolio 
or the Group.

Raw materials risk: identifies the possibility that changes in the value of merchandise prices may adversely 
affect the value of a financial instrument, a portfolio or the Group.

Correlation  risk:  identifies  the  possibility  that  changes  in  the  correlation  between  variables,  whether  of  the 
same  type  or  of  a  different  nature,  quoted  by  the  market,  may  adversely  affect  the  value  of  a  financial 
instrument, a portfolio or the Group.

Underwriting risk: identifies the possibility that the placement objectives of securities or other types of debt 
will not be achieved when the entity participates in underwriting them.

Liquidity risk can be classified into the following categories:

–

Financing  risk:  identifies  the  possibility  that  the  entity  is  unable  to  meet  its  obligations  as  a  result  of  the 
inability to sell assets or obtain financing.

– Mismatch  risk:  identifies  the  possibility  that  the  differences  between  the  maturity  structures  of  assets  and 

liabilities generate an extra cost to the entity.

–

Contingency risk: identifies the possibility of not having adequate management elements to obtain liquidity 
as a result of an extreme event that implies greater financing or collateral needs to obtain it.

b. Measurement and methods

1. Structural interest-rate risk

The Group analyses the sensitivity of net interest income and of equity to interest rate fluctuations. This sensitivity 
is determined by mismatches in the maturity and review dates of interest rates of different balance sheet items.

According to the interest rate positioning of the balance sheet, and considering the situation and perspectives of 
the market, financial measures are adopted to adjust the positioning to that sought by the Bank. These measures 
may  range  from  taking  up  positions  in  markets  to  the  specification  of  interest  rate  characteristics  of  commercial 
products.

The  metrics  used  to  control  the  interest  rate  risk  in  these  activities  are  the  interest  rate  gap,  financial  margin 
sensibility and equity in the levels of interest rate.

–

Interest rate gap

Analysis of the interest rate gap deals with the mismatch between the timing of re-pricing of on and off-balance 
aggregates of assets and liabilities and of memorandum accounts (off-balance sheet). It provides a basic profile of 
the balance sheet structure and can detect concentrations of interest rate risk at different terms. It is also a useful 
tool for estimates of the potential impact of interest rate movements on net interest income and the equity of the 
entity.

All  on-  and  off-balance  sheet  aggregates  have  to  be  broken  down  so  that  they  can  be  placed  in  the  point  of 
repricing/maturity. For aggregates that do not have a contractual maturity, the Santander Group's internal model 
for analysis and estimation of their durations and sensitivity is used.

–

Sensitivity of Net Interest Income (NII)

The sensitivity of net interest income measures the change in expected accruals for a certain period (12 months) in 
the event of a shift in the interest rate curve.

 178

–

Sensitivity of Economic Value of Equity (EVE)

This measures the implied interest rate risk in the economic value of equity which, for the purposes of interest rate 
risk, is defined as the difference between the net present value of assets minus the net present value of liabilities, 
based on the effect of a change in interest rates on such present values.

2. Liquidity risk

Management of structural liquidity aims to fund the recurring activity of the Santander Consumer Finance Group in 
optimal conditions of term and cost, while avoiding undesired liquidity risks.

The measures used for the control of liquidity risk are the liquidity gap, liquidity ratios, the statement of structural 
liquidity, liquidity stress tests, the financial plan, the liquidity contingency plan and regulatory reporting.

–

Liquidity Gap

The liquidity gap provides information on contractual and expected cash inflows and outflows for a given period in 
each of the currencies in which the Santander Consumer Finance Group operates. The gap measures the net cash 
needed or the surplus at a given date and reflects the liquidity level maintained under normal market conditions.

In the contractual liquidity gap, all balance sheet items that generate cash flows are analysed and placed at their 
point of contractual maturity. For assets and liabilities with no contractual maturity, the Santander Group's internal 
analysis  model  is  used.  It  is  based  on  a  statistical  study  of  products'  time  series,  and  the  so-called  stable  and 
unstable balance is determined for liquidity purposes.

–

Liquidity ratios

The minimum liquidity ratio compares liquid assets available for sale or transfer (after the relevant discounts and 
adjustments have been applied) and assets at less than 12 months with liabilities of up to 12 months.

The Net Stable Funding Ratio measures the extent to which assets that require structural funding are being funded 
by structural liabilities.

–

Structural liquidity

The  purpose  of  this  analysis  is  to  determine  the  structural  liquidity  position  according  to  the  liquidity  profile 
(greater or lesser stability) of different asset and liability instruments.

–

Liquidity stress test

The purpose of the liquidity stress tests conducted by the Santander Consumer Finance Group is to determine the 
impact of a severe, but plausible, liquidity crisis. In such stress scenarios, a simulation is made of internal factors 
that may affect Group liquidity, such as, inter alia, a credit rating downgrade of the institution, a fall in the value of 
balance  sheet  assets,  banking  crises,  regulatory  factors,  a  change  in  consumer  trends  and/or  a  loss  of  depositor 
confidence. 

Every month, four liquidity stress scenarios (banking crisis in Spain, idiosyncratic crisis at the Santander Consumer 
Finance Group, global crisis and a combined scenario) are simulated by stressing these factors, and the results are 
used to establish early warning levels.

–

Financial Plan

Every  year,  a  liquidity  plan  is  prepared  based  on  the  funding  needs  arising  from  the  business  budgets  of  all  the 
Group's  subsidiaries.  Based  on  these  liquidity  requirements,  an  analysis  is  made  of  limits  on  new  securitisation 
considering eligible assets available, in addition to potential growth in customer deposits. This information is used 
to establish an issue and securitisation plan for the year. Throughout the year, regular monitoring is carried out of 
actual trends in funding requirements, thus giving rise to the revisions of the plan.

–

Contingency Funding Plan

The purpose of the Liquidity Contingency Plan is to set out the processes (governance structure) to be followed in 
the event of a potential or real liquidity crisis, as well as the analysis of contingency actions or levers available to 
Management should such a situation arise.

 179

The Liquidity Contingency Plan is underpinned by, and must be designed in line with, two key elements: liquidity 
stress tests and the early warning indicator (EWI) system. Stress tests and different scenarios are used as the basis 
for  analysing  available  contingency  actions  and  for  determining  such  actions  are  sufficient.  The  EWI  system 
monitors  and  potentially  triggers  the  escalation  mechanism  for  activating  the  plan  and  subsequently  monitoring 
the situation.

–

Regulatory Reporting

Santander  Consumer  Finance  applies  the  Liquidity  Coverage  Ratio  (LCR)  as  required  by  the  European  Banking 
Authority  (EBA)  for  the  consolidated  sub-group  on  a  monthly  basis,  and  the  net  stable  funding  ratio  (NSFR)  on  a 
quarterly basis.

In  addition,  Santander  Consumer  Finance  has  produced  an  annual  Internal  Liquidity  Adequacy  and  Assessment 
Process (ILAAP) report as part of the consolidated document of the Santander Group, although the supervisor does 
not require this report at sub-group level.

3. Structural change risk

Structural change risk is managed centrally, as part of the general corporate procedures of the Santander Group.

c.

Internal Control

The  structural  and  liquidity  risk  control  environment  in  Santander  Consumer  Finance  Group  is  based  on  the 
framework of the annual limits plan, where the limits for said risks are established, responding to the Group's level 
of risk appetite.

The limit structure involves a process that considers:

–

–

–

–

–

Efficient  and  comprehensive  identification  and  delimitation  of  the  main  types  of  market  risk  incurred, 
consistently with the management of the business and the strategy defined.

Quantification  and  communication  of  the  risk  levels  and  profile  considered  acceptable  by  senior 
management to the business areas, so that undesired risks are not incurred.

Providing  flexibility  for  the  business  areas  in  the  acceptance  of  risks,  responding  efficiently  and 
appropriately  to  developments  in  the  market  and  changes  in  business  strategies,  within  the  risk  limits 
considered acceptable by the entity.

Enabling business generators to take sufficient prudent risks to achieve their budgeted results.

Delimiting  the  range  of  products  and  underlying  assets  in  which  each  Treasury  unit  can  operate, 
considering characteristics such as the model and assessment systems, the liquidity of the instruments 
involved, etc.

In  the  event  of  exceeding  one  of  these  limits  or  their  sub-limits,  the  risk  management  officers  involved  must 
explain the reasons and facilitate an action plan to correct it.

The main management limits for structural risk at the consolidated Santander Consumer level are: 

–

–

One-year net interest income sensitivity limit. 

Equity value sensitivity limit.

The  limits  are  compared  with  the  sensitivity  that  implies  a  greater  loss  among  those  calculated  for  different 
scenarios of parallel rise and fall of the interest rate curve. During 2022, these limits applied to the scenarios of 
plus  and  minus  25  basis  points,  and  as  of  January  2023  they  have  been  established  on  the  most  adverse  loss 
among  8  scenarios  of  parallel  increases  and  decreases  of  up  to  100  basis  points.  In  addition,  other  parallel  and 
non-parallel  scenarios  are  calculated,  including  those  defined  by  the  European  Banking  Authority  (EBA).  Using 
various scenarios allows for better control of interest rate risk. In the lowering interest rates scenarios, negative 
interest rates are contemplated.

 180

During 2022, the level of exposure at the consolidated level in the SCF Group, both on the financial margin and on 
economic value, is low in relation to the budget and the amount of own resources respectively, being in both cases 
less than 1% throughout the year. year, and within the established limits.

With  regard  to  liquidity  risk,  the  main  limits  at  the  Santander  Consumer  Finance  Group  level  include  regulatory 
liquidity  metrics  such  as  the  LCR  and  NSFR,  as  well  as  liquidity  stress  tests  under  different  adverse  scenarios 
previously mentioned.

At  the  end  of  December  2022,  all  liquidity  metrics  are  above  the  internal  limits  in  force,  as  well  as  regulatory 
requirements. Both for the LCR and for the NSFR at the consolidated Group level, it has been at levels above 115% 
and 103% throughout the year.

d. Management

Balance  sheet  management  entails  the  analysis,  projection  and  simulation  of  structural  risks,  along  with  the 
design,  proposal  and  execution  of  transactions  and  strategies  to  manage  this  risk.  Finance  Management  is 
responsible for this process, and it takes a projection-based approach where and when this is applicable or feasible

A high-level description of the main processes and/or responsibilities in managing structural risks is as follows:

–

Analysis of the balance sheet and its structural risks.

– Monitoring  of  movements  in  the  most  relevant  markets  for  asset  and  liability  management  (ALM)  for  the 

Group.

–

–

–

Planning.  Design,  maintenance  and  monitoring  of  certain  planning  instruments.  Finance  Management  is 
responsible  for  preparing,  following  and  maintaining  the  financial  plan,  the  funding  plan  and  the  liquidity 
contingency plan. 

Strategy proposals. Design of strategies aimed at funding the SCF sub-group's business by securing the best 
available  market  conditions  or  by  managing  the  balance  sheet  and  its  exposure  to  structural  risks,  thereby 
avoiding unnecessary risks, preserving net interest income and safeguarding the market value of equity and 
capital.

Execution. To achieve appropriate ALM positioning, Finance Management uses different tools. Chief among 
these are issues in debt or capital markets, securitisation, deposits and interest rate and/or currency hedges, 
and management of ALCO portfolios and the minimum liquidity buffer. 

–

Compliance with risk limits and with risk appetite

 181

e.

IBOR reform

Since  2013,  various  supranational  bodies  and  authorities  (IOSCO  and  FSB)  have  driven  and  monitored  reform 
initiatives to ensure more robust interest rate benchmarks. In this context, central banks and regulators in several 
jurisdictions organised work groups to recommend risk-free indices so that the transition would be non-disruptive 
and progressive.

The main aim was to facilitate the shift to the risk-free indices identified in various countries, particularly the SONIA 
index, as the Libor's sterling index replacement, the SOFR for the USD Libor and the €STR for the euro Libor. 

As  a  result  of  the  combined  efforts  of  market  authorities  and  participants,  this  transition  process  led  to  various 
milestones during the period from 2019 to 2022, leaving only the implementation of the sterling Libor and USD 
Libor plans for 2023. 

According to the regulatory transition milestones, the USD Libor terms (overnight, 1M, 3M, 6M and 12M) will still 
be calculated using contributions from the panel banks until mid-2023, although their use in new operations has 
been limited since the end of 2021. The final USD Libor publication date for the overnight and 12M terms will be 30 
June  2023.  For  the  1,  3  and  6-month  terms,  on  23  November  2022  the  FCA  announced  a  consultation  on  its 
proposal to require the Libor administrator IBA to carry on publishing these terms for the USD Libor using a non-
representative  "synthetic"  method  until  end-September  2024.  Publication  would  be  permanently  discontinued 
from then on. 

Publication of the sterling Libor using the synthetic method for the 3-month term has been confirmed until end-
March 2024, while the 1 and 6-month terms will cease to be published in March 2023. 

According  to  the  milestones  mentioned,  the  Group  and  its  entities  have  been  focusing  on  making  all  the 
contractual, commercial, operational and technological changes necessary to shift to these benchmarks. Work will 
continue  in  2023  to  meet  the  next  transition  milestones  in  each  of  the  Group's  jurisdictions.  There  follows  a 
breakdown of the carrying amount of financial assets, financial liabilities, derivatives and loan commitments that 
remain referenced to the indices pending transition at 31 December 2022.

EUR Thousand

Loans and 
advances

Debt Securities 
(Assets)

Deposits

Debt securities 
issued 
(Liabilities)

Derivative
s (Assets)

Derivatives 
(Liabilities)

Loan 
commitments 
granted

Referenced to EONIA

—

Referenced to LIBOR

Of which USD

Of which GBP

40,000

40,000

—

IV. Operational risk

a. Definition and objectives

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

977,612

41,533

25,713

—

—

—

977,612

41,533

25,713

—

—

—

—

The  Bank  defines  operational  risk  (OR)  as  the  risk  of  loss  resulting  from  inadequate  or  failed  internal  processes, 
people and systems, or from external events.

Operational risk is inherent to all products, activities, processes and systems, and is generated in all business and 
support areas. Accordingly, all employees are responsible for managing and controlling operational risks arising in 
their area of activity.

The aim pursued by the Bank in operational risk control and management is primarily to identify, measure/ assess, 
monitor, control, mitigate and report this risk.

The Bank's priority, therefore, is to identify and mitigate focal points of risk, irrespective of whether they have given 
rise  to  any  losses.  Measurement  also  contributes  to  the  establishment  of  priorities  in  the  management  of 
operational risk.

 182

Managing and mitigating risks sources is a priority to the Bank, regardless of whether these risks have originated 
losses or not. Measurement has also contributed to establishing priorities in managing operational risk. To improve 
and  promote  adequate  operational  risk  management,  Santander  Consumer  Finance  has  developed  an  advanced 
loss distribution model (LDA) based on internal event database such as the external loss database of our banking 
peers (ORX consortium database) and scenario analysis. This approach is accepted by t he industry and regulators.

b. Operational risk management and control model

Operational risk management cycle

The stages of the model of operational risk management and control involve the following:

– Identifying  the  operational  risk  inherent  to  all  activities,  products,  processes  and  systems  of  the  Group.  This 

process is carried out via the Risk and Control Self-assessment (RCSA) exercise.

– Definition  of  the  target  operational  risk  profile,  specifying  the  strategies  by  unit  and  time  horizon,  through  the 

establishment of the operational risk appetite and tolerance, the budget and the related monitoring.

– Encouragement of the involvement of all employees in the operational risk culture, through appropriate training 

for all areas and levels of the organisation.  

– Objective and ongoing measurement and assessment of operational risk, consistent with industry and regulatory 

standards (Basel, Bank of Spain, etc.).

– Continuous  monitoring  of  operational  risk  exposures,  implementation  of  control  procedures,  improvement  of 

internal awareness and mitigation of losses.

– Establishment of mitigation measures to eliminate or minimise operational risk.

– Preparation  of  periodic  reports  on  the  exposure  to  operational  risk  and  its  level  of  control  for  the  senior 

management of the Group and its areas/units, and reporting to the market and the regulatory authorities.

– Definition  and  implementation  of  the  methodology  required  for  calculating  capital  in  terms  of  expected  and 

unexpected loss. 

 183

 The following is required for each of the key processes indicated above:

– The  existence  of  a  system  whereby  operational  risk  exposures  can  be  reported  and  controlled,  as  part  of  the 

Group's daily management efforts.

Towards  this  end,  in  2016  the  Group  implemented  a  single  tool  for  management  and  control  of  operational  risk, 
compliance and internal control, called Heracles, and which is considered the Golden Source for Risk Data Aggregation 
(RDA).

Internal rules and regulations based on principles for management and control of operational risk have been defined 
and approved pursuant to the established governance system and in line with prevailing regulation and best practices.

In 2015, the Group adhered to the relevant corporate framework and subsequently, the model, policies and procedures 
were approved and implemented, along with the Operational Risk Committee Regulation. 

The model of operational risk management and control implemented by the Group provides the following benefits: 

– It promotes the development of an operational risk culture.

– It  allows  for  comprehensive  and  effective  management  of  operational  risk  (identification,  measurement  / 

assessment, control / mitigation, and reporting).

– It  improves  knowledge  of  both  actual  and  potential  operational  risks  and  their  assignment  to  businesses  and 

support lines.

– Information on operational risk helps improve processes and controls and reduce losses and income volatility.

– It facilitates the setting of limits for operational risk appetite.

c. Risk identification, measurement and assessment model

In November 2014, the Group adopted the new management system of the Santander Group, in which three lines of 
defence are defined:

– 1st line of defence: integrated in areas of business or support areas. Its tasks are to identify, measure or assess, 
control  (primary  control)  mitigate  and  report  the  risks  inherent  to  the  activity  or  function  for  which  it  is 
responsible.

 184

Given  the  complexity  and  heterogeneous  nature  of  Operational  Risk  within  a  large-scale  organization  with  various 
lines of business, appropriate risk management is carried out in two axes:

(1) Operational Risk Management: each business unit and support function of the Santander Group is responsible for 
the Operational Risks arising within its scope, as well as for their management. This particularly affects the heads of 
the business units and support functions, but also the coordinator (or OR team) in the 1LoD.

(2)  Management  of  specialized  Operational  Risk  controls:  there  are  some  functions  that  tend  to  manage  specialized 
controls for certain risks where they have greater visibility and specialization. Such functions have a global view of the 
specific Operational Risk exposure in all areas. We can also refer to them as Subject Matter Experts or SME.

OR Managers:

Operational  Risk  management  is  the  responsibility  of  all  staff  in  their  respective  areas  of  activity.  Consequently,  the 
Head of each division or area has the ultimate responsibility for Operational Risk in its scope.

OR Coordinators:

OR  coordinators  are  actively  involved  in  Operational  Risk  management  and  support  the  RO  managers  in  their  own 
areas  of  OR  management  and  control.  Each  coordinator  has  a  certain  scope  for  action,  which  does  not  necessarily 
coincide with organizational units or areas, and has an in-depth knowledge of the activities within their scope. Their 
roles and responsibilities include:

•

•

•

•

Interaction  Undertake  interaction  with  the  second  line  of  defense  in  day-to-day  operations  and 
communication to Operational Risk Management in their scope.

Facilitate integration in the management of OR in each scope.

Support  the  implementation  of  qualitative  and  quantitative  methodologies  and  tools  for  operations 
management and control.

Provide support and advice on Operational Risk within its scope.

• Maintain an overview of risk exposure in scope.

•

•

•

Ensure  the  quality  and  consistency  of  data  and  information  reported  to  2LoD,  identifying  and  monitoring 
the implementation of relevant controls.

Review and monitor results provided by business units and support functions related to controls testing.

Support in sign-off and certification of controls (control testing).

• Monitor mitigation plans in your area.

•

Coordinate the definition of business continuity plans in your area.

– 2nd line of defence: Exercised by the Non-Financial Risks Department and reporting to the CRO. Its functions 
are  the  design,  maintenance  and  development  of  the  local  adaptation  of  the  Operational  Risk  Management 
Framework  (BIS),  and  control  and  challenge  on  the  first  line  of  defense  of  Operational  Risk.  Their  main 
responsibilities include:

•

•

•

•

•

Design, maintain and develop the Operational Risk management and control model, promoting the 
development of an operational risk culture throughout the Group.

Safeguard the adequate design, maintenance and implementation of the Operational Risk regulations.

Encourage the business units to effectively supervise the identified risks.

Guarantee that each key risk that affects the entity is identified and duly managed by the corresponding 
units.

Ensure that the Group has implemented effective RO management processes.

 185

•

•

Prepare Operational Risk appetite tolerance proposals and monitor risk limits in the Group and in the 
different local units.

Ensure that Top Management receives a global vision of all relevant risks, guaranteeing adequate 
communication and reports to Senior Management and the Board of Directors, through the established 
governing bodies.

In addition, the 2LoD will provide the information necessary for its consolidation, along with the remaining risks, to the 
risk consolidation and supervision function.

To ensure proper supervision, a solid knowledge of the activities of the Business Units / Support Functions is required, 
as  well  as  a  specific  understanding  of  the  categories  of  risk  events  (IT,  Compliance,  etc.)  and  a  Local  Capacity  and 
Capability Plan. In that context, the RO control function (2LOD function) needs to take advantage of specific profiles 
that  can  support  the  implementation  of  the  RO  framework  in  the  1LOD,  but  also  provide  specific  risk  exposure  and 
business  information,  to  ensure  that  the  RO  profile  related  is  well  managed  and  reported.  Business  Risk  Managers 
(BRM) as business insight specialists (eg Global Corporate Banking) and Specialized Risk Managers (SRM) as OR control 
specialists (eg IT and cyber risks) perform these functions within OR 2LOD and are positioned as key contact points for 
1LOD business units and operations management support functions.

– 3rd line of defence: Exercised by Internal Audit, which evaluates the compliance of all activities and units of the 

entity with its policies and procedures. His main responsibilities include:

•

•

•

•

•

Verify that the risks inherent to the Group's activity are sufficiently covered, complying with the policies 
established by Senior Management and the applicable internal and external procedures and regulations.

Supervise compliance, effectiveness and efficiency of the internal control systems for operations in the 
Group, as well as the quality of accounting information.

Carry  out  an  independent  review  and  challenge  the  OR  controls,  as  well  as  the  Operational  Risk 
management processes and systems.

Evaluate the state of implementation of the OR management and control model in the Group.

Recommend continuous improvement for all functions involved in operations management.

 186

Management at the Bank is carried out based on the following elements:

To  carry  out  the  identification,  measurement  and  evaluation  of  operational  risk,  a  set  of  quantitative  and  qualitative 
corporate techniques / tools have been defined, which are combined to carry out a diagnosis based on the identified 
risks and obtain an assessment through the measurement / evaluation of area / unit.

The  quantitative  analysis  of  this  risk  is  carried  out  mainly  through  tools  that  record  and  quantify  the  level  of  losses 
associated with operational risk events.

–

Internal events database, whose objective is to capture all the Bank's operational risk events. The capture of 
events related to operational risk is not restricted by establishing thresholds, that is, there are no exclusions 
based on the amount, and it contains both events with an accounting impact (including positive impacts) and 
non-accounting ones.

There are accounting reconciliation processes that guarantee the quality of the information collected in the database. 
The most relevant events of the Bank and of each operational risk unit thereof are specially documented and reviewed.

–

–

External  database  of  events,  since  the  Bank,  through  the  Santander  Group,  participates  in  international 
consortiums,  such  as  ORX  (operational  risk  exchange).  In  2016,  the  use  of  external  databases  that  provide 
quantitative and qualitative information and that allow a more detailed and structured analysis of relevant 
events that have occurred in the sector was reinforced.

Analysis of RO scenarios. Expert opinion is obtained from the business lines and risk and control managers, 
whose objective is to identify potential events with a very low probability of occurrence, but which, in turn, 
may  entail  a  very  high  loss  for  an  institution.  Its  possible  effect  on  the  entity  is  evaluated  and  additional 
controls  and  mitigating  measures  are  identified  that  reduce  the  possibility  of  a  high  economic  impact.  In 
addition, the results of this exercise (which has also been integrated into the HERACLES tool) will be used as 
one  of  the  inputs  for  the  calculation  of  economic  capital  for  operational  risk  based  on  the  advanced  model 
(LDA).

The  tools  defined  for  the  qualitative  analysis  try  to  evaluate  aspects  (coverage  /  exposure)  linked  to  the  risk  profile, 
thereby allowing the capture of the existing control environment. These tools are mainly:

–

RCSA:  Methodology  for  the  evaluation  of  operational  risks,  based  on  the  expert  criteria  of  the  managers, 
serves to obtain a qualitative vision of the main sources of risk of the Bank, regardless of whether they have 
materialized previously.

Advantages of the RCSA:

a.

Encourage  the  responsibility  of  the  first  lines  of  defense:  The  figures  of  risk  owner  and  control 
owner in the first line are determined.

 187

b.

c.

d.

Favor the identification of the most relevant risks: Risks that are not pre-defined, but arise from the 
areas that generate risk.

Improve the integration of RO tools: Root cause analysis is incorporated.

Improve  exercise  validation.  It  is  developed  through  workshops  or  workshops,  instead  of 
questionnaires.

e. Make the exercises have a more forward-looking approach: The financial impact of risk exposure is 

evaluated.

– Corporate  system  of  operational  risk  indicators,  in  continuous  evolution  and  in  coordination  with  the 
corresponding corporate area. They are statistics or parameters of various kinds that provide information on an 
entity's  exposure  to  risk.  These  indicators  are  reviewed  periodically  to  warn  of  changes  that  may  reveal 
problems with risk.

– Recommendations from regulators, Internal Audit and the external auditor. These provide relevant information 
on inherent risk arising from internal and external factors, and enable identification of weaknesses in controls.

– Other  specific  instruments  that  permit  a  more  detailed  analysis  of  technology  risk,  such  as  control  of  critical 

incidences in systems and cyber-security events.

d. Operational risk information system

HERACLES  is  the  corporate  operational  risk  information  system.  This  system  has  modules  for  risk  self-assessment, 
event  registration,  a  risk  and  assessment  map,  indicators  of  both  operational  risk  and  of  internal  control,  mitigation 
and reporting systems and scenario analysis, and it is applied to all entities of the Consumer Group including Bank.

e. Business Continuity Plan

The  Santander  Group  and,  accordingly,  the  Santander  Consumer  Finance  Group,  have  a  Business  Continuity 
Management System (BCMS) to ensure the continuity of its entities' business processes in the event of a disaster or 
serious incident.

The basic objective consists of the following:

– Minimising  possible  injury  to  persons,  as  well  as  adverse  financial  and  business  impacts  for  the  Bank, 

resulting from an interruption of normal business operations.

–

Reducing  the  operational  effects  of  a  disaster  by  supplying  a  series  of  pre-defined,  flexible  guidelines  and 
procedures to be employed in order to resume and recover processes.

 188

–

–

–

–

Resuming time-sensitive business operations and associated support functions, in order to achieve business 
continuity, stable earnings and planned growth.

Re-establishing the time-sensitive technology and transaction-support operations of the business if existing 
technologies are not operational.

Safeguarding the public image of, and confidence in, the Bank.

Satisfy the Bank's obligations to its employees, customers, shareholders and other interested third parties.

f.  Corporate information

The  Santander  Group's  and  Bank´s  corporate  operational  risk  control  area  has  an  operational  risk  management 
information system that provides data on the Bank's main risk elements. The information available from each country/
unit in the operational risk sphere is consolidated to obtain a global view with the following features:

–

–

Two levels of information: a corporate level, with consolidated information, and an individual level containing 
information for each country/unit.

Dissemination  of  best  practices  among  the  Santander  Group  countries/units,  obtained  from  the  combined 
study of the results of quantitative and qualitative analyses of operational risk.

Specifically, information is prepared on the following subjects:

–

–

–

–

–

–

The operational risk management model in the Bank and the main units and geographic areas of the Group.

The scope of operational risk management.

The monitoring of appetite metrics

Analysis of internal event database and of significant external events.

Analysis  of  most  significant  risks  detected  using  various  information  sources,  such  as  operational  and 
technology risk self-assessment processes.

Evaluation and analysis of risk indicators.

– Mitigation measures/active management.

–

Business continuity plans and contingency plans.

This  information  is  used  as  the  basis  for  meeting  reporting  requirements  to  the  Executive  Risk  Committee,  the  Risk 
Supervision, Regulation and Compliance Committee, the Operational Risk Committee, senior management, regulators, 
credit rating agencies, etc.

g. The role of insurance un operational risk management

The Santander Consumer Finance Group considers insurance to be a key tool in the management of operational risk. 
Since  2014,  common  guidelines  have  been  in  place  for  coordination  between  the  different  functions  involved  in  the 
management cycle of operational risk-mitigating insurance, mainly the areas of proprietary insurance and operational 
risk control, but also different areas of first line risk management.

These guidelines include the following activities: 

– Identification of all risks at the Group that could be covered by insurance, as well as new insurance cover for 

risks already identified in the market.

– Establishment and implementation of criteria for quantifying insurable risk, based on the analysis of losses and 

in loss scenarios that make it possible to determine the Group's level of exposure to each risk.

– Analysis  of  the  cover  available  in  the  insurance  market,  as  well  as  preliminary  design  of  the  terms  and 

conditions that best suit the requirements previously identified and evaluated.

 189

– Technical assessment of the level of protection provided by a policy, the cost and levels of retention that would 
be  assumed  by  the  Group  (deductibles  and  other  items  borne  by  the  insured)  for  the  purpose  of  deciding 
whether to contract it.

– Negotiation with suppliers and contract awards in accordance with the relevant procedures established by the 

Bank.

– Monitoring  of  claims  reported  under  the  policies,  as  well  as  those  not  reported  or  not  recovered  due  to 

incorrect reporting.

– Close cooperation between local operational risk officers and local insurance coordinators in order to enhance 

operational risk mitigation. 

– Regular meetings to inform on the specific activities, situation and projects of the two areas.

– Analysis of the adequacy of the group's policies to the risks covered, taking the appropriate corrective measures 

for the deficiencies detected.

– Active participation of both areas in the global insurance sourcing table, the highest technical body in the Group 

for the definition of insurance coverage and contracting strategies.

Cyber risk

Cybersecurity risk (also known as cyber risk) is defined as any risk that produces financial loss, business interruption or 
damage to the reputation of Santander Consumer derived from the destruction, misuse, theft or abuse of systems or 
information. This risk comes from inside and outside the corporation.
In the event of a cyber incident, the main cyber risks for the Bank are made up of three elements:

–

–

–

Unauthorized access or misuse of information or systems (eg. theft of business or personal information).

Theft and financial fraud.

Interruption of business service (eg, sabotage, extortion, denial of service).

During  2022,  the  Bank  has  continued  to  pay  full  attention  to  risks  related  to  cybersecurity.  This  situation,  which 
generates concern in entities and regulators, prompts them to adopt preventive measures to be prepared for attacks of 
this nature.

The  Bank  has  evolved  its  cyber  regulations  with  the  approval  of  a  new  cybersecurity  framework  and  the  cyberrisk 
supervision model, as well as different policies related to this matter.

Similarly, a new organizational structure has been defined and governance for the management and control of this risk 
has  been  strengthened.  For  this  purpose,  specific  committees  have  been  established  and  cybersecurity  metrics  have 
been incorporated into the Bank's risk appetite.

The main instruments and processes established to control cybersecurity risk are:

–

–

Compliance with the cyber risk appetite, the objective of this process being to guarantee that the cyber risk 
profile is in line with the risk appetite. The cyber risk appetite is defined by a series of metrics, risk statements 
and indicators with their corresponding tolerance thresholds and where existing government structures are 
used to monitor and escalate, including Risk committees, as well as Cybersecurity committees. .

–

Cybersecurity risk identification and assessment: The cyberrisk identification and assessment process is a key 
process to anticipate and determine risk factors that could estimate their probability and impact. Cyber risks 
are identified and classified in line with the control categories defined in the latest relevant industry security 
standards (such as ISO 27k, the NIST Cybersecurity Framework, etc.). The methodology includes the methods 
used to identify, qualify and quantify cyber risks, as well as to evaluate the controls and corrective measures 
that the first line of defense function develops. Cyber risk assessment exercises are the fundamental tool for 
identifying  and  evaluating  cyber  security  risks  in  the  Bank.  The  cybersecurity  and  technological  risk 
assessment will be updated when reasonably necessary taking into account changes in information systems, 
confidential or business information, as well as the entity's business operations.

 190

–

Control and mitigation of cyber risk: processes related to the evaluation of the effectiveness of controls and 
risk  mitigation.  Once  the  cyber  risks  have  been  assessed  and  the  mitigation  measures  have  been  defined, 
these  measures  are  included  in  a  Santander  Consumer  Finance  cybersecurity  risk  mitigation  plan  and  the 
residual risks identified are formally accepted. Due to the nature of cyber risks, a periodic evaluation of risk 
mitigation plans is carried out. A key process in the face of a successful cybersecurity attack is the business 
continuity plan. The Bank has mitigation strategies and measures related to business continuity and disaster 
recovery  management  plans.  These  measures  are  also  linked  to  cyber  attacks,  based  on  defined  policies, 
methodologies and procedures.

– Monitoring,  supervision  and  communication  of  cyber  risk:  Santander  Consumer  Finance  carries  out  control 
and monitoring of cyber risk in order to periodically analyze the information available on the risks assumed in 
the  development  of  the  Bank's  activities.  For  this,  the  key  risk  indicators  (KRI)  and  the  key  performance 
indicators (KPI) are controlled and supervised to assess whether the risk exposure is in accordance with the 
agreed risk appetite. Escalation and reporting: The proper escalation and communication of cyber threats and 
cyber attacks is another key process. Santander Consumer Finance has tools and processes to detect internal 
threat  signals  and  potential  compromises  in  its  infrastructure,  servers,  applications  and  databases. 
Communication includes the preparation of reports and the presentation to the relevant committees of the 
information necessary to assess the exposure to cyber risk and the profile of cyber risk and take the necessary 
decisions  and  measures.  For  this,  they  prepare  reports  on  the  cyber  risk  situation  for  the  management 
committees. Also, there are mechanisms for internal escalation independent of the bank's management team 
of technological and cybersecurity incidents and, if necessary, the corresponding regulator.

Other emerging risks

In  addition  to  the  aforementioned  Cyber  Risk,  the  Santander  Consumer  Group  is  increasingly  strengthening  the 
supervision of new emerging risks derived from 1) supplier management and 2) transformation projects.

–

–

Regarding  supplier  management  risks,  the  focus  is  on  the  quality  and  continuity  of  services  provided  to 
SCF, but also on ensuring compliance with the new EBA Guidelines and Regulations such as DORA through 
implementation of specific risk instruments throughout the different phases of the supplier's life cycle

The  Transformation  Operational  Risk  is  that  derived  from  changes  in  the  organization,  launch  of  new 
products, services, systems or processes derived from imperfect design, construction, testing, deployment 
of projects and initiatives, as well as the transition to the day- a-day (BAU). The transformation constitutes 
a root cause, which can manifest itself in a variety of risks and impacts, not restricted to Operational Risk, 
(for example, Credit, Market, Financial Crimes…)

Compliance and conduct risk

The compliance function includes all issues relating to regulatory compliance, prevention of money laundering and 
terrorist financing, governance of products and consumer protection, and reputational risk according to the General 
Corporate Compliance and Conduct Framework (Marco Corporativo General de Cumplimiento y Conducta). 

The  compliance  function  promotes  the  adhesion  of  Santander  Consumer  Finance,  S.A.  ("SCF")  to  standards, 
supervisory requirements, and the principles and values of good conduct by setting standards, debating, advising 
and reporting, in the interest of employees, customers, shareholders and the wider community. In accordance with 
the current corporate configuration of the Santander Group's three lines of defence, the compliance function is a 
second-line independent control function that reports directly to the Board of Directors and its committees through 
the  CCO.  This  configuration  is  aligned  with  the  requirements  of  banking  regulation  and  with  the  expectations  of 
supervisors.

The  SCF  Group's  objective  in  the  area  of  compliance  and  conduct  risk  is  to  minimise  the  probability  that 
noncompliance  and  irregularities  occur  and  that  any  that  should  occur  are  identified,  assessed,  reported  and 
quickly resolved. 

The  main  tools  used  by  the  Compliance  function  in  order  to  meet  their  objectives  are  (among  others): 
establishment  and  coordination  with  the  Compliance  Program,  coordination  of  the  Risk  Assessments  of  all  the 
areas of Compliance and Conduct, definition and monitoring of the Compliance Metrics that participate in the SCF 
Appetite Risk Framework and monitoring of the Norms of Obligatory Compliance. 

 191

Climate and environmental risk

Santander  Consumer  Finance's  ESG  strategy  (environmental,  climate,  social  and  governance  factors)  consists  of 
doing  business  in  a  responsible  and  sustainable  way,  supporting  the  green  transition,  building  a  more  inclusive 
society and doing business correctly, following the most rigorous government standards.

On  the  other  hand,  ESG  factors  can  carry  traditional  types  of  risk  (for  example,  credit,  liquidity,  operational  or 
reputational) due to the physical impacts of a changing climate, the risks associated with the transition to a new, 
more  sustainable  economy  and  the  Failure  to  meet  expectations  and  commitments.  For  this  reason,  they  are 
included in the Santander Consumer Finance risk map as relevant risk factors.

In  recent  times,  climate  risks  (physical  risks  and  transition  risks)  have  become  very  relevant,  and  for  this  reason 
Santander Consumer Finance is reinforcing its management and control in coordination with the Santander Group 
corporate teams within the framework of the Climate Project, being Some of the priorities are as follows:

a.

b.

EWRM (Enterprise-Wide Risk Management) approach, which provides a holistic and anticipatory vision of 
climatic aspects as a basis for their proper management.

Availability of relevant data (for example, CO2 emissions from financed assets, financing ratio of green 
assets,  sectoral  classification  and  location  of  companies,  energy  efficiency  certificates  and  location  of 
collaterals, etc.).

c.

Integration of climatic risks in the day-to-day management and control of risks.

The relevance of the data and its quality is, if possible, even greater in this area than in the rest, given that some 
data that until recently was not very relevant and perhaps was not even collected has become essential for issues 
such as Alignment of portfolios to environmental objectives, information disclosure or climate risk management. 
Therefore, one of the pillars of the Climate Project is to collect said data with the required quality.

Regarding  the  EWRM  approach,  first  of  all,  a  fundamentally  qualitative  evaluation  has  been  carried  out  on  the 
implications  and  materiality  of  climatic  aspects  for  Santander  Consumer  Finance,  with  special  focus  on  the  auto 
portfolio, which is summarized in the following paragraphs.

As previously mentioned, for Banking in general, the climate is a transversal issue with multiple angles, but with 
two main interrelated dimensions:

1.

Banks  have  a  key  role  in  mitigating  climate  change  and  the  transition  towards  a  new  green 
economy.

2. Weather aspects can cause losses to Banks through different transmission mechanisms.

With regard to Santander Consumer Finance in particular, our vision is as follows:

1. Our  role  in  sustainable  financing:  the  alignment  of  our  portfolios  to  the  ambition  of  net  zero 
emissions is happening naturally and gradually thanks to the policies of the European Union and the 
short  duration  of  our  contracts.  In  any  case,  Santander  Consumer  Finance  is  becoming  more 
sustainable and proactively helping clients to become more sustainable. In this path, the effort that 
is being made in terms of data and information dissemination is essential.

2.

Potential  impacts  of  climate  risks  on  Santander  Consumer  Finance:  from  the  materiality  analysis 
carried  out,  it  is  concluded  that  the  types  of  risk  most  affected  for  SCF  are  credit,  residual  value, 
reputational and strategic (business model). The potential impacts are greatly mitigated thanks to 
the  context  (gradual  transformation  of  the  automobile  industry)  and  the  business  model  of 
Santander  Consumer  Finance  (whose  portfolios  are  mainly  retail,  of  good  quality,  short-term  and 
diversified). On the other hand, climate issues could be the trigger for a general economic crisis, for 
example due to a disorderly transition to the new green economy. We are already managing these 
risks, but we will continue to strengthen their management and control.

 192

Climate risks have been progressively incorporated into the different EWRM processes:

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

"Top Risks": framed within the event of evolution of the automotive sector, which has historically 
been identified as one of the main ones in the matrix,

Risk map: as a transversal risk, included as such since 2021,

Assessment of the risk profile: through a questionnaire related to the control environment, as well 
as a qualitative assessment,

Risk  appetite:  through  stress  metrics,  as  well  as  the  opening  of  the  residual  value  by  the  type  of 
engine,

Risk strategy,

Strategic risk, as a driver of changes in market trends,

Capital  risk  and  stress  tests.  The  stress  tests  included  in  the  strategic  plans  and  in  the  ICAAP  of 
Santander  Consumer  Finance  take  into  account  climate  risks  through  idiosyncratic  events,  in 
addition to a specific scenario included in this exercise to reflect the potential impact of a disorderly 
transition towards an economically low emissions. The results of these stress tests form part of the 
entity's risk appetite.

Stress test scenarios and methodologies will become more sophisticated as more information becomes available. 
In 2022, Santander Consumer Finance has participated, together with the Santander Group teams, in the first ECB 
climate stress test and in the thematic review of climate risks.

Finally,  with  regard  to  day-to-day  integration  of  risk  management  and  control,  Santander  Consumer  Finance's 
EWRM team prepares an internal climate risk monitoring report quarterly, which will also be incorporated from of 
its  publication  the  results  of  the  exercise  of  Pillar  III  ESG.  In  parallel,  work  is  being  done  on  the  integration  of 
climate risks in all phases of the risk cycle, ensuring compliance with the commitments acquired and supervisory 
expectations. The initiatives for calculating emissions are framed within this axis, as a basis for the commitments of 
the Net Zero Banking Alliance.

g) Compliance with regulatory framework

In 2022, the Santander Consumer Finance Group must maintain a minimum capital ratio of 7.89% CET1 phase-in 
(4.5% for Pillar I, 0.84% for Pillar II, 2.5% for the capital conservation buffer, and 0.05% for the anticyclical buffer). 
This requirement includes: (i) the minimum Common Equity Tier 1 requirement to be maintained at all times under 
Section  92(1)(a)  of  Regulation  (EU) No  575/2013  (ii)  the  Common  Equity  Tier  1  requirement  to  be  maintained  in 
excess at all times under Section 16(2)(a) of Regulation (EU) No 1024/2013; and (iii) the capital conservation buffer 
under Section 129 of Directive 2013/36/EU. In addition, the Santander Consumer Finance Group must maintain a 
minimum capital ratio of 9.675% of Q1 phase-in as well as a minimum Total Ratio of 12.05% phase-in.

As of December 31, 2022, the Bank meets the minimum capital requirements required by current regulations.

 193

Reconciliation of accounting capital with regulatory capital (EUR millions)

2022

2021

Subscribed capital
Share premium account
Reserves
Other equity instruments
Attributable profit
Approved dividend
Interim dividend
Shareholders’ equity on public balance sheet
Valuation adjustments
Non- controlling interests
Total Equity on public balance sheet
Goodwill and intangible assets
Accrued dividend
Eligible preference shares and participating securities
Other adjustments (*)
Tier 1 (Phase-in)

5,639 
1,140 
3,649 
1,200 
1,243 
— 
(652)   

12,219 

(582)   
2,555 
14,192 
(1,849)   
(1,243)   

— 
33 
11,133 

5,639 
1,140 
3,040 
1,200 
1,175 
— 
(491) 
11,703 
(646) 
2,337 
13,394 
(1,783) 
(1,175) 
— 
143 
10,579 

(*) The distribution of the result obtained in fiscal year 2022 has not been submitted to the General Shareholders' Meeting for 

approval, however, a dividend distribution is proposed.

(*) Fundamentally for non-computable non-controlling interests and deductions and reasonable filters in compliance with CRR.

The  following  table  shows  the  Phase-in  capital  coefficients  and  a  detail  of  the  eligible  internal  resources  of  the 
Group: 

Capital coefficients
Level 1 ordinary eligible capital (millions of euros)
Level 1 additional eligible capital (millions of euros)
Level 2 eligible capital (millions of euros)
Risk-weighted assets (millions of euros)
Level 1 ordinary capital coefficient (CET 1)
Level 1 additional capital coefficient (AT1)
Level 1 capital coefficient (TIER1)
Level 2 capital coefficient (TIER 2)
Total capital coefficient

2022

2021

9,706
1,427
1,669
77,480
12.53%
1.84%
14.37%
2.15%
16.52%

9,167
1,412
1,045
72,898
12.58%
1.93%
14.51%
1.44%
15.95%

 194

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Eligible capital (EUR millions)

Eligible capital
Common Equity Tier I
Capital
Share Premium
Reserves
Other retained earnings
Minority interests
Profit net of dividends
Deductions
Goodwill and intangible assets
Others
Additional Tier I
Eligible instruments AT1
T1- excesses-subsidiaries
Residual value of dividends
Others
Tier II
Eligible instruments T2
Gen. funds and surplus loans loss prov. IRB
T2-excesses- subsidiaries
Others
Total eligible capital

2022

2021

9,706 
5,639 
1,140 
3,649 
(645)   
1,456 
591 
(411)   
(1,714)   

— 
1,427 
1,200 
227 
— 
— 
1,669 
1,471 
— 
199 
— 
12.802

9,167 
5,639 
1,140 
3,040 
(645) 
1,306 
684 
(213) 
(1,783) 
— 
1,412 
1,200 
212 
— 
— 
1,045 
871 
— 
175 
— 
11.624

The  Bank  is  continuing  its  plan  to  implement  the  Basel  advanced  internal  rating-based  measurement  approach 
(AIRB). This objective is also conditioned by the acquisition of new entities, as well as by the need for coordination 
of the validation processes for internal models by supervisors. 

The  Santander  Consumer  Finance  Group  mainly  operates  in  countries  within  the  same  legal  supervisory 
framework, as is the case in Europe through the Capital Directive.

Santander Consumer Finance currently has supervisory authorisation to use advanced approaches for calculating 
regulatory  capital  requirements  for  credit  risk  for  its  main  portfolios  in  Spain,  and  some  portfolios  in  Germany, 
Scandinavia and France. 

Santander  Consumer  Finance  Group  currently  applies  the  standard  approach  to  calculating  regulatory  capital  for 
operational risk, as set out in the European Capital Directive.

As  for  the  other  risks  expressly  considered  in  Basel  Pillar  I,  market  risk  is  not  significant  in  Santander  Consumer 
Finance, as this is not part of its business purpose, and it therefore uses the standard approach.

Leverage ratio

The  leverage  ratio  has  been  defined  within  the  regulatory  framework  of  Basel  III  as  a  measure  of  the  capital 
required by financial institutions not sensitive to risk. The Group performs the calculation as stipulated in CRD IV 
and  its  subsequent  amendment  in  EU  Regulation  no.  573/2013  of  17  January  2015,  which  was  aimed  at 
harmonising  calculation  criteria  with  those  specified  in  the  BCBS  “Basel  III  leverage  ratio  framework”  and 
“Disclosure requirements” documents. This ratio is calculated as the ratio of Tier 1 divided by leverage exposure.

The ratio mentioned is calculated as the quotient between Tier 1 divided by the leverage exposure. This exposure is 
calculated as the sum of the following elements:

•

Accounting  asset,  without  derivatives  and  without  elements  considered  as  deductions  in  Tier  1  (for 
example, the balance of the loans is included but not the goodwill).

• Memorandum accounts (guarantees, unused credit limits granted, documentary credits, mainly) weighted 

by credit conversion factors.

 195

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
•

•

•

Inclusion  of  the  net  value  of  derivatives  (gains  and  losses  are  netted  with  the  same  counterparty,  less 
collateral if they meet certain criteria) plus a surcharge for potential exposure 

A surcharge for the potential risk of securities financing operations 

Finally, a surcharge is included for the risk of credit derivatives (CDS).

Santander Consumer Finance maintains a fully loaded leverage ratio at sub consolidated level of 8.93% at the end 
of 2022, based on a reference ratio of 3%.

EUR Millions
Leverage
Level 1 Capital
Exposure
Leverage Ratio

Economic capital

2022

2021

11,133 
124,648 
 8.93% 

10,579 
112,492 
 9.40% 

From  the  point  of  view  of  solvency,  in  the  context  of  Basel  Pillar  II  Santander  Consumer  Finance  Group  uses  its 
economic  model  for  its  internal  capital  adequacy  assessment  process  (ICAAP).  For  this  purpose,  business 
performance and capital needs are planned under a base case scenario and under alternative stress scenarios. In 
this planning, the Group ensures that its solvency objectives are upheld even in adverse economic scenarios. 

Economic capital is the capital required, according to an internally developed model, to support all the risks of our 
business  at  a  certain  level  of  solvency.  In  our  case,  the  solvency  level  is  determined  by  the  long-term  objective 
rating  of  'A'  (two  steps  above  Spain's  rating),  which  means  applying  a  confidence  level  of  99.95%  (above  the 
regulatory 99.90%) to calculate the necessary capital.

The Group's economic capital model includes in its measurement all significant risks incurred by the Group in its 
operations,  and  therefore  considers  risks  such  as  concentration,  structural  interest  rate,  business,  pensions  and 
others  that  are  outside  the  scope  of  "regulatory"  Pillar  1.  Furthermore,  economic  capital  incorporates  the 
diversification effect, which in the case of the Group is crucial, due to the multinational and multi-business nature 
of its activity, in order to determine the overall risk and solvency profile. 

The Santander Consumer Finance Group uses the RORAC method in its risk management to calculate the economic 
capital  consumption  and  return  on  risk-adjusted  capital  of  the  Group's  business  units,  segments,  portfolios  or 
customers, in order to periodically analyse value creation and facilitate optimal allocation of capital. 

The RORAC methodology makes it possible to compare, on a uniform basis, the returns on transactions, customers, 
portfolios  and  businesses,  identifying  those  that  obtain  a  risk-adjusted  return  higher  than  the  Group's  cost  of 
capital, and thus aligning risk and business management with the intention of maximising value creation, which is 
the ultimate objective of Santander Consumer Finance's senior management. 

 196

 
 
 
 
Appendix I

Subsidiaries

Entity

Domicile

Country

Bank's ownership 
interest (%)

Voting rights (%) (c)

Direct

Indirect

2022

2021

Andaluza de Inversiones, S.A. Unipersonal

Auto ABS Belgium Loans 2019 SA/NV (d)

Auto ABS DFP Master Compartment France 2013 (d)

Auto ABS French Leases Master Compartment 2016 
(d)

Auto ABS French Loans Master (d)

Auto ABS French LT Leases Master (d)

Auto ABS French Leases 2021 (d)

Auto ABS italian Loans 2018-1 S.R.L. (d)

Auto ABS italian Balloon 2019-1 S.R.L. (d)

AUTO ABS ITALIAN RAINBOW LOANS 2020-1 S.R.L.

Auto ABS Spanish Loans 2018-1, Fondo de 
Titulización (d)

Auto ABS Spanish Loans 2020-1, Fondo de 
Titulización (d)

Auto ABS Spanish Loans 2022-1, Fondo de 
Titulización (d)

PBD Germany Auto Lease Master S.A., Compartment 
2021-1 (d)

AUTO ABS ITALIAN RAINBOW LOANS 2020-1 SRL (d)

Auto ABS UK Loans PLC (d)

Ciudad Grupo Santander, Av. Cantabria, 28660, 
Boadilla del Monte - Madrid

Spain

100%

-

-

-

-

 -

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Belgium

France

France

France

France

France

Italy

Italy

Italy

Spain

Spain

Spain

Luxembourg

Italy

United 
Kingdom

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

(d)

(d)

(d)

(d)

(d)

(d)

(d)

(d)

(d)

(d)

(d)

(d)

(d)

(d)

(d)

100%

100%

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

Line of 
business

Holding 
Company

Securization

Securization

Securization

Securization

Securization

Securization

Securization

Securization

Securization

Securization

Securization

Securization

Securization

Securization

Securization

EUR Millions

Capital and 
reserves (a)

Net profit (a)

Participation 
amount (b)

37

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

1

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

27

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

1

Entity

Domicile

Country

Bank's ownership 
interest (%)

Voting rights (%) (c)

Direct

Indirect

2022

2021

Line of 
business

EUR Millions

Capital and 
reserves (a)

Net profit (a)

Participation 
amount (b)

Auto ABS UK Loans 2019 PLC (d)

-

United 
Kingdom

Autodescuento S.L.

Calle Alcalá nº4, 5ª Planta 28014 Madrid, España Spain

Banca PSA Italia S.p.a.

Via Gallarate 199, 20151 Milano

Italy

Compagnie Generale de Credit Aux Particuliers - 
Credipar S.A.

9 rue Henri Barbusse 92330 Gennevilliers

France

Compagnie Pour la Location de Vehicules - CLV

9 rue Henri Barbusse 92330 Gennevilliers

France

Drive S.r.l.

Via Giovanni Caproni 1, Bolzano

Italy

—

—

—

—

—

—

(d)

—%

—%

Securization

94%

94%

94%

Financial

50%

50%

50%

50%

50%

50%

100%

100%

50%

50%

50%

—%

Banking

Banking

Financial

Leasing

Financeira El Corte Inglés, Portugal, S.F.C., S.A.

Av. António Augusto Aguiar, 31 1069-413 Lisboa Portugal

—%

51%

51%

51%

Financial

—

2

392

460

22

5

8

Financiera El Corte Inglés, E.F.C., S.A.

C/ Hermosilla 112, 28009, Madrid

Fondation Holding Auto ABS Belgium Loans (d)

-

Spain

Belgium

Guaranty Car, S.A.

Santander Consumer Mobility Services, S.A.

Nacional II, Km 16,500 – 28830 San Fernando de 
Henares (Madrid)

Spain

Ciudad Grupo Santander Av. Cantabria s/n, 
28660 Boadilla del Monte

Spain

Isar Valley S.A. (d)

Pony S.A. (d)

Compartment German Auto Loans 2021-1 (d)

-

-

-

Luxembourg

Luxembourg

Luxembourg

51%

—

—

—

—

—

—

100%

(d)

(d)

(d)

One Mobility Management GmbH

Dr.-Carl-von-Linde-Straße,2 - Pullach i.Isartal

Germany

47%

47%

PBD Germany Auto 2018 UG (Haftungsbeschränkt) 
(d)

PBD Germany Auto Lease Master 2019 (d)

PBD Germany Auto Loan 2021 UG 
(Haftungsbeschränkt) (d)

-

-

-

Germany

Luxembourg

Germany

PSA Bank Deutschland GmbH

Siemensstraße 10, 63263 Neu-Isenburg, Hesse

Germany

PSA Banque France

9 rue Henri Barbusse 92330 Gennevilliers

France

—

—

—

—

—

(d)

(d)

(d)

50%

50%

—%

(d)

51%

—%

51%

—%

Financial

278

Securization

100%

100%

100%

Auto

—

3

12

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

Renting

Securization

Securization

Securization

Other 
Management 
Services

Securization

Securization

Securization

—

—

—

—

—

—

—%

—%

50%

50%

—

—

—

—

—

—

—%

—%

50%

50%

Banking

Banking

497

1,142

—

—

69

22

(1)

(1)

1

58

—

—

(4)

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

47

62

—

18

153

855

52

5

8

140

—

2

12

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

229

881

2

Entity

Domicile

Country

Bank's ownership 
interest (%)

Voting rights (%) (c)

Direct

Indirect

2022

2021

Line of 
business

EUR Millions

Capital and 
reserves (a)

Net profit (a)

Participation 
amount (b)

PSA Finance Belux S.A.

Parc L’Alliance Avenue Finlande 4-8 1420 Braine 
Làlleud Belgium

Belgium

—

50%

50%

50%

Financial

PSA Financial Services Nederland B.V.

Hoofdweg 256, 3067 GJ Rotterdam

PSA Finance UK Limited

61 London Road - Londres

Holland

United 
Kingdom

PSA FINANCIAL SERVICES, SPAIN, EFC, SA

C/ Eduardo Barreiros Nº 110. 28041, Madrid

Spain

Riemersma Leasing B.V.

Waterman 7ª, ‘s-Hertogenbosch

Santander Consumer Finance Global Services, S.L.

Ciudad Grupo Santander, Av Cantabria, 28660, 
Boadilla del Monte - Madrid

Holand

Spain

Santander Consumer Finance Schweiz AG

Brandstrasse 24, 8952 Schlieren

Switzerland

Santander Consumer Bank AG

Santander Platz I, 41061 (Mönchengladbach)

Germany

—%

—%

50%

100%

100%

—

—%

Santander Consumer Bank A.S.

Strandveien 18, 1366 Lysaker, 0219 (Baerum)

Norway

100%

50%

50%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—

—

50%

50%

50%

100%

50%

50%

50%

—%

Financial

Financial

Financial

Leasing

99%

99%

Other services

100%

100%

Leasing

100%

100%

Banking

100%

100%

Financial

Santander Consumer Bank GmbH

Andromeda Tower, Donan City. Strów-Wien

Austria

—

100%

100%

100%

Banking

Santander Consumer Bank S.p.A.

Vía Nizza 262, I-10126 (Turín)

Santander Consumer Finance Oy

Hermannin Rantatie 10, 00580 (Helsinki)

Santander Consumer Holding Austria GmbH

Rennweg 17, A 1030 (Wien)

Italy

Finland

Austria

Santander Consumer Holding GmbH

Santander Platz I, 41061 (Mönchengladbach)

Germany

100%

—%

100%

100%

—%

100%

—%

—%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

100%

Banking

Financial
Holding 
Company
Holding 
Company

Santander Consumer Operations Services GmbH

Madrider Strabe, 1D – 41069, Monchengladbach 
(Alemania)

Germany

—%

100%

—%

—%

Other services

Santander Consumer Technology Services GmbH

Kaiserstr 74, 41061, Monchengladbach 
(Alemania)

Germany

Santander Consumer Leasing GmbH

Santander Platz I, 41061 (Mönchengladbach)

Germany

—%

—%

100%

—%

—%

Other Services

100%

100%

100%

Leasing

Hyundai Capital Bank Europe GmbH

Friedrich-Ebert-Anlage 35-37 · 60327 Frankfurt 
am Main

Germany

—%

51%

51%

51%

Financial

Santander Consumer Renting, S.L.

Santa Bárbara 1, 28180, Torrelaguna - Madrid

Spain

100%

—%

100%

100%

Leasing

Santander Consumer Renting S.R.L.

Via Caproni 1, Bolzano

Santander Consumer Services GmbH

Thomas Alva Edison Str. I, Eisendstadt

Italy

Austria

—%

—%

100%

100%

—%

Renting

100%

100%

100%

Services

Santander Consumer Services, S.A.

Rua Gregorio Lopez Lote 1596 B-1400 195 
Lisboa – Portugal

Portugal

100%

—%

100%

100%

Financial

SC Austria Finance 2020-1 Designated Activity 
Company (d)

-

Ireland

—%

(d)

—%

—%

Securization

95

58

377

638

7

6

51

2,844

2,817

424

834

368

364

14

18

29

60

2

3

10

469

219

58

92

49

—

93

53

317

363

21

5

60

5,070

1,980

363

603

163

518

5,564

317

6,077

12

24

(23)

702

38

4

—

13

—

1

3

93

14

3

(1)

—

1

—

18

22

151

391

38

4

—

10

—

3

Entity

Domicile

Country

Bank's ownership 
interest (%)

Voting rights (%) (c)

Direct

Indirect

2022

2021

Line of 
business

EUR Millions

Capital and 
reserves (a)

Net profit (a)

Participation 
amount (b)

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

SC Austria Consumer Loan 2021 Designated Activity 
Company (d)

SC Germany Auto 2016-2 UG (haftungsbeschränkt) 
(d)

SC Germany Consumer 2018-1 UG 
(haftungsbeschränkt) (d)

SC Germany Mobility 2019-1 UG 
(haftungsbeschränkt) (d)

SC Germany Auto 2019-1 UG (haftungsbeschränkt) 
(d)

SC Germany S.A., Compartment Mobility 2020-1 (d)

SC Germany S.A., Compartment Consumer 2020-1 
(d)

SC Germany S.A., Compartment Consumer 2021-1 
(d)

SC Germany S.A., Compartment Consumer 2022-1 
(d)

SC Germany S.A. (d)

SCF Ajoneuvohallinto VII Limited (d)

SCF Ajoneuvohallinto VIII Limited (d)

SCF Ajoneuvohallinto IX Limited (d)

SCF Ajoneuvohallinto X Limited (d)

SCF Ajoneuvohallinto XI Limited (d)

SCF Rahoituspalvelut VII DAC (d)

SCF Rahoituspalvelut VIII DAC (d)

SCF Rahoituspalvelut IX DAC (d)

SCF Rahoituspalvelut X DAC (d)

SCF Rahoituspalvelut XI DAC (d)

Silk Finance No. 5 (d)

Secucor Finance 2021-1, DAC (d)

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Ireland

Germany

Germany

Germany

Germany

Luxembourg

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

Luxembourg

—%

Luxembourg

—%

Luxembourg

Luxembourg

Ireland

Ireland

Ireland

Ireland

Ireland

Ireland

Ireland

Ireland

Ireland

Ireland

Portugal

Ireland

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

(d)

(d)

(d)

(d)

(d)

(d)

(d)

(d)

(d)

(d)

(d)

(d)

(d)

(d)

(d)

(d)

(d)

(d)

(d)

(d)

(d)

(d)

—%

—%

Securization

—%

—%

Securization

—%

—%

Securization

—%

—%

Securization

—%

—%

—%

Securization

—%

Securization

—%

—%

Securization

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

Securization

—%

Securization

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

Securization

Securization

Securization

Securization

Securization

Securization

Securization

Securization

Securization

Securization

Securization

Securization

Securization

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

4

Entity

Domicile

Country

Bank's ownership 
interest (%)

Voting rights (%) (c)

Direct

Indirect

2022

2021

EUR Millions

Capital and 
reserves (a)

Net profit (a)

Participation 
amount (b)

Fondo de Titulización de Activos Santander 
Consumer Spain Auto 2014-1 (d)

Fondo de Titulización Santander Consumer Spain 
Auto 2016-1 (d)

Fondo de Titulización Santander Consumer Spain 
Auto 2016-2 (d)

Santander Consumer Spain Auto 2019-1, Fondo de 
Titulización (d)

Santander Consumer Spain Auto 2020-1, Fondo de 
Titulización (d)

Santander Consumer Spain Auto 2021-1, Fondo de 
Titulización (d)

Santander Consumer Spain Auto 2022-1, Fondo de 
Titulización (d)

Golden Bar (Securitisation) S.r.l. (d)

Golden Bar Stand Alone 2016-1 (d)

Golden Bar Stand Alone 2018-1 (d)

Golden Bar Stand Alone 2019-1 (d)

Golden Bar Stand Alone 2020-1 (d)

Golden Bar Stand Alone 2020-2 (d)

Golden Bar Stand Alone 2021-1 (d)

Golden Bar Stand Alone 2022-1 (d)

Suzuki Servicios Financieros, S.L.

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

C/Carlos Sainz 35, Pol. Ciudad del Automóvil, 
Leganés - Madrid

Svensk Autofinans WH 1 Designated Activity 
Company (d)

-

Transolver Finance EFC, S.A.

Av. Aragón 402, Madrid

Spain

Spain

Spain

Spain

Spain

Spain

Spain

Italy

Italy

Italy

Italy

Italy

Italy

Italy

Italy

Spain

Ireland

Spain

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

Line of 
business

Securization

Securization

Securization

Securization

Securization

Securization

Securization

Securization

Securization

Securization

Securization

Securization

Securization

Securization

Securization

(d)

(d)

(d)

(d)

(d)

(d)

(d)

(d)

(d)

(d)

(d)

(d)

(d)

(d)

(d)

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

51%

51%

51%

Intermediation

(d)

—%

—%

Securization

51%

—%

51%

51%

Leasing

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

12

—

71

Allane SE

TIMFin S.p.A.

Dr.-Carl-von-Linde-Str. 2, Pullach i. Isartal – 
Alemania

Germany

Corso Massimo D’Azeglio n. 33/E – 20126 Turín

Italy

PSA Renting Italia S.P.A.

Vía Nizza 262, I-10126 - Turín

Italy

—%

—%

—%

47%

47%

47%

Leasing

192

51%

50%

51%

50%

51%

50%

Financial

Renting

45

13

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

2

—

3

4

(4)

12

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

17

343

28

6

5

Entity

Domicile

Country

Bank's ownership 
interest (%)

Voting rights (%) (c)

Direct

Indirect

2022

2021

Allane Schweiz AG

Grossmattstrasse 9-Urdorf – Suiza

Allane Mobility Consulting AG

Grossmattstrasse 9-Urdorf – Suiza

Switzerland

Switzerland

Allane Leasing GmbH

Ortsstraße 18a – Vösendorf – Austria

Austria

Allane Mobility Consulting GmbH

Dr.-Carl-von-Linde-Str. 2, Pullach i. Isartal – 
Alemania

Germany

Autohaus24 GmbH

Dr.-Carl-von-Linde-Str. 2, Pullach – Alemania

Germany

Allane Location Longue Durée S.a.r.l.

1 Rue Francois Jacob - Francia

Allane Services GmbH & co. KG

Grubenstrasse, 27 - Alemania

Allane Mobility Consulting B.V.

Kruisweg 791 - Holanda

Allane Services Verwaltungs GmbH

Grubenstraße, 27 - Alemania

Allane Mobility Consulting Österreich GmbH

Tuchlauben 7ª – Austria

Allane Mobility Consulting S.a.r.l

Rue Francois Jacob – Francia

France

Germany

Netherlands

Germany

Austria

France

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

—%

47%

47%

47%

47%

47%

47%

47%

47%

47%

47%

47%

47%

47%

47%

47%

47%

47%

47%

47%

47%

47%

47%

Line of 
business

Renting

Consulting

Renting

47%

47%

47%

47%

Consulting

47%

47%

47%

47%

47%

47%

47%

Renting

Renting

Services

Consulting

Portfolio 
management

Consulting

Consulting

EUR Millions

Capital and 
reserves (a)

Net profit (a)

Participation 
amount (b)

13

1

(2)

1

(3)

14

1

(3)

—

(1)

(1)

—

—

—

1

1

3

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

(a)

(b)
(c)

(d)

Data obtained from the financial statements of each associate and/or jointly controlled entity for 2022. These financial statements have not yet been approved by the respective governing bodies. However, the Bank’s directors consider that they will be ratified without 
any changes.
Amount registered for the stake in each associate, registered in the books of the holding entity, net of impairment, if applicable.
Pursuant o Article 3 of Royal Decree 1159/2010, of 17 September, approving the rules for the preparation of consolidated financial statements, in order to determine voting power, the voting power relating to subsidiaries or to other parties acting in their own name but 
on behalf of Group companies was added to the voting power directly held by the Parent. Accordingly, the number of votes corresponding to the Parent in relation to companies in which it has an indirect interest is the number corresponding to the company holding a 
direct ownership interest in such companies.
Vehicles over which effective control is maintained.

6

Appendix II

Associates and Joint Ventures

Name

Entity

Country

Bank’s ownership interest (%)

Voting rights (%) (b)

Direct

Indirect

2022

2021

Bank of Beijing Consumer Finance Company

Associate

Fortune Auto Finance Co., Ltd

Stellantis Insurance Europe Limited

Stellantis Life Insurance Europe Limited

Santander Consumer Bank S.A.

Santander Consumer Finanse Sp. z o.o.

Santander Consumer Multirent Sp. z o.o.

VCFS Germany GmbH

PSA Finance Polsja sp.z o.o

Payever Gmbh

PSA Consumer Finance Polska sp.zo.o.

Santander Consumer Financial Solutions SP. Z O.O.

JV

JV

JV

Associate

Associate

Associate

JV

Associate

Associate

Associate

Associate

China

China

Malta

Malta

Poland

Poland

Poland

Germany

Poland

Germany

Poland

Poland

20%

50%

50%

50%

40%

—

—

—

—

10%

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

40%

40%

50%

20%

—%

20%

40%

20%

50%

50%

50%

40%

40%

40%

50%

20%

10%

20%

40%

17%

50%

50%

50%

40%

40%

40%

50%

20%

10%

20%

40%

Line of 
business

Financial

Financial

Insurance

Insurance

Banking

Services

Leasing

Marketing

Financial

Other Services

Financial

Leasing

Assets

1,418

2,039

267

123

3,650

15

763

1

282

3

37

12

EUR Million(a)

Capital and 
reserves

Profit / (loss)

108

432

61

13

753

15

58

—

38

2

3

2

—

57

28

17

82

0

5

—

5

—

1

(1)

(a)

(b)

Data  obtained  from  the  financial  statements  of  each  associate  and/or  joint  venture  for  2022.  These  financial  statements  have  not  yet  been  approved  by  the  respective  governing  bodies.  However,  the  Bank’s  directors  consider  that  they  will  be  ratified  without  any 
changes.
Pursuant to Article 3 of Royal Decree 1159/2010, of 17 September, approving the rules for the preparation of consolidated financial statements, in order to determine voting power, the voting power relating to subsidiaries or to other parties acting in their own name but 
on behalf of Group companies was added to the voting power directly held by the Parent. Accordingly, the number of votes corresponding to the Parent in relation to companies in which it has an indirect interest is the number corresponding to the company holding a 
direct ownership interest in such companies.

1

Appendix III

Changes and notifications of acquisitions and disposals of investments in 2022

(Article  155  of  the  Consolidated  Spanish  Limited  Liability  Companies  Law  and  Article  125  of  Legislative  Royal 
Decree 4/2015, of 23 October, approving the Consolidated Spanish Securities Market Law).

Investee

Line of business

Acquisition in 2022:

Santander Consumer Renting, 
S.R.L
Drive S.R.L.

Riemersma Leasing B.V.

Operating lease

Operating lease

Operating lease

Net ownership interest (%)

Acquired/sold in 
the year

At year end

Effective date of 
the transaction (or 
date of notification 
if appropriate)

100%

100%

100%

100%

03-30-2022

100%

100%

04-26-2022

04-15-2022

1

Appendix IV

List  of  agents  as  required  by  Article  21  of  Royal  Decree  84/2015,  of  13  February,  implementing  Law 
10/2014,  of  26  June,  on  the  regulation,  supervision  and  capital  adequacy  of  credit  institutions,  on  31 
December 2022

Name

Domicile

Palma del Río 
Finance, S.L.

POGL. IND EL 
GARROTAL EDF 
SARA BENITEZ C/ 
JARA 17 -1 
(14700) Palma 
del Río

Employer/
National 
identification 
number

Post 
Code

14700

B09987843

Date of 
granting 
powers

Geographical area of activity

Scope of representation

13-07-2022 Almodóvar del Rio, Fuente Palmera, 
Palma del Rio, Posadas, Lora del Rio, 
Peñaflor,  Carmona,  La  Campana,  La 
Puebla  de  los  Infantes,  Mairena  del 
Alcor, El Viso del Alcor

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

Gestión Financiera 
Villalba, S.L.U.

C/ Consuelo 
Vega, 23 A - 
A(11600) 
Ubrique

11600

B011517620

15-12-2020 Ubrique, 

del 

Alcalá 

Valle, 
Algodonales,  Arcos  de  la  Frontera, 
Benaocaz,  Bornos,  El  Bosque,  El 
Gastor,  Espera,  Grazalema,  Olivera, 
Prado  del  Rey,  Setenil,  Torre 
Alhaquine,  Villanueva  del  Rosario, 
Villa Martín, Puerto Serrano

Juan Jiménez 
Gestión Financiera, 
S.L.

C/ BARTOLOME 
DE MEDINA , 
local 18 (41004) 
Sevilla

41004

B91167973

01-02-2002 Bormujos,  Coria  del  Río,  Gelves, 
la  Mayor, 
Gines,  Pilas,  Sanlucar 
Umbrete,  Villamanrique  de 
la 
Condesa, Villanueva del Ariscal.

EFINCAR FLEET 
SERVICES , S.L.

c/Doctor 
Fleming, 1   
41400 Écija 
(Sevilla)

41400

B91958363

01-01-2012 Écija,  Fuentes  de  Andalucía,  La 

Luisina, Cañada Rosal, La Carlota.

Financiaciones 
Costa del Sol 
Oriental, SCA

C/ Del Mar, 27 
1º-C, Edificio 
Jaime, 29740 
Torre del Mar

29740

F093385102

Alfarnate, 
Archez, 

Algarrobo, 
15-12-2020 Alcaucin, 
Almachar, 
Arenas, 
Benamargosa,  El  Boger,  Canillas  de 
Aceituno,  Canillas  de  Albaida, 
Comares,  Competa,  Macharaviaya, 
Moclinejo, Frigiliana, Nerja, Periana, 
Riogordo,  Salares,  Sayalonga,  Torre 
del  Mar,  Torrox,  Velez  Málaga, 
Viñuela.

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

INSEMA 
INVERSIONES, S.L.

Av. de Andalucía, 
11 (14500) 
Puente Genil

14500

B14840896

19-12-2008 Aguilar  de  la  Frontera,  Benameji, 
Castro  del  Río,  Espejo,  Fernan 
Nuñez,  Montalbal  de  Córdoba, 
Montemayor,  Montilla,  Monturque, 
Moriles,  Palenciana,  Puente  Genil, 
La Rambla y Santaella

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

Carrasco Agentes, 
S.L.

C/  BETULA Nº  9  
PISO  1º A   
(23400)ÚBEDA

23400

B023478704

Ramsa Serv. Fin. y 
Empresariales, S.L.

C/ Blas Infante, 
7A (21440) Lepe

21440

B021347190

02-01-2004 Alblanchez de übeda, Almenara, 
Arquillos, Baeza, Beas de Segura, 
Bedmar y Garciez, Begijar, Belmez 
de la Moraleda, Benatae, Cabra de 
Santo Cristo, Cambil, Canena, 
Castellar, Cazorla, Chiclana de 
Segura, Chilluevar, Escañuela, 
Genave, Guarromán, Higuera de 
15-12-2020 Punta Umbría, Cartaya, Lepe, Isla 
Cristina y Ayamonte

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

1

Employer/
National 
identification 
number

Post 
Code

41530

B091369231

Date of 
granting 
powers

Geographical area of activity

Scope of representation

15-12-2020 Algamitas, Arahal, Caripe, El Coronil, 
Marchena, Montellano, Morón de la 
Frontera, Paradas, Pruna, La Puebla 
de Cazalla, Villanueva de San Juan

Name

Domicile

Martín & Castilla 
Servicios 
Financieros, S.L.

C/ Fray Diego de 
Cádiz, 163 
(41530) Morón 
de la Frontera

Fromán 
Consultores, S.L.U.

Av. Del 
Mantecado, 21 
(41560) Estepa

Geyba Servicios 
Financieros, S.L.

Avda. La Libertad 
nº 2 Local 
(41980) La 
Algaba

41560

B041969767

15-12-2020 Aguadulce, Badolatosa, Casariche, 

Los Corrales, Estepa, Gilena, 
Herrera, La Lentejuela, Lora de 
Estepa, Marinaleda, Martin de la 
Jara, Osuna, Pedrea, La Roda de 
Andalucía, El Rubio, El Saucejo.

41980

B091385377

15-12-2020 Arevalillo de Cega, Alacala del Rio, 

Alcolea del Rio, La Algaba, Almaden 
de la Plata, Brenes, Burguillos, 
Cantillana, Castilblanco de los 
Arroyos, El Castillo de las Guardas, 
Cazalla de la Sierra, Constantina, El 
Garrobo, Gerena, El Madroño, Las 
Navas de la Concepción, El Pedroso, 
La Roda de Andalucía, La Rinconada

Fincar Gestiones 
Financieras, S.L.

Avda. Buenos 
Aires, 32 18500 
Guadix

18500

B21507751

01-02-2012 Guadix, Baza, Huescar, Cullar, 
Cuevas del Campo, Iznalloz y 
Guadahortuna.

Hermanos P.Q. 
Servicios 
Financieros, S.L.

Pasaje Neptuno, 
local 7 (Junto a 
BBVA)   Vera  
(04620). 

SERVITAL 
ASESORES, S.L.

Pza. Nuestro 
Padre Jesús, 3 
(21700) La Palma 
del Condado

FINANCIACEUTA, 
S.L.U.

C/ Cervantes, 
galería "La 
Riojana", 2ª 
planta, local nº 
26 (51001) Ceuta

Gª y Trinidad 
Asesoramiento y 
Financiación S.L.

C/ Rosario Nº  
46(04800) Albox

Antonio Gª Fdez. 
Servicios 
Financieros S.L.

C/ Jara, nº1 local, 
esquina doctor 
Antonio Cabrera 
(14400) 
Pozoblanco

04620

B004678348

15-12-2020 Vera

21700

B021261177

15-12-2020 Almonte, Bollullos Par del Condado, 

Bonares, Chucena, Escacena del 
Campo, Hinojos, Lucena del Puerto, 
Manzanilla, Niebla, La Palma del 
Condado, Paterna del Campo, 
Rociana del Condado, Villalba del 
Alcor, Villarrasa

51001

B051017101

15-12-2020 Ceuta

04800

B004577383

15-12-2020 Albox, Alcontar, Almanzorra, 

Armuña de Almanzorra, Bacares, 
Bayarque, Benitagla, Bezalon, 
Cantoria, Cobrar, Fines, Laroya, Lijar, 
Lubrin, Lucar, Macael, Olula del Rio, 
Partaloa, Purchena, Seron, Sierro, 
Somontin, Tahall, Tijola, Uleila del 
Campo, Urracal y Zurgena.

14400

B014771554

15-12-2020 Alcaracejos, Añora, Belalcazar, 

Belmez, Los Blázquez, Cardenas, 
Conquista, Dos Torres, Espiel, 
Fuente La Lancha, Fuente Obejuna, 
El Guijo, Hinojosa del Duque, 
Pedroche, Peñarroya-Pueblonuevo, 
Pozoblanco,.

DONAT FINANCE 
SERVICE, S.L.

Pza. Velazquez, 
11 - Bajo (52004) 
Melilla

52004

B052015435

01-02-2007 Melilla

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

2

Employer/
National 
identification 
number

Post 
Code

Date of 
granting 
powers

Geographical area of activity

Scope of representation

Name

Domicile

ASEDIME 
SERVICIOS 
FINANCIEROS, S.L.

C/ Doctor 
Dorronsoro, 2 
(21600) Valverde 
del Camino

SERVICIOS 
FINANCIEROS 
JIENENSES, SL.

c/plaza del 
camping 4 local 
10 23740 andujar

21600

B021380746

01-04-2008 Alajar, Almonaster la Real, Aracena, 

Aroche, Arroyo Molinos de León, 
Beas, Berrocal, Cala, Calañas, El 
Campillo, Campofrío, Cañaveral de 
León, Castaño de Robledo, 
Corteconcepción, Cortegana, 
Cortelazor, Cumbre de En Medio, 
Cumbres de San Bartolomé, 
Cumbres Mayores, Encinasola, 
Fuenteheridos, Galaroza, La 
Granada de Ríotinto, La Nava, Nerva, 
Puerto del Moral, Rosal de la 
Frontera, Santa Ana la Real, Santa 
Olalla del Cala, Trigueros, 
Valdelarco, Valverde del Camino, 
Zalamea la Real y Zufre.

23740

B86340767

01-12-2011 Aldeaquemada, Andújar, Arjona, 

FINANRONDA 
SERVICIOS 
FINANCIEROS, S.L.

C/ Molino, 82 
(29400) Ronda

29400

B92963388

Arjonilla, Bailén, Baños de 
Quemada, Carboneros, La Carolina, 
Cazalilla, Espeluy, Higuera de 
Arjona, Lopera, Marmolejo, Santa 
Elena, Villanueva de la Reina, 
Villardonpardo y Villa del Río,

02-01-2009 Agatocin, Alpendeire, Arriate, 
Atajate, Benalid, Benalauria, 
Benaojan, Benarraba, El Burgo, 
Cañete La Real, Cartajima, Cortes de 
la Frontera, Cuevas del 
Becerro,Faraja, Gaucin, Genalquacil, 
Igualeja, Jimera de Libas, Jubrique, 
Juzcar, Montecorto, Montejaque, 
Parauta, Pujerra, Ronda y Yunquera.

128INNOVA24H, 
S.L.

c/Oasis, 17 
ElEjido Almería

04700

B92999846

01-03-2011 El Ejido, Adta y Berja

Finangi Cat

Av. de la Rápita, 
33 1º (43870) 
Amposta

43870

B043571660

15-12-2020 Alcanar, Aldover, Alfara de Carles, 

Amposta, Arbolí, Arnes, Ascó, Falset, 
Fix, Freginals, Gandesa, Garcia, 
Ginestar, Godall, Masdenverge, 
Miravent, Móra dÉbre, Morá la 
Nova, Pauls, Poboleda, Porrera, 
Batea, Bellmunt de Falset, 
Benicarló, Benifallet, Benissanet, 
Bot, Cabassers, Camarles, Capcanes, 
Caseres, Corbera dÉbre, Cormudella 
del Montsant, Deltebre, El Lloar, El 
Masroig, El Molar, El Perelló, El 
Pinell de Bray, Els Guiaments, 
Gratallops, Horta de Sant Joan, 
LÁldea, Lámetlla de Mar, LAmpolla, 
La Fatarella, La Figuera, La Galera, 
La Morera de Montsant, La Palma 
dÉbre, La Pobla de Massaluca, La 
Sénia, La Torre de Fontanbella, La 
Torre de Léspanyol, La Vilella Alta, 
La Vilella Baixa, Marca, Margalef de 
Montsant, Mas de Barberans, 
Pradell de la Teixeta, Prat de 
Compte, Rasquera, Riba Roja D´Ebre, 
Roquetes, Sant Carles Rápita, Sant 
Jaime Enveja, Santa Barbara, tivissa, 
Torroja del Priorat, Tortosa, 
Ulldecona, Ulldemolins, Vilalba dels 
Arcs, Vinaroz, Vinebre, Xerta.

Indastec 
Asociados, S.L.

C/ Madrid, 20 - 
bajo (07800) 
Ibiza

07800

B057150310

15-12-2020 Eivissa, Sant Antoni de Portmany, 

Santa Eulalia del Rio San Jose 
Formentera

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

3

Name

Domicile

Noguer Bau, S.L.

C/ Sant Fidel, 5 - 
1º (08500) Vic

Employer/
National 
identification 
number

Post 
Code

Date of 
granting 
powers

Geographical area of activity

Scope of representation

08500

B064018179

15-12-2020 Aiguafreda, Alpens, El Brull, 

Calldetenes, Centelles, Collsuspina, 
Espinelves, Folgueroles, Gurb, Els 
Hostalets De Balenya, Lluça, 
Perafita, Prats De Lluçanes, Roda De 
Ter, Rupit-Pruit, Santa Cecilia De 
Voltrega, Santa Eugenia De Berga 
Santa Eulalia De Riuprimer, Sant 
Agusti Del Lluçanes, Santa Maria De 
Corco L'asquirol, Sant Bartomeu Del 
Grau, Sant Boi De Lluçanes, Sant 
Hipolit De Voltrega

Gestió de 
Finançament i 
Inversions de 
Ponent, S.L.

Avda. Pau, 49 
(25230) 
Mollerusa

25230

B025539123

01-10-2006 Comarcas del Pla D´urgel, la 

Noguera, L´urgell y La Segarra

Gestió de 
Finançament i 
Inversions de 
Ponent, S.L.

Avda. Alcalde 
Porqueras, 10 
(25008) Lérida

25008

B025539123

01-10-2006  Lérida, Balafia; Les Basses D’Alpicat, 

La Bordeta, Camps D’Escorts, Cap 
Pont, Castel De Gardeny, 
Clot_Princep de Viana, Gualda; 
Llivia, Magraners, Mariola, 
Pardinyes, Raimat, Seca Sant Pere, 
Sucs, Suquets; Les Torres de Sanui, 
Abella de la Conca Les Alamus, 
L’Albages, Albatarrec, L’Albi, Alanco, 
Alcarras, Alcoletge, Alfes, Alguaire, 
Almatret, Almenar, Alpicat, Artessa 
de Lleida, Aspa, Aitona, Benavent de 
Segria, Bovera, Les Borges, 
Blanquets, Castelldans, Cervia de 
Garrigues, Corbins, L’Espluga Calba, 
La Floresta, Fulleda, La Granja 
D’Escarp, Gimenells i Pla de la Font, 
Granyera de les Garrigues, Juncosa, 
Juneda, Llardecans, Masalcoreig, 
Maials de Lleida, Els Omellons, La 
Pobla de Cervoles, Bellaguarda, La 
Portella, Puiggros, Puigverd,de 
Lleida; Roselló, Seros, El Soleras, 
Soses, Tarres, Els TOrms, 
Torrebesses, Torrefarrera, Torres de 
Segre, Torre Serona, Vilanova de 
Segria, El Vilosell, Vilanova de la 
Barca y Vinaixa.

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

4

Name

Domicile

BERGA GESTIÒ, 
S.L.

C/ Gran Vía, 46  
(08600) Berga

Employer/
National 
identification 
number

Post 
Code

Date of 
granting 
powers

Geographical area of activity

Scope of representation

08600

B064396476

15-12-2020 Berga,Navas, Cardona y Nou de La 

Bergueda.

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

M&G figueres 
Associats, S.L.

c/Col. Legi nº 54 
bajos (17600) 
Figueres

17600

B17673823

01-01-2011 Agullana, Albanya, Arrentera, 
Bascara, Biure, Boadella i les 
Escaudes, Cebanes, Cantallaps, 
Capmany, Cistella, Escada, 
Empolla,Figueres, Garniguelia, 
Jenguera, Lladó, Masarac, Mollet de 
Peralado, Pont de Mollins y Crespia.

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

Orges-Fin 
Gestiones 2018, 
s.l. Unipersonal

Consultoría 
Financiera de la 
Mancha, S.L.

SA ROVELLADA 
DE DALT 38 bajos 
izq (07702) 
MAHON-
MENORCA (Illes 
Balears)

C/ Ramiro 
Ledesma, s/n 
bloque 5 Local 3 
(13630) 
Socuéllamos

Estudios y Análisis 
de Riesgos, S.L.

 Plaza de los 
carros,  2, 16001 
Cuenca.

Intermediación y 
Servicios Junval, 
S.L.

C/ BEBRICIO , 39, 
Pasaje Local nº 7 
(26500) 
Calahorra

Servicios 
Financieros 
Quintanar, S.L.

C/ Vicente Gálvez 
Villarejo, 12. 
(45800) 
Quintanar de la 
Orden

Medifirent, S.L.

C/Carretil, 2, 
3ºD   26007. 
Logroño (La 
Rioja)

Soluciones 
Financieras del 
Este, S.L.

C/ Mariano 
Barbacid, 5 - 2ª - 
3 (28521) Rivas 
Vaciamadrid

07702

B55733471

25-12-2020 Isla de Menorca

13630

B013354303

15-12-2003 Socuéllamos, Tomelloso, 

Argamasilla de Alba, Pedro Muñoz, 
Campo de Criptana, Alcázar de San 
Juan, Las Pedroñeras, Monta del 
Cuervo, Villanueva de los Infantes

16001

B016156598

30-06-2007 Cuenca

26500

B026319178

15-12-2020 Calahorra

45800

B045545167

15-12-2020 Quintanar de la Orden, Madridejos

26007

B009410572

15-12-2020 Miranda de Ebro y Logroño

28521

B084418904

15-12-2020 Arganda del Rey, Rivas – 
Vaciamadrid

Servicios 
Financieros 
Sorianos

C/Del Ferial , 4 
Oficina 3   B2     
4200 Soria

4200

B042180927

15-12-2020 Soria

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

5

Name

Domicile

Employer/
National 
identification 
number

Post 
Code

Date of 
granting 
powers

Geographical area of activity

Scope of representation

Finanduero 2007, 
S.L.U.

GASTEIZ FINANCE, 
SLU

FINANCESTHER 
S.L.

CALLE EL CARRO, 
9, 3ºB  -09400 
ARANDA DE 
DUERO 
(BURGOS)

Avda. de los 
Huetos, 79  Ed. 
Azucarera.  
Vitoria  01010 
(Álava)

AVENIDA 
CENTRAL 
NUMERO 1 
OFICINA 1 
(31500) TUDELA 
NAVARRA .

Inversiones 
Financieras Bilegi, 
S.L.

Plaza Aita Arrupe 
3 Oficina Nº 2 
(48100) 
Mungia_Bizkaia

PRAGA SERVICES 
64, S.L.

Gestión de 
Servicios 
Financieros 
Artimar

C/ Patrimonio 
Mundial, 7  1ª 
planta  Oficina 
13, 28300 
Aranjuez

Av. de Canarias, 
344 (35110) 
Vecindario

09400

B009480013

02-11-2007 Aranda de Duero, Lerma, Huerta del 

Rey, Salas de los Infantes y Roa.

01010

B10818698

02-03-2021 Álava

31500

B71392179

15-12-2020 Tudela

48100

B95659579

01-10-2012 Eibar, Mondragón, Genika - Lumo

28300

B85464402

01-03-2014 Aranjuez

35110

B035496777

15-12-2020 Agüimes, Santa Lucía de Tirajana, 

San Bartolomé de Tirajana

L´Eliana Finance, 
S.L.

Av. Cortes 
Valencianas, 35 L 
A2 (46183) L
´Eliana

46183

B097639462

01-10-2005 Riba - Roja de Turia, Lliria, Betera, 
Buñol, Requena, Utiel, L'Eliana, La 
Pobla de Vallbona

CENTRO ASESOR 
DE TERUEL 
FINANCIERA, S.L.

La calle es Ronda 
Ambeles n. 52 
(44004) Teruel

44004

B44224947

02-06-2008 Teruel.

Lual Soluciones y 
Gestión, S.L.

C/ Isabel la 
Catolica  Nº 6  
03803  Alcoy 
( Aliacante)

03803

B01612019

15-12-2020 Villena, Sax, Biar, Benejama, Salinas, 

Cañada, Campo de Mirra, Alcoy, Ibi, 
Castalla, Onil, Bañeres, Tibi, 
Penáguila, Benifallim, Cocentaina, 
Muro de Alcoy, Beniarrés, Benilloba, 
Planes, Lorcha, Agres, Alquería de 
Aznar, Gayanes, Alfafara, 
Benimarfull, Gorga. Millena, Alcocer 

01-02-2016 Hellin, Jumilla, Albacete

GESTIÓN 
FINANCIERA Y 
DIVERSAS, S.L.

C/Molina de 
Segura, nº5, 
bloque 6º, 4ºA 
(30007) Murcia

30007

B30512446

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

6

Name

Domicile

Alvarez y Garrúes, 
S.L.U.

Av. A Coruña, 439 
Bajo (27003) 
Lugo

AVILA CONSUMER 
SERVICES S.L

CALLE RIO TERA 
Nº 30 1ª PLANTA 
OFICINA 7 
(05004) ÁVILA

Asesoramiento 
Financiero Zafra, 
S.L.

Avenida Antonio 
Chacón nº 
17 local.  C.P. 
06300 Zafra 
( Badajoz )

Employer/
National 
identification 
number

Post 
Code

Date of 
granting 
powers

Geographical area of activity

Scope of representation

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

27003

B027274216

15-12-2020 Lugo.

05004

B05265764

15-12-2020 Avila

06300

B006433973

15-12-2020 Zafra, Villanueva del Fresno, 

Higuera de Vargas, Zahinos, Oliva de 
la Frontera, Barcarrota, Valle de 
Matamoros, Frejenal de la Sierra, 
Higuera la Real, Burgullos del Cerro, 
Salvatierra de los Barros, Feria, 
Santa Marta, Villalba de los Barros, 
Aceuchal, Fuente del Maestre, 
Valencia del Ventoso, Segura del 
León, Calera de León, Monesterlo, 
Fuente de Cantos, Los Santos de 
Malmona, Villafranca de los Barros, 
Ribera del Fresno, Hornachos, Llera, 
Valencia de las Torres, Usagre, 
Bienvenida, Llerena,  Berlanga, 
Azuaga, Granja de Torrehermosa, 
Peraleda de Zauecejo, Campillo de 
Llerena, Higuera de la Serena, 
Zalamea de la Serena, Monterrubio 
de la Serena.

Alvarez y Garrúes 
Dos, S.L.U.

Av. de Vigo, 65  
(36003) 
Pontevedra

36003

B027380799

01-08-2008 Pontevedra, Villagarcía de Arosa, O 
Grove, Sanxenxo, Cambados, Lalín, 
La Estrada, Silleda y Caldas de Rey

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

SOLUCIONES 
FINANCIERAS 
GRIGEM S.L.

Asfinza Badajoz, 
S.L.

Cámara de 
Comercio Gijon- 
Vivero de 
Empresas
Carretera de 
Somio  652   
Despacho  
3.1(33203)  
GIJON

Av. Sinforiano 
Madroñero, nº 15 
edificio Paraíso 3 
entreplanta 4 
locales A-B
06011 Badajoz – 
Badajoz.

Álvarez y garrúes 
Tres, S.L.U.

c/Salvador Dalí, 
12   (32002) 
Orense

33203

B05256375

01-04-2017 Gijón, Cabrales, Cangas de Onis, 
Caravia, Caso, Colunga, Llanes, 
Nava, Onis, Parres, Peñamellera 
Alta, Peñamellera Baja, Pesoz, 
Piloña, Ponga, Ribadedeva, 
Rivadesella, Villaviciosa.

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

06011

B06580708

01-06-2010 Badajoz.

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

32002

B27412816

01-11-2010 Ourense, Barco de Valdeorras y Rua. Automotive financing, 

automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

7

Name

Domicile

Employer/
National 
identification 
number

Post 
Code

Date of 
granting 
powers

Geographical area of activity

Scope of representation

European Finantial 
Consumer, S.L

FINZAMORA 
SERVICES, SL.

Parc.ET-8 
Complejo 
Quitapesares, 
Carretera CL-601 
Km 7
Edificio Vicam
40194 
Palazuelos de 
Eresma 
( Segovia )

C\ Juan II, 23. 1° 
Dcha. 49011. 
Zamora. 

40194

B86080280

03-01-2011 Segovia.

49011

B49282403

01-01-2015 Zamora/Palencia

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

Automotive financing, 
automotive leasing, 
automotive renting, 
consumer loan policies, 
cobranded cards, general 
cards.

8

Appendix V

Annual Banking Report

This Annual Banking Report was prepared in compliance with Article 87 of Law 10/2014, of 26 June, on the regulation, 
supervision and capital adequacy of credit institutions. 

Pursuant  to  the  aforementioned  Article,  from  1  January  2015,  credit  institutions  must  send  the  Bank  of  Spain  and 
publish  annually  a  report  as  an  appendix  to  the  financial  statements  audited  in  accordance  with  the  legislation 
regulating  audits  of  financial  statements,  which  specifies,  by  country  in  which  they  are  established,  the  following 
information on a consolidated basis for each year:

a)

b)

c)

d)

e)

f)

Name(s), nature of activities and geographical location.

Turnover.

Number of employees on a full time equivalent basis.

Gross profit or loss before tax.

Tax on profit or loss.

Public subsidies received.

Following is a detail of the criteria used to prepare the annual banking report for 2022:

a) Name(s), nature of activities and geographical location 

The  aforementioned  information  is  available  in  Appendices  I  and  II  to  the  Group's  consolidated  financial 
statements,  which  contain  details  of  the  companies  operating  in  each  jurisdiction,  including,  among  other 
information, their name(s), geographical location and the nature of their activities. 

As  can  be  seen  in  the  aforementioned  Appendices,  the  main  activity  carried  on  by  the  Group  in  the  various 
jurisdictions  in  which  it  operates  is  commercial  banking.  The  Group  operates  mainly  in  ten  markets  through  a 
model of subsidiaries that are autonomous in capital and liquidity terms, which has clear strategic and regulatory 
advantages, since it limits the risk of contagion between Group units, imposes a double layer of global and local 
oversight and facilitates crisis management and resolution. The Group has 250 branches in total, which provide its 
customers with all their basic financial requirements. 

b) Turnover

For  the  purposes  of  this  report,  turnover  is  considered  to  be  gross  income,  as  defined  and  presented  in  the 
consolidated income statement that forms part of the Group's consolidated financial statements.

The  data  on  turnover  by  country  were  obtained  from  the  statutory  accounting  records  of  the  Group  companies 
with the corresponding geographical location and translated to euros. Accordingly, this is aggregate information 
from the separate financial statements of the companies that operate in each jurisdiction, reconciliation of which 
with the information from the Group's consolidated financial statements requires a series of unifying adjustments 
and  the  elimination  of  transactions  between  the  various  Group  companies,  such  as  those  relating  to  the 
distribution of dividends by subsidiaries to their respective parents. 

c) Number of employees on a full-time equivalent basis

The  data  on  employees  on  a  full  time  equivalent  basis  were  obtained  from  the  average  headcount  of  each 
jurisdiction.

1

d) Tax on profit or loss

In  the  absence  of  specific  criteria,  this  is  the  amount  of  tax  effectively  paid  in  respect  of  the  taxes  the  effect  of 
which is recognised in Income tax in the consolidated income statement. 

Taxes effectively paid in the year by each of the companies in each jurisdiction include:

•

•

Supplementary payments relating to income tax returns, normally for prior years. 

Advances, prepayments, withholdings made or borne in respect of tax on profit or loss for the year. Given their 
scantly representative amount, it was decided that taxes borne abroad would be included in the jurisdiction of 
the company that bore them.

•

Refunds collected in the year with respect to returns for prior years that resulted in a refund.

• Where appropriate, the tax payable arising from tax assessments and litigation relating to these taxes.

The foregoing amounts are part of the statement of cash flows (EUR 433,953 thousand in 2022, which implies an 
effective  tax  rate  of  19.7%)  and,  therefore,  differ  from  the  income  tax  expense  recognised  in  the  consolidated 
income statement (EUR 455,696 thousand in 2021, which implies an effective tax rate of 22.5%). Such is the case 
because the tax legislation of each country establishes:

The time at which taxes must be paid. Normally, there is a timing mismatch between the dates of payment and 
the date of generation of the income bearing the tax. 

Its own criteria for calculating the tax and establishes temporary or permanent restrictions on expense deduction, 
exemptions,  relief  or  deferrals  of  certain  income,  etc.,  thereby  generating  the  related  differences  between  the 
accounting profit (or loss) and taxable profit (or tax loss) which is ultimately taxed; tax loss carryforwards from 
prior  years,  tax  credits  and/or  relief,  etc.  must  also  be  added  to  this.  Also,  in  certain  cases  special  regimes  are 
established, such as the tax consolidation of companies in the same jurisdiction, etc.

e) Public subsidies received

In the context of the disclosures required by current legislation, this term was interpreted to mean any aid or 

subsidy in line with the European Commission's State Aid Guide and, in such context, the Group companies did not 

receive public subsidies in 2022. 

The detail of the information for 2022 is as follows:

2

Jurisdiction (EUR 
million)

Turnover

No. of 
employees on a 
fulltime 
equivalent basis

Gross profit/
(loss) before tax

Tax on profit /
(loss)

Germany
Austria
Belgium
Spain
Denmark
Finland
France
Greece
Ireland
Italy
Luxembourg
Norway
Netherlands
Portugal
United Kingdom
Sweden
Switzerland
Total

1,552
198
60
716
174
104
679
2
1
444
24
245
82
45
119
172
29
4,646

4,734
334
160
1,663
208
150
881
24
—
957
—
502
256
223
902
235
71
11,300

626
106
26
264
90
65
428
(4)
(2)
237
24
142
34
11
92
58
11
2,208

138
21
6
19
25
23
35
—
—
63
—
64
5
—
19
—
—
418

The return on assets (ROA) of the Group for the year ended 31 December 2022 was estimated at 1.23%.

3

Appendix VI

Disclosures  required  pursuant  to  Royal  Decree  716/2009,  of  April  24,  which  establishes 
that entities issuing mortgage bonds or bonds will keep a special accounting record of the 
mortgage loans and credits that serve as collateral for said issues, of which replacement 
assets that back them and the derivative financial instruments linked to each issue.

Disclosures relating to mortgage-backed bond issues

As of December 31, 2021, special mortgage bonds issued by the Bank on July 20, 2007 were registered for a nominal 
amount of EUR 150,000 thousand that matured on July 20 2022 and which were guaranteed by mortgages registered 
in favor of the Bank. Additionally, on December 31 2021, mortgage bonds issued by the Bank on May 6, 2019 were 
registered for a nominal amount of EUR 450,000 thousand that matured on May 6, 2019.

The  detail  of  the  nominal  value  of  the  Bank's  mortgage-backed  bond  issues  outstanding  on  31  December  2022  and 
2021, indicating the annual interest rate and the maturity date of each issue, is as follows

Currency of issue

EUR Thousands (*)

2022

2021

Annual interest 
rate (%)

Maturity date

Euros:

May 2016 issue

July 2007 issue (Note 18)

May issue 2019

Balance at end of year

(*) Face value.

—

—

—

—

—

150,000

450,000

600,000

0.125

5.135

0.000

May 2019

July 2022

May 2022

On  31  December  2022  and  2021,  the  detail  of  the  mortgage  loans  and  credits,  indicating  their  eligibility  and 
computability for mortgage market regulatory purposes, was as follows:

Total mortgage loans and credits

Mortgage participation certificates issued

Mortgage transfer certificates issued

Mortgage loans securing borrowings

Mortgage loans backing mortgage and mortgage-backed bond issues (*)

i) Non-eligible mortgage loans and credits

• Which comply with the requirements to become eligible, except 
for the limit established in Article 5,1 of Royal Decree 716/2009

•

Other

ii) Eligible mortgage loans and credits

• Non-computable amounts

•

Computable amounts

1) Mortgage loans and credits covering mortgage bond issues

2) Mortgage loans and credits eligible to cover mortgage-backed 

bond issues

EUR Thousands

Face value

2022

2021

—

—

— 

— 

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

1,402,190

—

—

—

1,402,190

448,586

448,586

—

953,604

—

953,604

—

953,604

 (*) On 31 December 2022 and 2021, the Bank had not issued mortgage bonds and, therefore, all the loans and credits back 
the mortgage-backed bond issues.

1

 
 
The nominal value of the outstanding mortgage credits and loans and the nominal value of the loans and credits that 
were eligible in accordance with Royal Decree 716/2009 are presented below, without considering the limits to their 
computation established in article 12 of the aforementioned Royal Decree 716/2009, broken down according to their 
origin, the currency in which they are denominated, payment status, average residual maturity, interest rate, holders, 
type of guarantees as of December 31, 2022 and 2021:

EUR Thousands

2022

2021

Mortgage 
Loans and Credits 
Backing 
Mortgage and 
Mortgage-
Backed 
Bond Issues

Of which: Eligible 
Loans

Mortgage 
Loans and Credits 
Backing 
Mortgage and 
Mortgage-
Backed 

Bond Issues

Of which: Eligible 
Loans

—
—
—

—
—

—
—

—
—
—
—

—
—
—

—
—
—

—
—

—
—

—
—
—
—

—
—
—

1,402,190
—
—

953,604
—
—

1,402,190
—

953,604
—

1,334,759
67,431

928,321
25,283

163,904
652,700
542,133
43,453

26
1,402,164
—

152,795
516,434
259,157
25,218

—
953,604
—

Origin of transactions

Originated by the Bank
Subrogation from other entities
Other

Currency
Euro
Other currencies

Payment status

Current
Past due

Average term to maturity

Less than 10 years
10 to 20 years
20 to 30 years
More than 30 years

Interest rate

Fixed
Floating
Hybrid

(*)  Including  EUR  405,996  as  of  31  December  2021,  relating  to  mortgage  participation  certificates  acquired  from  Banco 
Santander, S.A. (see Note 10).

2

EUR Thousands

2022

2021

Mortgage 
Loans and 
Credits 
Backing 
Mortgage 
and 
Mortgage-
Backed 

Bond Issues

Mortgage 
Loans and 
Credits 
Backing 
Mortgage 
and 
Mortgage-
Backed 

Bond Issues

Of which: 
Eligible 
Loans

Of which: 
Eligible 
Loans

—

—

—

—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—

—

—

—

—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—

18,770

7,059

1,537,499

1,028,565

1,527,388

1,026,810

28,881
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
1,556,269

8,814
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
1,035,624

Borrowers

Legal entities and individual businessmen
Of which: Property developments
Other individuals and non-profit institutions serving

Type of guarantee

Completed buildings

•

•
•

Residential
Of which: Officially sponsored housing
Commercial
Other

•

Buildings under construction
Residential
Of which: Officially sponsored housing
Commercial
Other

•
•
Land
•
•

Developed
Other

With regards to the disclosures on guarantees associated with mortgage loans and credits, as well as those loans that 
were eligible in accordance with the provisions of the aforementioned regulations, following is a detail of the nominal 
value  of  these  mortgage  loans  and  credits,  based  on  the  related  loan-to-value  ratio,  as  of  31  December  2022  and 
2021:

LTV ranges
2022
EUR millions
>60%, 
<=80%

>40%, 
<= 60%

<= 40%

>80%

Total

Mortgage loans and credits eligible for mortgage 
and mortgage-backed bond issues

•
•

Home mortgage
Other mortgages 

—
—

—
—

—
—

—
—

—
—

3

LTV ranges
2021
EUR millions

<= 40%

>40%, 
<= 60%

>60%, 
<=80%

>80%

Total

Mortgage loans and credits eligible for mortgage 
and mortgage-backed bond issues

•
•

Home mortgage
Other mortgages 

329
2

372
8

243
—

—
—

944
10

Following is a detail of the movements in 2021 in the nominal value of eligible and non-eligible mortgage loans and 
credits pursuant to Royal Decree 716/2009:

Balance on 1 January 2021
Disposals in the year

Repaid on maturity
Early repayment
Subrogation by other entities
Other

Additions in the year

Originated by the Bank
Subrogation from other entities
Other

Balance on 31 December 2021

EUR Thousands

Eligible 
Mortgage 
Loans and Credits

Non-Eligible 
Mortgage 

Loans and Credits

1,035,624
109,530
—
4,856
—
104,674

27,510
718
—
26,792
953,604

520,645
74,161
—
694
—
73,467

2,102
1,352
—
750
448,586

4

The detail of the nominal value of the Bank's mortgage securities outstanding on 31 December 2022 and 2021 is as 
follows:

EUR millions
Face value

Average term 
to maturity

2022

2021

Mortgage bonds outstanding
Mortgage-backed bonds

Of which: Not recognised in liabilities
1)

Debt instruments. Issued through a public offering
Term to maturity of up to 1 year

2)

•
•
•
•
•
•

•
•
•
•
•
•

Term to maturity of 1 to 2 years
Term to maturity of 2 to 3 years
Term to maturity of 3 to 5 years
Term to maturity of 5 to 10 years
Term to maturity of more than 10 years
Debt instruments. Other issues

Term to maturity of up to 1 year

Term to maturity of 1 to 2 years
Term to maturity of 2 to 3 years
Term to maturity of 3 to 5 years
Term to maturity of 5 to 10 years
Term to maturity of more than 10 years
Deposits

3)

Term to maturity of up to 1 year

Term to maturity of 1 to 2 years
Term to maturity of 2 to 3 years
Term to maturity of 3 to 5 years
Term to maturity of 5 to 10 years
Term to maturity of more than 10 years

•
•
•
•
•
• Mortgage participation certificates issued

Issued through a public offering

1) Other issues
2) Mortgage transfer certificates issued

Issued through a public offering

1) Other issues
2) Mortgage bonds outstanding

—

—

—
—
—
—
—
— 
—
—
—
—
—
—
— 
—
—
—
—
—
—
— 
—
—
—
—
—
—

600

600

600
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—

—

—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—

Mortgage-backed bond issuers have an early redemption option solely for the purpose of complying with the limits 
on the volume of outstanding mortgage-backed bonds stipulated by mortgage market regulations.

None of the mortgage bonds issued by the Bank had affected substitution assets.

5

 
 
 
Santander  Consumer  Finance,  S.A.  and  subsidiaries  composing  the 
Santander Consumer Finance Group (Consolidated)

Consolidated Management Report for 2022

Alternative Performance Measures (APMs)

In addition to the financial information prepared under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), this report 
includes  certain  alternative  performance  measures  (APMs)  for  the  purpose  of  complying  with  the  guidelines  on 
alternative  performance  measures  issued  by  the  European  Securities  and  Markets  Authority  (ESMA)  on  October  5, 
2015, as well as non-IFRS measures.

These APMs and non-IFRS measures have been used to plan, monitor and assess our performance. We believe these 
APMs  and  non-IFRS  measures  are  useful  to  management  and  investors  as  they  facilitate  comparisons  of  operating 
performance  between  periods.  Although  we  believe  that  these  APMs  and  non-IFRS  measures  allow  a  better 
assessment of our business performance, this information should be considered as additional information only, and in 
no way replaces financial information prepared in accordance with IFRS. In addition, the way in which Santander Group 
defines  and  calculates  these  MARs  and  non-IFRS  measures  may  differ  from  the  way  they  are  calculated  by  other 
companies using similar measures and, therefore, may not be comparable.

The APMs and non-IFRS measures used in this document can be categorized as follows:

Profitability and efficiency indicators

The  efficiency  ratio  measures  how  much  administrative  expenses  (personnel  and  other)  and  depreciation  and 
amortization expenses are necessary to generate revenues.

RoA ratios have been incorporated, as they are considered to better reflect the underlying business performance.

Ratio

Formula

Relevance of use

RoA (return on assets)

Profit /loss of the year

Average of total assets

Efficiency ratio
(cost to income)

Operating expenses (*)

Gross margin

(*) Operating expenses: Administrative expenses + amortization

This metric measures the return on the 
Bank's total assets. It is an indicator 
that reflects the efficiency in managing 
the company's total assets to generate 
profit

One of the most widely used indicators 
when comparing the productivity of 
different financial institutions. It 
measures the level of resources used to 
generate the Group's operating income.

1

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Profitability and efficiency (thousands of euro and %)

2022

2021

RoA

Profit / loss for the year

Total assets

Efficiency ratio (cost to income)

Operating expenses  

Administrative expenses

Amortization

Gross margin

Credit risk indicators

1.23%

1.14%

1,601,623

1,490,661

130,279,694

130,931,189

-41,87%

(1,945,415)

(1,756,232)

(189,183)

4,646,491

-41,76%

(1,855,268)

(1,663,948)

(191,320)

4,442,574

Credit risk indicators measure the quality of the loan portfolio and the percentage of the nonperforming portfolio that 
is covered by loan loss provisions.

Ratio

Formula

Relevance of use

NPL ratio

Coverage ratio

Doubtful balances of loans 
and advances to 
customers, guarantees to 
customers and 
commitments granted to 
customers

Total risk (1)

The  NPL  ratio  is  a  very  important  variable 
in the activity of financial institutions, as it 
provides information on the level of credit 
risk  assumed  by  financial  institutions.  It 
relates  the  risks  classified  for  accounting 
purposes  as  doubtful  to  the  total  balance 
of 
loans  granted,  for  customers  and 
contingent risks.

Loan loss provisions (2)
Doubtful balances of loans 
and advances to 
customers, guarantees to 
customers and 
commitments granted to 
customers

One of the most widely used indicators 
when comparing the productivity of 
different financial institutions. It measures 
the level of resources used to generate the 
Group's operating income

2

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ratio

Formula

Relevance of use

Cost of credit

Impairment (3)
Financial assets at 
amortised cost – Loans and 
advances -  Customers

This  ratio  relates  the  level  of  accounting 
impairments  for  credit  risk  in  a  given 
period of time that are necessary based on 
to 
the  portfolio  of 
customers,  and 
to 
measure the Group's credit quality.

loans  granted 
serves 

therefore 

(*1) Total Risk = Normal and doubtful balances of Loans and Advances to customers and Customer Guarantees + 
Normal and doubtful balances of Contingent Customer Commitments.

(*2) Provisions to cover impairment losses on loans and advances to customers, guarantees to customers and 
commitments to customers.

(*3) Impairment or (-) reversal of impairment and gains or losses on changes in cash flows of financial assets not 
measured at fair value through profit or loss and net gains or (-) losses on changes.

Credit risk (Thousands of euro and %)

Delinquency rate

Impaired assets

Commitments and guarantees granted

2022

2021

2.06%

2.06%

2,180,048

2,033,052

59,106

65,966

Loans and advances to customers without considering impairment adjustments

108,455,886 101,674,842

Commitments and guarantees granted total

362,244

355,245

Coverage ratio
Impairment losses on loans and advances to customers at amortized cost and at fair value 
through other comprehensive income

Impaired assets

Commitments and guarantees granted

Cost of credit

Impairment

Loans and advances - Customers

General external framework

Economic, regulatory and competitive context

88.61%

102.65%

1,984,064

2,154,583

2,180,048

2,033,052

59,106

65,966

0.42%

0.50%

(451,931)

(495,060)

106,499,832 99,559,662

Santander has carried out its activity in 2022 in an environment dominated by the acceleration of global inflation to 
levels not seen in several decades, the greater geopolitical tensions derived from the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and 
the  continuity,  although  decreasing,  of  bottlenecks  and  disruptions  in  global  trade  chains,  as  a  result  of  the  covid 
pandemic and the aforementioned geopolitical tension.

In this context, the world's main central banks have raised interest rates to try to contain inflationary pressures. We 
expect  this  process  of  monetary  normalization  to  continue  in  some  countries  during  2023,  also  leading  the  global 
economy to a gradual slowdown in the level of economic activity.

3

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The evolution by geographical area is the following:

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

Eurozone (GDP: 3.4% estimated in 2022). The end of the restrictions due to the pandemic as of 2Q22 meant 
the takeoff of activity in services. But the war in Ukraine, which has led to a rise in energy and staple food 
prices,  has  hampered  the  post-pandemic  recovery  and  created  a  risk  of  recession.  Despite  this,  the  labor 
market  has  been  resilient,  as  the  unemployment  rate  has  continued  to  fall  and  is  at  all-time  lows  (6.5%). 
Inflation  rose  steadily  to  over  10%  during  4Q22,  to  which  the  ECB  responded  with  interest  rate  hikes  that 
began in July and have brought the official rate from -0.50% to 2% at the end of anus.

Spain  (GDP:  5.7%  estimated  in  2022).  The  normalization  in  the  service  sector  and  in  tourism  after  the 
pandemic boosted growth in 2022, especially in the first half. The labor market remained robust with a low 
unemployment rate. Inflation, after reaching its peak at levels above 10%, has fallen for three consecutive 
months to 5.8% in December, although core inflation is still high (6.3%).

Germany (GDP: 1.9% estimated in 2022). In early 2022, the economy was being fueled by a post-pandemic 
recovery in private consumption when the Russian invasion of Ukraine began, causing supply chains to suffer 
persistent  disruptions,  and  affecting  exports  and  investment.  Employment  is  growing  at  record  high  rates, 
and the unemployment rate remained stable, although it increased from 5% to 5.5% due to the inclusion of 
Ukrainian refugees in the registers. Inflation reached double figures in September. Since then, the moderation 
in  energy  prices  has  allowed  it  to  begin  to  fall  and  close  the  year  at  8.6%,  also  due  to  the  support  of 
government measures.

France (GDP: 2.6% estimated in 2022). GDP growth has been driven by the resilience of domestic demand 
and the rebound in the services sector after the pandemic, which has offset the slowdown in activity in the 
second half of the year. Job creation has remained high throughout the year and the unemployment rate has 
fallen  to  a  record  low  of  (7.3%  in  2022).  Although  they  have  eased  since  September,  pressures  on  global 
commodity prices have pushed up inflation, with the average annual rate expected to be 6.0%

Norway (GDP: 3.8% estimated in 2022). Economic activity has recovered significantly since March, and the 
pace  has  moderated  since  then.  However,  in  September  the  continental  GDP  exceeded  the  pre-pandemic 
level of February 2020 by 4.4% and employment by 4.6%. The level of unemployment is low (unemployment 
rate is 3.2% in 3Q22) and inflation is high (5.9% in December), which has led Norges Bank to raise interest 
rates to 2.75 %.

Finland (GDP: 1.9% estimated annual average for 2022). The evolution of the Finnish activity during 2022 has 
been  very  changeable;  they  started  the  year  with  zero  growth,  activity  rebounded  in  the  second  quarter 
(thanks  to  public  and  private  consumption  and  the  robustness  of  the  labor  market)  and  there  was  a 
deterioration in GDP in the second part of the year. Inflation has continued to rise in the last months of 2022 
and closed the year at 9.1% year-on-year (7.1% annual average).

Poland (GDP: 4.7% estimated in 2022). The economy has shown great resilience despite strong headwinds: 
the war in Ukraine, the drastic increase in energy costs, or the tightening of financial conditions. Wages have 
grown strongly, which has put even more pressure on high inflation. Everything has led the central bank to 
raise the official rate to 6.75%.

Portugal  (GDP:  6.7%  estimated  in  2022).  The  rapid  and  intense  recovery  after  the  pandemic  has  been 
produced by the synchronization of internal and external demand, which has contributed to the maintenance 
of full employment (the average unemployment rate is 6%). The strong recovery in demand in the face of a 
supply unable to provide a united response to the effects of the Russian invasion of Ukraine has triggered an 
acceleration in inflation to double-digit rates.

United  Kingdom  (GDP:  4.4%  estimated  in  2022).  The  acceleration  of  inflation  has  led  to  a  growing 
contraction in real income and domestic demand as we have progressed in the year, ending with a technical 
recession. The labor market, with hardly any idle capacity, has been another factor of pressure on inflation. 
For all these reasons, the Bank of England has raised interest rates to 3.5%.

4

2023 outlook

The  management  report  contains  certain  forward-looking  information  reflecting  the  directors'  plans,  forecasts  or 
estimates, which are based on assumptions they believe to be reasonable. However, the user of this report should bear 
in mind that forward-looking information should not be taken as a guarantee of the company's future performance, in 
the  sense  that  plans,  forecasts  or  estimates  are  subject  to  numerous  risks  and  uncertainties  entailing  that  future 
performance may not necessarily match the initial expectations. These risks and uncertainties are described in the risk 
management section of this management report and in note 47 to the consolidated financial statements.

The  economic  prospects  for  2023  are  subject  to  several  factors  that  generate  some  uncertainty,  such  as  the 
development  of  the  geopolitical  situation  (particularly  its  impact  on  Europe's  energy  supply)  or  the  restoration  of 
global value chains. However, in our base scenario we assume that during 2023 inflation will begin to slow down as a 
result of the restrictive monetary policies of central banks, together with a relaxation of the geopolitical situation and 
global bottlenecks.

The anticipated cooling of the economies will bring with it a slowdown in the growth rate of economic activity, which in 
some  countries  could  materialize  as  a  mild  recession.  We  do  not  expect  this  slowdown  to  have  a  marked  impact  in 
terms of rising unemployment. Lastly, until inflation shows clear signs of cooling off, we estimate that central banks 
will  maintain  the  contractionary  bias  of  monetary  policy,  keeping  interest  rates  at  levels  similar  to  current  ones 
throughout 2023

In detail by geography, the macroeconomic forecast for the 2023 financial year is as follows:

Eurozone

The year 2023 begins with doubts about the security of energy supply, with monetary policy that needs to be tightened 
to  bring  down  inflation,  and  with  the  war  in  Ukraine  unresolved.  This  may  cause  us  to  have  a  quarter  of  economic 
contraction,  so  we  expect  the  euro  area  to  border  on  economic  stagnation.  We  expect  inflation  to  drop,  but  it  will 
remain far from the ECB's target (2%), so monetary policy will maintain its contractive tone. Thus, we expect to see 
rises in official interest rates, reinforced with measures aimed at reducing the ECB's balance sheet.

Fiscal policy could be slightly expansive, as measures are being proposed to offset the energy shock. This will mean a 
challenge of consistency between monetary and fiscal policy. In addition, a reform of the fiscal rules that bind the euro 
countries is underway, since the previous ones were suspended due to the pandemic, but they will be activated again 
in 2024.

The geopolitical environment will be especially relevant for the euro area over the next year, as economic development 
may change as the war in Ukraine evolves, as well as the European Union's response to defense and energy security 
challenges.

Spain

We expect a slowdown in growth in 2023 (1%) due to the drop in household consumption as a result of the decrease in 
real income. In addition, the uncertainty about the evolution of energy prices and the tightening of financial conditions 
will delay the investment decisions of economic agents. However, the acceleration in the use of Next Generation EU 
funds will provide an element of support for the economy.

Germany

We  expect  a  mild  recession  in  the  coming  quarters  that  will  lead  to  negative  growth  in  2023  as  a  whole  due  to  the 
global slowdown and uncertainty related to gas supply. In the second half of the year, with supply bottlenecks easing, 
exporters will eliminate production delays and benefit from the recovery in global demand. Private consumption will 
recover  dynamism  as  inflation  falls,  which  we  expect  to  be  gradual  and  will  end  the  year  below  5%.  We  expect  the 
unemployment rate to remain around 5.5% since, if adjustments are needed in the number of workers, a reduction in 
working hours will be used.

5

France

In  2023,  activity  is  expected  to  slow  down  significantly  and  GDP  to  expand  by  around  0.5%  due  to  the  impact  of 
inflation  on  purchasing  power  and  the  more  restrictive  monetary  policy  that  will  slow  down  investment.  We  expect 
inflation  to  gradually  decline  in  2023,  ending  the  year  around  4%.  The  economic  slowdown  will  weigh  on  the  labor 
market and we expect the unemployment rate to rise. Fiscal measures to support families and businesses will keep the 
public deficit high in 2023.

Norway

After  the  great  resilience  shown  by  the  economy  in  2022,  we  expect  2023  to  be  a  year  of  slowdown  in  which 
continental GDP grows below 1.5%, due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, the effects of the general and simultaneous 
tightening of monetary policy, the reincorporation of China, after abandoning the zero Covid policy, which could mean 
higher prices for raw materials, and push inflation higher. All of this leads to the higher cost of living for companies and 
families,  which  will  lead  to  lower  consumption  and  investment.  The  labor  market  will  remain  strong,  although  the 
unemployment rate will increase, since there will be employment adjustments due to lower demand. Norges Bank will 
continue raising interest rates (currently 2.75%), probably until mid-year and could end the year above 3%.

Finland

The outlook for 2023 is negative (stagnation or a slight decline in GDP in 2023), especially during the first half of the 
year. Agents' confidence is not picking up, inflation will remain high -although subsiding throughout the year- and the 
tightening  of  financial  conditions  will  continue,  which  will  continue  to  reduce  the  purchasing  power  of  households  -
and,  therefore,  private  consumption  -  and  the  investment  decisions  of  companies,  which  will  be  postponed  until  a 
future with less uncertainty is glimpsed. The labor market will remain solid, which will protect against a further fall in 
GDP, although in the medium term the shortage of labor in some sectors could be reflected in lower growth.

Poland

The economy ended 2022 with a slowdown marking the start of what will be a mild recession in 2023. The first quarter 
is expected to mark the nadir of the mini-recession and then there will be a gradual recovery, leaving growth of GDP 
for the year as a whole close to zero. Consumption will be the most resilient component of demand; investment will 
fall.  However,  the  contribution  of  net  exports  to  GDP  will  be  positive.  After  peaking  in  February  (somewhat  above 
20%), inflation will come down, but not below 10%. The MPC agrees to postpone the return of inflation to the target 
and it seems that it is not going to raise interest rates.

Portugal

Growth prospects for 2023 are subject to the impact that the more restrictive monetary policy may have on activity. 
The increase in interest rates will affect domestic demand by reducing consumption, the intensity of which will depend 
on the resilience of the labor market (we expect them to remain around their natural rate of 7%-8%), and on the use of 
accumulated  savings.  Investment  will  moderate  due  to  the  increase  in  interest  rates  and  the  worst  demand 
expectations.  However,  investments  in  the  energy  transition  could  mitigate  part  of  this  effect.  Inflation  will  start  to 
moderate, although wage pressures will help keep inflation levels above 2%.

United Kingdom

The economy will be in recession in 2023. Some measures to support families and businesses by the government will 
prevent  a  deep  economic  recession.  As  high  inflation  is  reducing  real  income,  consumption  is  expected  to  decline. 
Investment  will  also  do  so  given  the  worst  demand  prospects.  Inflation  will  start  to  decline  from  the  first  quarter, 
although it is not expected to reach the Bank of England's target. Therefore, we expect it to continue raising interest 
rates at its next meetings.

Economic outlook

Financial markets

The outlook for 2023 indicates a global economic slowdown, as a result of the drop in consumption and investment 
due  to  inflation,  higher  interest  rates  and  lower  confidence.  Inflation  should  also  moderate,  making  it  possible  for 
central banks to close the cycle of increases in the first months of the year. We believe these perspectives will dictate a 
behavior from less to more in the financial markets as we move into 2023, although uncertainty is high.

6

Debt yields may have room to rise in the first tranche of 2023, but we expect a turning point to start a downward path 
in the second half of the year, as inflation subsides and the market begins to speculate on a future cycle of rate cuts, 
which  could  take  place  in  2024.  On  the  periphery  side  of  the  euro,  a  gradual  quantitative  adjustment  (QT)  and  the 
safeguard that the Transmission Protection Instrument (TPI) represents in the ECB's chamber, should support spreads 
over the medium term.

In  equities,  the  interest  rate  ceiling  should  allow  valuations  to  recover  in  2023,  but  in  a  limited  way,  as  rates  will 
remain relatively high and the economic slowdown will weigh on them.

In emerging economies, the focus remains on the recovery of the Chinese economy, which is making progress in easing 
the covid zero policy, becoming more pragmatic, and taking measures to alleviate the real estate crisis.

We  see  the  risk  in  this  central  scenario  on  the  side  of  a  slower-than-expected  inflection  in  the  path  of  inflation  that 
once again puts pressure on the target level for central banks. In this regard, we maintain a cautious stance, since if 
this risk scenario materializes, financial markets may still be vulnerable in 2023.

The banking environment will be marked by the impact that the economic moderation and the tightening of financial 
conditions will have on the payment capacity of the private sector and on balance sheet growth.

The tightening of monetary policy will be accompanied by the withdrawal of liquidity support measures, so entities 
will have to adjust to the new conditions. With more expensive wholesale funding and lower deposit growth. Even so, 
it is to be expected that the demand for credit will also be affected by the economic slowdown and the higher interest 
rates.

The risks are skewed to the downside and may come from non-bank financial players, with the risk of disorderly 
adjustments in asset prices and disturbances in market liquidity. Even so, for the moment, most of the entities are in a 
solid solvency position to face a scenario of this type.

In addition to the economic environment, banks must face the acceleration of the business digitization process and the 
knowledge and management of risks associated with climate change.

Financial regulation

In  2023  we  expect  continuity  with  respect  to  the  2022  regulatory  agenda  where  the  prudential,  sustainability  and 
digital pillars will continue to boil. Retail topics will also gain focus.

Prudential aspect

Most notable will be the discussions on the implementation of the Basel III reform in Europe. Central to the discussions 
will be the tension between the impact on banking of the requirements and the degree to which Europe deviates from 
Basel. Once the final standards of the Basel Committee on the prudential treatment of exposures to crypto assets of 
financial  institutions  have  been  published,  their  implementation  process  is  expected  to  begin  in  the  European  Union 
and other jurisdictions.

Resolution

During 2023 in Europe it is intended to start the third review of the resolution directive (BRRD- Banking Recovery and 
Resolution  Directive)  with  the  objective,  among  others,  of  improving  the  application  of  the  framework  and  that  the 
framework works for medium and small banks. At the same time, the first review of the Deposit Guarantee Schemes 
Directive  (DGSD)  is  planned,  which  is  expected  to  serve  as  a  boost  to  the  negotiations  on  the  creation  of  a  common 
deposit guarantee fund at the European level.

Sostenibility

In  Europe,  the  Commission  will  work  to  complete  the  green  taxonomy,  advancing  in  the  definition  of  the  four 
remaining environmental objectives pending development: protection of water and marine resources, transition to a 
circular economy, pollution control and protection of ecosystems. Additionally, progress will be made in the definition 
of sustainable reporting standards both at a European level, through the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group 
(EFRAG),  and  at  an  international  level,  through  the  new  group  of  the  International  Sustainability  Standards  Board 
(ISSB).

7

Discussions will continue and it is foreseeable that an agreement will be reached during 2023 on the green bond and 
due diligence proposals. In addition, it is expected that in 2023 the EBA will present its conclusions on the integration 
of  climate  and  environmental  risks  in  the  prudential  framework,  and  that,  together  with  EIOPA  and  ESMA,  it  will 
advance in the analysis of greenwashing in the European financial sector.

Retail banking

Different initiatives are underway with an important focus on improving consumer protection and adapting regulations 
to  the  digital  environment.  With  regard  to  legislative  actions,  the  approval  of  the  proposal  to  review  the  consumer 
credit  directive  is  expected,  the  start  of  the  review  of  the  mortgage  credit  directive  and  a  strategy  plan  for  retail 
investor participation in markets, which Its objective is to encourage investment beyond savings.

Strategy

SCF is the leader in consumer finance in Europe with a presence in 18 countries (16 in Europe, China and Canada) and 
more  than  130,000  associated  points  of  sale  (car  dealers  and  shops).  In  addition,  it  is  developing  pan-European 
initiatives to boost Direct's business in all its markets.

It supports its customers and partners (car manufacturers and dealers and distributors) to boost their sales capacity by 
financing  their  products  and  developing  advanced  technologies  that  give  them  a  competitive  advantage.  SCF  is  the 
leading funder and mobility provider in Europe.

The strategy developed in 2022 is based on the following priorities:

•

Strengthen our leadership in digital consumer lending, focusing on growth and transformation:

•

•

•

Auto: reinforce our leadership position in auto financing, gain market share, strengthen our leasing 
business  and  develop  underwriting  services.  SCF  focuses  on  providing  advanced  digital  financing 
capabilities to its partners to support their sales growth strategy and the best customer experience.

Consumption  (not  auto):  Gain  market  share  based  on  the  specialization  and  development  of  the 
technological  platforms  taking  advantage  of  our  leading  position  in  Europe  in  buy  now,  pay  later 
(BNPL), credit cards and direct loans.

Retail: Promote digital banking activity.

•

Focus on profitable growth and transformation:

•

•

•

Simplify  the  operating  model  by  going  from  operating  through  autonomous  banks  to  European 
hubs  (Spain,  Nordic,  Germany  hub)  to  increase  competitiveness,  allow  benefits  of  scale  and  gain 
efficiency.

Reduction  of  sensitivity  to  interest  rate  rises,  boosting  the  collection  of  deposits  and  accelerating 
the revaluation of new loans.

Increase  profit  by  leveraging  strategic  operations  started  in  2021,  such  as  Stellantis  (auto),  the 
launch of leasing and underwriting, and the development of BNPL.; and the acquisition of Mitsubishi 
Bank Germany.

•

•

Drive technological transformation projects to take advantage of the rapid growth of the digital transition, 
support the expansion of the digital customer base and provide our partners with digital tools to achieve a 
unique European digital connection, while maintaining high profitability and one of the best efficiency ratios 
in the sector.

At  ESG,  we  help  the  transition  to  a  greener  economy  by  doing  business  sustainably.  We  support  the 
ecological  transition  of  our  clients  through  the  financing  of  non-polluting  vehicles,  solar  panels,  bicycles, 
heating systems and efficient energy solutions.

• We  are  actively  partnering  with  various  European,  US,  Japanese  and  Chinese  manufacturers  with  strong 
portfolios  of  electrical  products  to  develop  joint  solutions  to  capture  growth  in  a  market  that  is  moving 
towards lower emissions.

We were also recognized as Top Employer or Great Place to Work (GPTW) in 8 countries.

8

Business evolution

2022 was a difficult year, with supply chain disruptions (covid-19, lack of chips, war in Ukraine) and global geopolitical 
tensions. The high inflation in Europe and the shortage of energy are reducing the disposable income of consumers and 
affecting their consumption and confidence decisions.

Our main indicator for the Santander Consumer business showed at the end of December (ACEA data) that the market 
for passenger car registrations in Europe has decreased by 4.1% compared to 2021.

In  this  environment,  credit  production  increased  by  7.0%  in  the  year.  Our  leadership  position  and  strategic  alliances 
have  allowed  us  to  increase  our  car  financing  market  share  in  most  of  our  countries.  New  car  production  increased 
6.6% year-on-year, while car transactions in Europe fell high single digits in the geographies in which we operate.

In  the  auto  sector,  we  started  to  develop  our  own  digital  leasing  platform  in  Europe  (we  hope  to  start  the  gradual 
rollout before the end of the year) with the ambition to revolutionize the market.

Santander  Consumer  Finance's  new  subscription  service,  Wabi,  is  already  up  and  running  in  Spain,  Norway  and 
Germany, and will be launched in other countries in the coming years. In June, Santander Consumer Finance launched 
Ulity, our new white-label platform to develop solutions for companies based on vehicle subscription.

In 2022 we expanded our alliance with Stellantis and the transaction is expected to be completed in the first half of 
2023  (after  the  necessary  authorizations).  Santander  Consumer  Finance  has  also  established  a  long-term  global 
agreement with the Piaggio Group, leader in the scooter segment in Europe.

By car, leasing solutions generated an increase of more than 20% in new contracts compared to the previous year. We 
continue  to  develop  our  own  digital  leasing  platform  in  Europe  with  the  ambition  to  revolutionize  the  market.  Wabi 
(SCF's  subscription  service)  is  already  up  and  running  in  Spain,  Norway  and  Germany  and  will  be  launched  in  other 
countries  in  the  coming  years.  In  June,  SCF  launched  Ulity,  our  new  vehicle  underwriting  solutions  platform  for 
businesses.

The joint venture with TIMFin, the main Italian Teleco, already has more than 1.5 million contracts since its launch and 
more than 5,800 active points of sale.

The group's total assets as of December 31, 2022 stood at 130,280 million euros (0.5% lower than at the end of the 
previous year). Customer loans have grown 7.0%, gradually recovering from the effects caused by the pandemic. New 
production  has  grown  by  10.7%  compared  to  2021,  growth  that  has  been  reflected  in  both  auto  business  and 
consumer loans.

Regarding  liabilities,  compared  to  December  2021,  there  is  an  increase  in  customer  deposits  of  5.7%.  Our  access  to 
wholesale  funding  markets  remains  strong  and  diversified.  We  are  actively  repricing  new  business  to  offset  higher 
financing costs stemming from rate hikes. However, in central banks it has decreased by 10.5%.

At  the  end  of  December  2022,  customer  deposits,  medium-  and  long-term  securitizations,  and  issues  placed  on  the 
market covered 75% of net customer loans.

Regarding  the  issuance  plan,  the  volume  issued  by  SCF  SA  in  2022  amounts  to  6,479  million  euros,  of  which  1,464 
million  correspond  to  senior  debt,  600  million  to  subordinated  debt,  1,050  million  to  non-preferred  senior  debt  and 
another 3,365 million to securitizations.

9

Results

In 2022, the attributable profit of Santander Consumer Finance was 1,602 million euros, demonstrating, once again, 
the solidity of our business model, increasing the result compared to the previous year by 111 million.

By heading, the following impacts stand out:

•

Net interest income improved by 0.4% compared to the previous year, affected by the increase in financing 
costs (strong rate hikes) and changes in TLTRO, partly mitigated by price review initiatives in the new loans 
and  active  margin  management.  The  liquidity  position  has  remained  solid  at  all  times  and  no  additional 
liquidity tensions have been generated, thanks to the evolution of deposits and the drawdown of wholesale 
lines. Liquidity metrics have remained above their internal limits and in compliance with regulatory levels. At 
the end of December, the consolidated LCR (Liquidity coverage ratio) of SCF Subgroup was above 115% and 
the NSFR (Net Stable Funding Ratio) for the same perimeter was above 103%, maintaining comfortable levels 
throughout the year.

• With  regard  to  commissions,  they  have  increased  in  cumulative  terms  by  2.9%  compared  to  the  previous 
year,  reflecting  the  progressive  recovery  that  is  taking  place  and  which  has  an  impact  mainly  on  an 
improvement in insurance commissions.

•

•

•

•

Other  operating  results  increased  by  77.4  million  thanks  to  the  better  results  obtained  in  the  operating 
leasing  activity.  This  line  also  includes  the  payment  of  the  Single  Resolution  Fund  (FUR),  this  payment  has 
increased with respect to the previous year by 0.3 million euros.

Operating  costs  stand  at  1,945  million  euros,  4.9%  higher  than  in  2021,  due  to  inflation,  strategic 
investments  to  increase  future  income  and  reduce  operating  expenses  and  new  businesses.  The  efficiency 
ratio stands at 41.9% at the end of the year (+10bp over 2021).

Provisions  for  bad  debts  have  been  9%  lower  than  the  previous  year,  supported  by  portfolio  sales.  Credit 
quality maintains a solid evolution, with a cost of credit of 0.42% (-8 bp year-on-year) and a non-performing 
loan ratio of 2.06% (-0 bp).

Less negative contribution from other results and provisions despite regulatory charges in Poland (mortgage 
moratorium) and insurance regulations in Germany.

In summary, the Santander Consumer Finance Group continues to demonstrate the ability to generate income 
while maintaining high profitability, good efficiency and controlled delinquency. The expectations for 2023 are 
positive in all the territories where it operates.

Corporate principles

The  Santander  Group,  of  which  Santander  Consumer  Finance  forms  part,  has  defined  excellence  in  risk 
management as a strategic objective. It has always been a priority area of action throughout more than 150 years 
of history.

In recent years, the strategy has been accelerated to anticipate and respond to the major challenges of a constantly 
changing economic, social and regulatory environment.

Therefore,  the  risk  function  is  more  important  than  ever  for  the  Santander  Group  to  remain  a  solid,  safe  and 
sustainable  bank,  an  example  for  the  entire  financial  industry  and  a  benchmark  for  all  that  aspire  to  turn  risk 
leadership into a competitive advantage.

Santander Consumer Finance aims to build the future by managing all risks in advance and protecting the present 
thanks to a robust control environment. The risk function is based on the following pillars, which are aligned with 
the Santander Group's strategy and business model and take account of the recommendations of supervisory and 
regulatory bodies, and best market practices:

1.

The  business  strategy  is  defined  within  the  risk  appetite.  Santander  Consumer  Finance's  Board  determines 
the  amount  and  type  of  risk  deemed  reasonable  to  assume  when  implementing  its  business  strategy  and 
development within objective, verifiable limits consistent with the risk appetite for each relevant activity.

10

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

All risks must be  managed  by the units that generate them through advanced, integrated business models 
and  tools.  Santander  Consumer  Finance  is  promoting  advanced  risk  management  using  innovative  models 
and metrics, combined with a control, reporting and escalation framework that enables risks to be identified 
and managed from different perspectives.

Anticipatory  thinking  for  all  types  of  risks  must  be  integrated  into  risk  identification,  assessment  and 
management processes.

The risk function's independence spans all risks and provides adequate separation between risk-generating 
and risk-controlling units. It implies that it has sufficient authority and direct access to the management and 
governance bodies responsible for setting and overseeing the risk strategy and policies.

Risk management requires the best processes and infrastructures. Santander Consumer Finance aims to be a 
benchmark in the development of infrastructures and processes to support risk management.

A  risk  culture  embedded  throughout  the  organisation,  comprising  a  set  of  attitudes,  values,  skills  and 
behavioural patterns for all risks. Santander Consumer Finance understands that advanced risk management 
cannot be achieved without a strong and stable risk culture being present in each of its activities.

Risks map

Santander  Consumer  Finance  has  in  place  a  recurring  process  for  identifying  the  material  risks  to  which  it  is  or 
could  be  exposed,  as  reflected  in  the  risk  map.  Material  risks  must  be  covered  by  the  risk  profile  assessment 
exercise, risk appetite, risk strategy and ICAAP/ILAAP. Below is the latest update of Santander Consumer Finance's 
risk map.

The first level includes the following risks (General Risks Framework):

•

Credit risk is the risk of financial loss arising from a contractual breach or impairment of the credit quality 
of a customer or other third party that Santander Consumer Finance has financed or in respect of whom a 
contractual obligation has been assumed.

• Market risk is the risk incurred as a result of changes in market factors that affect the value of positions in 
trading portfolios. This risk is not considered relevant within Santander Consumer Finance since it is not a 
trading institution. 

11

•

•

•

Liquidity risk is the risk that Santander Consumer Finance does not have the liquid financial assets required 
to meet its obligations when due, or can only obtain them at a high cost.

Structural risk is the risk arising from the management of balance sheet items, in the banking portfolio and 
in relation to insurance and pension activities.

Capital risk is the risk that Santander Group does not have sufficient capital, in quantity or quality, to meet 
its internal business objectives, regulatory requirements or market expectations. 

• Operational risk is defined as the risk of loss due to inadequacy or failure of internal processes, staff and 

systems or due to external events. This definition includes legal risk.

•

•

•

Financial crime risk is the risk derived from actions or the use of the group's means, products and services 
in activities of a criminal or illegal nature. These activities include, but are not limited to, money laundering, 
terrorist financing, violation of international sanctions programs, corruption, bribery, and tax evasion.

Strategic  risk  is  the  risk  of  loss  or  detriment  arising  from  strategic  decisions,  or  poor  implementation  of 
such decisions, affecting the long-term interests of our main stakeholders; or from an inability to adapt to 
the changing environment.

Reputational  risk  is  defined  as  the  risk  of  a  current  or  potential  adverse  economic  impact  due  to  a  less 
favourable perception of the bank by employees, customers, shareholders/ investors and society in general.

• Model  risk is  the  risk  of  loss  arising  from  misuse  of  a  model  or  inaccurate  predictions  that  may  result  in 

sub-optimal decisions by the Bank.

The  material  risks  at  Santander  Consumer  Finance  are:  credit,  default  (including  concentration  and  migration), 
liquidity, structural, structural interest rate, capital, operational and strategic.

The  relevant  risks  in  Santander  Consumer  Finance  are:  direct  residual  value,  structural  exchange  rate,  pensions, 
legal, fraud,  technology and cyber risk, suppliers, business continuity, transformation, project execution, people, 
data,  processes  money  laundering  and  terrorist  financing,  regulatory  compliance,  product  governance  and 
consumer  protection,  reputational,  model  and  ESG  risks  (related  to  environmental  and  climate,  social  and 
governance factors).

There  are  two  types  of  risk  whose  relevance  has  been  increasing  in  recent  times  and  for  which  Santander 
Consumer Finance is bolstering management and control: direct residual value risk and ESG/climate risks.

Direct residual value risk is defined as the risk of loss to which a company may be exposed if, at some point during 
the  life  of  an  automobile  agreement  (loan,  lease,  etc.),  the  customer  has  the  option  or  obligation  to  return  the 
vehicle  as  full  and  final  settlement,  due  to  uncertainty  regarding  the  selling  price  of  the  vehicle  realised  at  that 
time.

ESG  factors  (environmental  and  climate,  social  and  governance)  can  affect  the  traditional  types  of  risk  (credit, 
liquidity, operational, reputational, etc.) due to the physical effects of climate change, generated by specific events 
as well as chronic changes on the environment, or the process of transition to a development model with lower 
emissions,  including  changes  in  legislation,  technology  or  the  behavior  of  economic  agents,  as  well  as  failure  to 
meet the expectations and commitments acquired.

Corporate Risk Governance

The  objective  of  the  governance  of  the  risk  function  is  to  ensure  adequate  and  efficient  decision-making  and 
effective  risk  control,  and  to  ensure  that  these  functions  are  managed  in  accordance  with  the  risk  appetite 
approved by the board of directors of Santander Consumer Finance.

The following principles have been established for this purpose:

•

•

•

•

Segregation between risk decisions and control.

Enhancing the responsibility of risk generating functions in the decision-making process.

Ensuring that all risk decisions have a formal approval process.

Ensuring an aggregate overview of all risk types.

12

•

Bolstering risk control committees.

• Maintaining a responsive and efficient committee structure, ensuring:

•

•

•

•

Participation  and  involvement  of  the  governance  bodies  and  senior  management  in  all  risk 
decisions, and supervision and control.

Coordination between the lines of defence in risk-management and control functions.

Alignment of objectives, monitoring to ensure they are being achieved and implementing corrective 
measures when necessary.

The existence of an adequate management and control environment for all risks.

To achieve these objectives, the Committee structure in the management model must ensure an adequate:

•

•

•

Structure, with stratification by levels of relevance, balanced delegation capacity and protocols for escalating 
incidents.

Composition, with members of sufficient rank and representation of business and support areas.

Operations, i.e. frequency, minimum attendance levels and appropriate procedures.

The  governance  of  risk  activity  must  establish  and  facilitate  coordination  channels  between  the  units  and 
Santander Consumer Finance, together with alignment of management models and risk control.

The  governance  bodies  of  Santander  Consumer  Finance,  S.A.  units  are  set  up  in  accordance  with  local  legal  and 
regulatory requirements, considering the complexity of each unit.

In addition, the Silver and Bronze Committee at Santander Consumer Finance has monitored the war in Ukraine and 
the microchip/supply chain crisis and its impact on the entity's business.

Roles and responsibilities

The  Risk  function  is  structured  into  three  lines  of  defense,  in  accordance  with  corporate  policy,  to  manage  and 
control risks effectively:

– First line of defence: Business functions that take or generate exposure to risk constitute the first line of defence. 
The first line of defence identifies, measures, controls, monitors and reports the risks that originate and applies the 
internal regulations that regulate risk management. The generation of risks must be adjusted to the approved risk 
appetite and the associated limits.

–  Second  line  of  defence:  made  up  of  the  Risk  functions,  which  independently  supervise  and  question  the  risk 
management activities carried out by the first line of defence. This second line of defense must ensure, within their 
respective  areas  of  responsibility,  that  risks  are  managed  in  accordance  with  the  risk  appetite  defined  by  senior 
management and promote a strong risk culture throughout the organization.

–  Third  line  of  defence:  the  Internal  Audit  function  is  independent  to  ensure  the  board  of  directors,  and  senior 
management,  the  quality  and  effectiveness  of  internal  controls,  governance  and  risk  management  systems, 
helping to safeguard our value , solvency and reputation.

Structure of Risk Committees

The  board  of  directors  is  ultimately  responsible  for  risk  control  and  management,  delegating  these  powers  to 
commissions and committees. In Santander Consumer Finance, the Board is supported by the Risk, Regulation and 
Compliance  Supervision  Commission,  which  is  an  independent  risk  control  and  monitoring  committee.  These 
bylaw-mandated bodies form the highest level of risk governance:

13

Independent control bodies

•

Risk, Regulation and Compliance Supervision Commission:

This  Committee's  role  is  to  assist  the  Board  of  Directors  in  the  monitoring  and  control  or  risks,  defining  and 
assessing risk policies, and determining the risk propensity and strategy.

It  is  made  up  of  external  or  non-executive  directors  (mostly  independent)  and  is  chaired  by  an  independent 
Board member.

The main duties of the Risk, Regulation and Compliance Supervision Commission are:

•

•

•

•

•

To support and advise the Board of Directors in defining and assessing Santander Consumer Finance's 
risk policies and determining its risk propensity and risk strategy.

To  ensure  that  the  pricing  policy  for  assets  and  liabilities  offered  to  customers  fully  respects  the 
business model and risk strategy.

To  understand  and  assess  the  management  tools,  ideas  for  improvement,  progress  with  projects  and 
any other relevant activity relating to risk control.

To  determine  with  the  Board  of  Directors  the  nature,  amount,  format  and  frequency  of  the  risk 
information to be received by the Committee and the Board.

To help establish rational and practical remuneration policies. For this purpose, without prejudice to the 
duties  of  the  Remunerations  Committee,  the  Risk  Committee  examines  whether  the  incentives  policy 
planned for the remuneration scheme considers risk, capital, liquidity and the likelihood and suitability 
of profits.

•

Executive Risk Control Committee (ERCC):

This  collegial  body  is  responsible  for  overall  monitoring  and  control  of  Santander  Consumer  Finance's  risks, 
pursuant to the powers delegated to it by the Board of Directors of Santander Consumer Finance, S.A.
Its objectives are:

•

To  provide  a  tool  for  effective  risk  control,  ensuring  that  risks  are  managed  in  accordance  with  the 
Bank's  risk  appetite,  as  approved  by  the  Board  of  Directors  of  Santander  Consumer  Finance,  S.A., 
providing  an  overview  of  all  of  the  risks  identified  in  the  risk  map  in  the  general  risk  framework, 
including identification and monitoring of actual and emerging risks and their impact on the risk profile 
of the Santander Consumer Finance Group. 

•

To ensure the best estimate of provisions and that they are recognized correctly.

This  Committee  is  chaired  by  the  Santander  Consumer  Finance's  Chief  Risk  Officer  (CRO)  and  is  made  up  of 
members  of  its  senior  management.  In  addition  to  the  risk  function,  which  chairs  the  Committee,  the 
compliance,  finance  and  management  control  functions  are  also  represented.  The  CROs  of  local  entities  can 
take part on a regular basis to report on the risk profile of the entities and other tasks.

The Executive Risk Control Committee reports to the Risk, Regulation and Compliance Supervision Commission, 
which it assists in its function of supporting the Board.

Decision-making bodies

•

Executive Risk Committee (ERC):

The Executive Risk Committee is the collegiate body responsible for overall risk management pursuant to the 
powers delegated to it by the Board of Directors of Santander Consumer Finance S.A., monitoring all the risks 
identified in the Bank that fall within its remit.

Its objective is to provide a tool for decisions on accepting risks at the highest level, ensuring that risk decisions 
are within the limits set by the Santander Consumer Finance Group's risk appetite, as well as informing of its 
activity to the Board or its committees when it is required so.

14

This Committee is chaired by the Head of Santander Consumer Finance and is made up of executive directors 
and other executive of Santander Consumer Finance. The risk, financial, management control and compliance 
function are also represented, among others. The Bank's CRO is entitled to veto the Committee's decisions.

•

Proposal Sub-committee (RPSc):

The  Santander  Consumer  Finance  Risk  Proposal  Sub-committee  is  a  collegiate    body  in  charge  of  making 
decisions regarding business and country transactions, credit risk, market, liquidity and structural issues (or any 
other risk if it were necessary), guaranteeing that the decisions made comply with the limits established in the 
appetite  risk  framework  of  Santander  Consumer  Finance,  as  well  as  informing  of  its  activity  to  the  Risk 
Executive Committee when it is required so.  

This  Committee  is  chaired  by  Santander  Consumer  Finance’s  CRO,  and  it  comprises  Santander  Consumer 
Finance executive positions including but not limited to the risk, financial, management control and compliance 
functions. 

•

Provisions Committee:

The  Provisions  Committee  is  the  decision-making  body  responsible  for  overall  management  of  provisions  in 
accordance with the powers delegated by the Executive Risk Committee of Santander Consumer Finance S.A., 
and  supervises,  within  its  sphere  of  action  and  decision,  all  matters  relating  to  provisions  in  Santander 
Consumer  Finance.  Its  purpose  is  to  be  the  instrument  for  decision-making,  ensuring  that  decisions  are 
consistent with the governance of provisions established at Santander Consumer Finance, and reporting to the 
Board of Directors or its committees on its activities when required.

The structure of the Risk Committees of the Western Hub branches:

Pursuant  to  the  merger  agreements  and  for  the  purpose  of  ensuring  proper  governance  and  continuing  the  risk 
function of the Western Hub branches by Santander Consumer Finance, S.A. (absorbing company):

•  Any  powers,  faculties  and  attributions  in  terms  of  risks  that  were  granted  individually  or  collectively  in  the 
branches, will remain in force under the same terms and conditions.

• What is particularly established in its approval and risk control committees will continue to be in force with the 
same functions, unless one or more powers are expressly claimed for itself by a higher-ranking body.

• Any discrepancy in the understanding of the attributions and competence of the committees will be interpreted in 
the  sense  that  best  favors  the  governance  functions  of  the  company  as  a  whole  and,  in  any  case,  subject  to  the 
practices and uses of the governing bodies. superior hierarchy of the entity Santander Consumer Finance S.A.

Structural organisation of the risk function

The Group Chief Risk Officer (GCRO) is responsible for the risk function in Santander Consumer Finance and reports 
to the Head of Santander Consumer Finance, who is a member of the Board. 

The  GCRO  advises  and  challenges  the  executive  line  and  also  reports  independently  to  the  Risk,  Regulatory  and 
Compliance Committee and to the Board.

Advanced  risk  management  is  based  on  a  holistic,  forward-looking  approach  to  risks,  based  on  intensive  use  of 
models, to foster a robust control environment that meets the requirements of the regulator and the supervisor.

Santander Consumer Finance's risk management and control model shares certain core principles via its corporate 
frameworks. These frameworks are established by the Group and Santander Consumer Finance adheres to them 
through its management  bodies.  They shape the relationship between the subsidiaries and Santander Consumer 
Finance, including the role played by the latter in validity.

The Group-Subsidiaries  Governance Model and good governance practices for subsidiaries recommend that each 
subsidiary  should  have  a  bylaw-mandated  risk  committee  and  an  executive  risk  committee  chaired  by  the  Chief 
Executive Officer (CEO). This is in line with best corporate governance practices and consistent with those already 
in place in the Group, as set out in the corporate framework, to which Santander Consumer Finance has signed up.

15

Under the Group's internal governance framework, the management bodies of Santander Consumer Finance have 
their own model of risk powers (both quantitative and qualitative), which must follow the principles set out in the 
benchmark models and frameworks developed at the corporate level.

Given its capacity for comprehensive and aggregated oversight of all risks, the corporation exercises a validation 
and questioning role with regard to the operations and management policies of the units, insofar as they affect the 
Group’s risk profile.

Identifying and evaluating risks is a cornerstone for controlling and managing risk. The main risk types to which the 
Group is exposed are credit risk, market risk, operational risk and compliance and conduct risk.

Santander  Consumer  Finance  has  taken  several  initiatives  to  improve  the  relationship  between  Santander 
Consumer Finance and its subsidiaries, and to improve the model of advanced risk management. 

Credit risk

Credit  risk  stems  from  the  possibility  of  losses  arising  from  the  failure  of  clients  or  counterparties  to  meet  their 
financial obligations with the Group, in full or in part.

The  risk  function  in  Santander  Consumer  Finance  is  organised  by  customer  type,  distinguishing  between 
individualised and standard customers throughout the risk-management process:

•

•

Individualised  customers  are  those  assigned  to  a  risk  analyst,  mainly  because  of  the  risk  they  entail.  This 
category  includes  Wholesale  Banking  companies  and  some  Retail  Banking  companies.  Risk  management 
involves  expert  analysis,  complemented  by  decision-making  support  tools  based  on  internal  risk  assessment 
models.

Standard risks are those customers to whom no risk analyst is expressly assigned. They generally include risk 
with  individuals,  individual  businesspeople  and  non-individualised  retail  banking  companies.  Management  of 
these  risks  is  based  on  internal-assessment  and  automatic-decision  models,  complemented  by  teams  of 
analysts specialized in specific risk types when the model does not cover the risk or is not sufficiently accurate.

Key figures in 2022

The trend in non-performing assets and the cost of credit reflect the impact of the deterioration of the economic 
environment mitigated by prudent risk management, which has generally kept these figures lower than those of 
our competitors in recent years. As a result, Santander Consumer Finance maintains an adequate level of coverage 
to meet the expected loss from the credit risk portfolios managed.

As of December 2022, the default rate was 2.06%, due to the good performance of the different portfolios, despite 
the  adverse  situations  that  have  been  experienced  throughout  2022,  the  measures  applied  in  the  units  and  the 
Santander Consumer Finance risk appetite. Doubtful loans (2,239 million euros) are distributed by units as follows: 
Nordics represents 22% of the total, Spain 26%, Germany 28%, France 9%, Italy 7%, Austria 6% and others 2%. 
Regarding  the  type  of  portfolio,  Auto  represents  45%  of  the  total,  Direct  31%,  Cards  7%,  Stock  Finance  3%, 
Mortgages 3%, Durables 2% and others 9%.

Despite  the  uncertainty  and  instability  generated  by  the  post-pandemic  situation,  as  well  as  the  semiconductor 
crisis and the war between Russia and Ukraine, the non-performing loan ratio has remained stable, compared to 
the December 2021 data, being 2.06% in both years.

In terms of cost of credit, this ratio has a low risk profile thanks to the granularity and predictability of Santander 
Consumer Finance's portfolios. The 12-month cost of credit at the end of December 2022 was 0.42%.

Highlights and trends

The  profile  of  Santander  Consumer  Finance's  credit  risk  portfolio  is  characterised  by  a  diversified  geographic 
distribution and the predominance of retail banking.

16

Global Credit Risk Map 2022 

The following table details the global map of Santander Consumer Finance's gross credit exposure by geographic 
area:

SCF Group - Gross Credit risk exposure

2022

(EUR million)
14,952
10,352
15,940
42,099
17,815
2,819
4,479
108,456

Change on December 
2021

2.39%
14.02%
8.19%
8.57%
1.32%
(5.20)%
14.02%
6.67%

%portfolio

13.79%
9.53%
14.70%
38.82%
16.43%
2.60%
4.13%
100.00%

Spain and Portugal (*)

Italy

France

Germany and Austria

Nordics (Scandinavia)

United Kingdom (**)

Other

Total

In terms of outlook by product at December 2022, Auto represents 63% of the total gross exposure, Direct 12%, 
Mortgages 3%, Durables 2%, Stock Finance 10% and Others 10%. Germany concentrates the highest percentage of 
the  portfolio  with  39%  along  with  Austria  and  their  respective  JVs.  On  the  other  hand,  Nordics  (Scandinavia) 
represents 16%, and includes units from Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland. France, including the PSA Joint 
Ventures,  represents  10%  of  the  total.  Spain,  Portugal  and  their  respective  units  resulting  from  the  cooperation 
with PSA, represent 14% of the total.

Estimation of impairment losses 

Calculation of expected credit losses:

Grupo Santander Consumer Finance calculates expected credit losses using parameters (mainly PD and LGD) based 
on internal models according to specific requirements of IFRS 9 and other guidelines by regulators, supervisors and 
other  international  organizations  (EBA,  NCAs,  BIS,  GPPC).  Models  are  built  using  internal  information  with 
sufficiently  representative  historical  depth  and  granularity,  regulatory  and  management  experience,  as  well  as 
forward-looking information based on macroeconomic scenarios, and allow estimating losses throughout the life 
of  the  operation.  They  follow  a  defined  life  cycle  that  includes,  among  others,  a  process  of  internal  validation, 
monitoring and governance models to ensure their robustness and suitability for use.

Determination of significant increase in credit risk

In order to determine the classification in stage 2, the Group assesses whether there has been a significant increase 
in  credit  risk  (SICR)  since  the  initial  recognition  of  the  transactions,  considering  a  series  of  common  principles 
throughout the Group that guarantee that all financial instruments are subject to this assessment, which considers 
the  particularities  of  each  portfolio  and  type  of  product  on  the  basis  of  various  quantitative  and  qualitative 
indicators. Furthermore, transactions are subject to the expert judgement of the analysts, who set the thresholds 
under  an  effective  integration  in  management  and  implemented  according  to  the  approved  governance.  The 
criteria  thresholds  used  by  the  Group  are  based  on  a  series  of  principles,  and  develop  a  set  of  techniques.  The 
principles are as follows:

•

•

Universality: all financial instruments subject to a credit rating must be assessed for their possible SICR. 

Proportionality: the definition of the SICR must take into account the particularities of each portfolio. 

• Materiality: its implementation must be also consistent with the relevance of each portfolio so as not to 

incur in unnecessary costs or efforts. 

•

•

Holistic vision: the approach selected must be a combination of the most relevant credit risk aspects (e.g. 
quantitative and qualitative). 

Application  of  IFRS  9:  the  approach  must  take  into  consideration  IFRS  9  characteristics,  focusing  on  a 
comparison with credit risk at initial recognition, as well as considering forward-looking information.

17

 
•

•

 Risk management integration: the criteria must be consistent with those metrics considered in the day-
to-day risk management.

 Documentation: Appropriate documentation must be prepared. The techniques are summarised below:

–

–

–

–

Stability  of  stage  2:  in  the  absence  of  significant  changes  in  the  portfolios  credit  quality,  the 
volume of assets in stage 2 should maintain a certain stability as a whole.

Economic reasonableness: at transaction level, stage 2 is expected to be a transitional rating for 
exposures that could eventually move to a deteriorating credit status at some point or stage 3, 
as  well  as  for  exposures  that  have  suffered  credit  deterioration  and  whose  credit  quality  is 
improving and returns to stage 1. 

Predictive  power:  it  is  expected  that  the  SICR  definition  avoids,  as  far  as  possible,  direct 
migrations from stage 1 to stage 3 without having been previously classified in stage 2. 

Time in stage 2: it is expected that the exposures do not remain categorized as stage 2 for an 
excessive time. 

The  application  of  the  aforementioned  techniques,  conclude  in  the  setting  of  one  or  several  thresholds  for  each 
portfolio  in  each  geography.  Likewise,  these  thresholds  are  subject  to  a  regular  review  by  means  of  calibration 
tests, which may entail updating the thresholds types or their values. Identifying a significant increase in credit risk: 
when classifying financial instruments under stage 2, Santander considers: 

•

•

•

•

Quantitative criteria: Santander Consumer Finance reviews and quantifies changes in the risk of default 
during  their  expected  life  based  on  their  credit  risk  level  on  initial  recognition.  To  recognize  significant 
changes  so  instruments  can  be  classified  in  stage  2,  each  subsidiary  set  quantitative  thresholds  for  its 
portfolios based on Santander's guidelines for consistent interpretation across all our footprint. 

Of those quantitative thresholds, Grupo Santander considers two: the relative threshold, which shows the 
difference  in  credit  quality  since  the  transaction  was  approved  as  a  percentage  of  change;  and  the 
absolute  threshold,  which  calculates  the  total  difference  in  credit  quality.  All  subsidiaries  apply  them 
(with different values) in the same manner. The use of one or both depends on portfolio type and other 
aspects, such as the starting point for average credit quality. 

Qualitative criteria: Several indicators aligned with ordinary credit risk management indicators (e.g. past 
due for over 30 days, forbearance, etc.). Each subsidiary defined these criteria for its portfolios. Santander 
supplements  these  qualitative  criteria  with  expert  opinions.  When  the  presumption  of  a  significant 
deterioration of credit risk is removed, due to a sufficient improvement of the credit quality, the obligor 
can be re-classified to Stage 1, without any probationary period in Stage 2.

Definition of default: Santander incorporated the new definition to provisions calculation according to the 
EBA’s  guidelines;  the  Group  is  also  considering  applying  it  to  prudential  framework.  In  addition,  the 
default definition and stage 3 have been aligned.

This definition considers the following criteria to classify exposures as stage 3: financial instruments with 
one or more payments more than 90 consecutive days past due, representing at least 1% of the client's 
total exposure or the identification of other criteria demonstrating, even in the absence of defaults, that it 
is unlikely that the counterparty is unlikely to meet all of its financial obligations. The Group applies the 
default criteria to all exposures of the impaired client. Where an obligor belongs to a group, the default 
criteria may also be applied to all exposures of the group.  The default classification is maintained during 
the 3-month test period following the disappearance of all default indicators described above, and this 
period is extended to one year for forbearances that have been classified as default.

Expected  life  of  financial  instruments:  Santander  estimates  the  expected  life  of  financial  instruments 
according to their contractual terms (e.g. prepayments, duration, purchase options, etc.). The contractual 
period (including extension options) is the maximum time frame for measuring the expected credit loss. If 
financial  instruments  have  an  undefined  maturity  period  and  available  balance  (e.g.  credit  cards), 
Santander  estimates  its  expected  life  based  on  the  total  exposure  period  and  effective  management 
practices to mitigate exposure.

18

The  context  and  monitoring  of  the  expected  credit  loss  was  analysed  and  reviewed  during  the  health  crisis  by 
covid-19  ,  and  was  reinforced  with  collective  analysis,  monitoring  of  government  measures,  monitoring  of  the 
evolution  of  the  Group's  customers,  as  well  as  remedial  management  actions  if  necessary.  In  terms  of 
classification,  Grupo  Santander  has  maintained  the  criteria  and  thresholds  for  classification  applied  prior  to  the 
start  of  the  pandemic,  eliminating  regulatory  criteria  of  the  effect  of  moratorium  classification  as  they  have 
expired, as well as the collective analyses associated with these groups of loans. Regarding moratorium measures, 
a  rigorous  identification  and  periodic  monitoring  of  the  credit  quality  of  the  clients  and  their  payment  behaviour 
have  been  carried  out  and,  through  a  specific  individual  or  collective  evaluation,  the  timely  detection  of  the 
significant increase in credit risk. At the end of December 2022 the credit risk provisions not included any special 
measures or adjustments in relation to health crisis by covid-19.

1.

Forward-looking vision

To estimate expected losses, Grupo Santander requires a great deal of expert analysis as well as past, present and 
future data. Santander quantifies expected losses from credit events using an unbiased, weighted consideration of 
up to five future scenarios that could affect our ability to collect contractual cash flows. These scenarios take into 
account the time value of money, the relevant information available about past events and current conditions, and 
projections  of  macroeconomic  factors  that  are  considered  important  to  estimate  this  amount  (e.g.  GDP,  house 
prices, rate of unemployment, among others).

Santander  uses  forward-looking  information  in  internal  management  and  regulatory  processes  under  several 
scenarios. The Group's guidelines and governance ensure synergy and consistency between these different processes. 

During 2022, the Group has updated the macroeconomic scenarios included in the provision models with the most up-
to-date  information  on  the  current  environment.  The  IASB  already  indicated  in  2021  that  the  macroeconomic 
uncertainty  surrounding  the  pandemic  made  it  difficult  to  regularly  apply  the  expected  loss  calculation  models  of 
IFRS9.  The  European  Central  Bank  recommended  the  use  of  a  stable  and  long-term  view  (long-term).  run)  of 
macroeconomic forecasts. In 2022, the economic recovery that was expected after the end of the pandemic has been 
affected  by  the  effects  of  the  war  in  Ukraine,  which  introduces  an  additional  effect  of  volatility  in  the  scenarios. 
Consequently, the Group uses a prospective vision to estimate expected losses.

2.

Additional elements 

Additional  elements  such  an  analysis  of  sectors  or  other  pilars  of  credit  risk  analysis  are  included  when  necessary  if 
they have not been captured by the two elements explained in the paragraph above, and their impacts has not been 
captured sufficiently by the macroeconomic scenarios. Collective analysis techniques are also used, when the potential 
impairment in a group of clients cannot be identified individually. 

Based  on  the  elements  described  above,  Grupo  Santander  Consumer  Finance  has  evaluated  the  performance  of  the 
credit  quality  of  its  customers  in  each  of  the  geographical  areas,  for  the  purposes  of  their  staging  classification  and 
consequently, the expected credit loss calculation. 

Management overlays 

In  the  context  of  the  covid-19  pandemic,  during  2022  the  authorities  decided  to  gradually  relax  the  social  distance 
measures. From an economic point of view, when the measures were softened and economic activity resumed, new 
imbalances emerged in the economy. Accumulated savings caused a rapid increase in demand, but there were supply 
restrictions  due,  in  part,  to  the  different  speeds  of  incorporation  into  global  supply  chains  and  the  scarcity  of  some 
materials, such as semiconductors, with great impact on the automotive industry . The money supply was still high and 
interest rates low, which caused inflation to begin to accelerate, very visibly from the second half of 2022. Additionally, 
in February 2022 the Russian invasion of Ukraine began, to which the Community International reacted by imposing 
harsh  economic  sanctions  against  Russia.  The  fact  that  Russia  is  the  main  player  in  the  oil  and  gas  market  caused 
further distortions that put pressure on the energy market and further boosted inflation, especially in Europe (highly 
dependent  on  Russian  gas).  In  these  circumstances,  the  updating  of  the  macroeconomic  scenarios  has  been 
accompanied by great uncertainty.

During 2021, following the recommendations of different organizations and international supervisors, accounting and 
prudential policies were applied and adapted, under a criterion of responsibility, to the containment measures put in 
place to combat the effects of the covid-19 health crisis, which were of a temporary and exceptional nature. Long-term 
stable  forecasts  were  taken  into  account  and  additional  adjustments  were  made  to  the  models  (or  overlays)  to 
recognize the increase in expected loss, since the mechanical application of the methodology for estimating expected 
loss due to credit risk in that context could have led to unexpected results.

19

Throughout 2022, the adjustments have been continuously monitored, recalculating or reformulating them, in such a 
way  that  the  changes  caused  by  overcoming  the  pandemic  and  the  start  of  the  war  in  Ukraine  and  the  inflationary 
effects and interest rate rises are adequately reflected in the account of each entity/geography of the Group. In total, at 
the  end  of  2022,  the  additional  adjustments  recorded  by  the  Santander  Consumer  Finance  Group  due  to 
macroeconomic aspects amount to EUR 104.9 million and are mainly due to the inclusion of additional effects derived 
from  inflation  and  interest  rates.  interest,  which  do  not  respond  to  the  historical  casuistry  included  in  the  projection 
models. The Group geographies most affected by these additional adjustments are Spain, Nordics, France and Italy.

The detail of the exposure and the impairment losses associated with each of the phases as of December 31, 2022 is 
shown below. In addition, based on the current credit quality of the operations, the exposure is divided in three degrees 
(investment, speculation and default):

Exposure and impairment losses by stage 2022

Credit quality (*)

Investment grade

Speculation grade

Default

Total Risk (**)

Impairment losses

Credit quality (*)

Investment grade
Speculation grade
Default
Total Risk (**)
Impairment losses

Stage 2

Stage 3

(EUR millions) 

Stage 1

116,422

12,674

—

129,096

477

—

4,172

—

4,172

—

—

—

2,239

2,239

1,229

Stage 3
—
—
2,099
2,099
1,307

Total

116,422

16,846

2,239

135,508

1,956

Total
113,018
12,054
2,099
127,171
2,858

Exposure and impairment losses by stage 2021

(EUR millions) 

Stage 1
113,018
8,404
—
121,422
551

Stage 2
—
3,650
—
—
—

(*) Detail of credit quality rating calculated for Group’s management purposes.

(**) Amortised cost assets,  Loans and advances - Customers + Loan commitments granted

As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, the Group does not present significant amounts of impaired assets purchased with 
impairment.

Provision sensitivity test

Regarding the evolution of losses due to credit risk, the Group carries out a sensitivity analysis through simulations in 
which  immediate  variations  (shocks)  of  +/-  100  bps  take  place  in  the  main  macroeconomic  variables,  assuming 
constant distribution phases of each portfolio of financial assets. In this way, a set of specific and complete scenarios is 
used, where different impacts that affect both the reference variable and the rest of the macroeconomic variables are 
simulated. These impacts may originate from productivity factors, taxes, wages or exchange rates and interest rates. 
Sensitivity is measured as the average variation of the expected loss corresponding to the aforementioned scenarios. 
Following a conservative approach, negative movements take into account an additional standard deviation to reflect 
the  possible  greater  variability  of  losses.  Finally,  in  order  to  provide  a  measure  of  comparable  sensitivity  between 
portfolios, when using the statistical models for scenario analysis, the advances and lags of the model are eliminated, 
thus avoiding capturing only part of the simulated shock.

Additionally, the Group performs stress test exercises and sensitivity analysis on a recurring basis in exercises such as 
ICAAP,  strategic  plans,  budgets  and  recovery  and  resolution  plans.  In  these  exercises,  a  prospective  vision  of  the 
sensitivity of each of the Group's portfolios is created in the event of a possible deviation from the baseline scenario, 
considering  both  the  macroeconomic  evolution  materialized  in  different  scenarios,  and  the  three-year  business 
evolution. These exercises include potentially more adverse scenarios as well as more plausible scenarios.

20

Detail of the main geographical areas

Following is the risk information related to the most relevant geographies in exposure and credit risk allowances.

• Germany

Information on the estimation of impairment losses

The  detail  of  exposure  and  impairment  losses  associated  to  each  stage  for  Santander  Consumer  Bank  AG  and 
Santander  Consumer  Leasing  GmbH  as  of  31  December  2022  is  as  follows.  Additionally,  in  line  with  its  current 
credit quality, the exposure is classified in three grades (investment, speculation and default):

Credit Quality (*)

Investment grade

Speculation grade

Default

Total exposure (**)

Impairment losses

Credit Quality (*)

Investment grade
Speculation grade

Default

Total exposure (**)

Impairment losses

Exposure and impairment losses by stage 2022

(EUR millions)

Stage 1

37,009

—

—

37,009

88

Stage 2

Stage 3

12

1,145

—

1,157

38

—

—

566

566

272

Exposure and impairment losses by stage 2021

                                      (EUR millions)

Stage 1

34,352

—
—

34,352

89

Stage 2

Stage 3

—

941
—

941

70

—

—
509

509

360

Total

37,021

1,145

566

38,732

398

Total

34,352

941
509

35,802

519

                 (*) Detail of credit quality rating calculated for  Group’s management purposes.

(**) Amortised cost assets, Loans and advances, Customers + loan commitments granted

The NPL ratio for Germany reached 1.47% at the end of December 2022 (1.55% at the end of 2021). 

For  the  estimation  of  the  expected  losses,  the  prospective  information  is  taken  into  account.  Specifically,  for  the 
most  significant  units  in  Germany  (Santander  Consumer  Bank  AG  and  Santander  Consumer  Leasing  GmbH)  five 
prospective macroeconomic scenarios are considered, which are updated periodically, during a time horizon of 5 
years. 

The  projected  evolution  in  2022  of  the  main  macroeconomic  indicators  used  to  estimate  expected  losses  at 
Santander Consumer Bank AG and Santander Consumer Leasing, GmbH is presented below:

5-year scenario (2023-2027)

Magnitudes

Worst-case 
scenario

Worse-case 
scenario

Base-case 
scenario

Better-case 
scenario

Best-case 
scenario

Interest rate

Unemployment rate

GDP growth

Housing market price surges

4.04 %

7.70 %

(0.45 %)

(4.54 %)

3.19 %

6.42 %

0.45 %

(2.55 %)

2.33 %

5.14 %

1.36 %

1.70 %

1.71 %

4.84 %

2.08 %

3.73 %

1.09 %

4.54 %

2.80 %

5.80 %

21

The projected evolution for the next five years of the main macroeconomic indicators used by Santander Consumer 
Bank  AG  and  Santander  Consumer  Leasing  GmbH  for  estimating  expected  losses  as  of  31  December  2021  is 
presented below:

Magnitudes

Interest rate

Unemployment rate

GDP growth

5-year scenario (2022-2026)

Worst-case 
scenario

Worse-case 
scenario

Base-case 
scenario

Better-case 
scenario

Best-case 
scenario

1.03 %

6.46 %

0.05 %

0.63 %

6.16 %

0.46 %

(0.25 %)

(0.01 %)

5.17 %

1.87 %

2.59 %

4.69 %

2.44 %

3.33 %

0.48 %

4.53 %

3.21 %

4.08 %

Housing market price surges

(1.07 %)

(0.64 %)

Each  of  the  macroeconomic  scenarios  is  associated  with  a  specific  probability  of  occurrence.  In  terms  of  their 
assignment, Santander Consumer AG and Santander Consumer Leasing, GmbH associate the highest weighting to 
the Base Scenario, while they associate the lowest weightings to the most extreme scenarios. The weightings used 
in fiscal years 2022 and 2021 are as follows:

Worst-case scenario

Worse-case scenario

Base-case scenario

Better-case scenario

Best-case scenario

5 %

20 %

50 %

20 %

5 %

The estimated sensitivity of expected losses for the most relevant portfolios in Germany as of 31 December 2022, 
based on what is detailed in the Provisions Sensitivity Exercise section is shown below:

Change in expected loss (IFRS9)

Vehicles 
New

Vehicles 
Used

Leasing 
New

Direct

5.60%

4.98%

4.71%

2.61%

(3.71%)

(3.28%)

(2.85%)

(1.61%)

(9.97%)

14.73%

(8.95%)

13.21%

(7.84%)

14.08%

(4.33%)

7.16%

GDP growth:

(100) b.p.s.

100 b.p.s.

Unemployment rate:
(100) b.p.s.

100 b.p.s.

With  regards  to  the  determination  of  classification  in  stage  2,  the  quantitative  criteria  applied  by  the  entity  are 
based  on  identifying  whether  any  increase  in  the  probability  of  default  (PD)  for  the  entire  expected  life  of  the 
operation is greater than an absolute and relative threshold. This threshold is established for each portfolio and is 
different depending on the credit risk profile characteristics of the products that form the portfolio. 

The entity, among other criteria, considers that an operation presents a significant increase in risk when it presents 
positions  past  due  for  more  than  30  days.  These  criteria  depend  on  the  risk  management  practices  of  each 
portfolio.

22

• Nordics (Scandinavia)

Information on the estimation of impairment losses

The detail of exposure and impairment losses associated for the most significant Nordics unit (Santander Consumer 
Bank AS) as of 31 December 2022 is as follows. Additionally, in line with its current credit quality, the exposure is 
classified in three grades (investment, speculation and default):

Exposure and impairment losses by stage 2022

(EUR millions)

Credit Quality (*)

Investment grade

Speculation grade

Default

Total exposure (**)

Impairment losses

Stage 1

14,738

1,701

—

16,439

77

Stage 2

Stage 3

6

575

—

581

57

—

—

391

391

222

Exposure and impairment losses by stage 2021

(EUR millions)

Credit Quality (*)

Investment grade

Speculation grade

Default

Total exposure (**)

Impairment losses

Stage 1

5,228

10,983

—

16,211

119

Stage 2

Stage 3

—

533

—

533

58

—

—

462

462

254

(*) Detail of credit quality rating calculated for Group’s management purposes.

(**) Amortised cost assets, Loans and advances, Customers + loan commitments granted

Total

14,744

2,276

391

17,411

356

Total

5,228

11,516

462

17,206

431

The NPL ratio for Nordics (Scandinavia) has been reduced to 2.70% at the end of December 2022 (3.18% at the end 
of 2021). 

For  the  estimation  of  the  expected  losses,  the  prospective  information  is  taken  into  account.  Specifically,  for 
Santander  Consumer  Bank  AS  five  prospective  macroeconomic  scenarios  are  considered,  which  are  updated 
periodically, during a time horizon of 5 years. 

• Norway

The projected evolution for the next five years of the main macroeconomic indicators used by Santander Consumer 
Bank AS for estimating expected losses as of 31 December 2022 is presented below:

5-year scenario  (2023-2027)

Magnitudes

Worst-case 
scenario

Worse-case 
scenario

Base-case 
scenario

Better-case 
scenario

Best-case 
scenario

Interest rate
Unemployment rate
Housing market price surges

GDP growth

4.23 %
5.24 %
(1.22 %)

0.36 %

4.05 %
4.82 %
(0.49 %)

1.06 %

3.30 %
3.85 %
0.22 %

1.90 %

3.10 %
3.39 %
0.55 %

2.52 %

2.80 %
3.03 %
1.06 %

3.10 %

23

The projected evolution for the next five years of the main macroeconomic indicators used by Santander Consumer 
Bank AS for estimating expected losses as of 31 December 2021 is presented below:

5-year scenario (2022-2026)

Magnitudes

Worst-case 
scenario

Worse-case 
scenario

Base-case 
scenario

Better-case 
scenario

Best-case 
scenario

Interest rate

Unemployment rate

Housing market price surges

GDP growth

0.62 %

4.86 %

0.22 %

0.85 %

1.53 %

4.42 %

0.61 %

1.46 %

1.52 %

3.79 %

2.46 %

2.58 %

2.39 %

3.55 %

2.79 %

3.19 %

3.52 %

3.02 %

3.72 %

3.71 %

Each  one  of  the  macroeconomic  scenarios  is  given  a  probability  of  occurrence.  As  for  its  allocation,  Santander 
Consumer Bank AS associates the base-case scenario with the highest probability of occurrence, while associating 
the lower probabilities to the most extreme scenarios. The weightings used, both in 2022 and 2021, are as follows:

Worst-case scenario

Worse-case scenario

Base-case scenario

Better-case scenario

Best-case scenario

5 %

20 %

50 %

20 %

5 %

The estimated sensitivity of expected losses for the most relevant portfolios in Norway as of 31 December 2022, 
based on what is detailed in the Provisions Sensitivity Exercise section is shown below:

GDP growth

(100) bps

100 bps

Housing market price surges

(100) bps

100 bps

Change in expected loss (IFRS9)

Auto Individuals

5.05 %

(2.00 %)

2.72 %

(1.62 %)

•

Denmark

The  projected  evolution  for  the  next  five  years  of  the  main  macroeconomic  indicators  for  estimating  expected 
losses as of 31 December 2022 is presented below:

5-year scenario (2023-2027)

Magnitudes

Worst-case 
scenario

Worse-case 
scenario

Base-case 
scenario

Better-case 
scenario

Best-case 
scenario

Interest rate

Unemployment rate

Housing market price surges

GDP growth

3.88 %

5.74 %

(1.67 %)

0.19 %

3.23 %

5.24 %

0.27 %

0.80 %

2.58 %

4.72 %

2.17 %

1.59 %

1.96 %

4.22 %

4.15 %

2.11 %

1.34 %

3.90 %

5.87 %

2.60 %

24

The projected evolution for the next five years of the main macroeconomic indicators as of 31 December 2021 is 
presented below:

5-year scenario (2022-2026)

Magnitudes

Worst-case 
scenario

Worse-case 
scenario

Base-case 
scenario

Better-case 
scenario

Best-case 
scenario

Interest rate

Unemployment rate

Housing market price surges

GDP growth

1.42%

7.68%

(0.15)%

0.91%

1.11%

6.93%

0.74%

1.29%

0.40%

4.85%

1.57%

2.15%

0.51%

4.32%

2.92%

2.46%

0.80%

3.77%

3.91%

2.81%

Each  one  of  the  macroeconomic  scenarios  is  given  a  probability  of  occurrence.  As  for  its  allocation,  Santander 
Consumer Bank AS associates the base-case scenario with the highest probability of occurrence, while associating 
the lower probabilities to the most extreme scenarios. The weightings used, both in 2022 and 2021, are as follows:

Worst-case scenario

Worse-case scenario

Base-case scenario

Better-case scenario

Best-case scenario

5 %

20 %

50 %

20 %

5 %

The estimated sensitivity of expected losses for the most relevant portfolios in Denmark as of 31 December 2022, 
based on what is detailed in the Provisions Sensitivity Exercise section is shown below:

GDP Growth

(100) p.b.

100 p.b.

•

Sweden

Change in expected loss (IFRS9)

Auto Individuals

3.76 %

(2.62 %)

The  projected  evolution  for  the  next  five  years  of  the  main  macroeconomic  indicators  for  estimating  expected 
losses as of 31 December 2022 is presented below:

5-year scenario (2023-2027)

Magnitudes

Worst-case 
scenario

Worse-case 
scenario

Base-case 
scenario

Better-case 
scenario

Best-case 
scenario

Interest rate

Unemployment rate

Housing market price surges

GDP growth

4.33 %

7.61 %

(0.57 %)

0.45 %

3.51 %

7.36 %

0.39 %

0.95 %

3.19 %

7.08 %

1.60 %

1.78 %

2.74 %

6.80 %

2.70 %

2.33 %

2.11 %

6.48 %

3.73 %

2.83 %

25

The  projected  evolution  for  the  next  five  years  of  the  main  macroeconomic  indicators  for  estimating  expected 
losses as of 31 December 2021 is presented below:

5-year scenario (2022-2026)

Magnitudes

Worst-case 
scenario

Worse-case 
scenario

Base-case 
scenario

Better-case 
scenario

Best-case 
scenario

Interest rate

Unemployment rate

Housing market price surges

GDP growth

1.64 %

8.54 %

0.82 %

1.40  %

1.36 %

8.20 %

1.59 %

1.72 %

0.39 %

7.02 %

2.35  %

2.46 %

0.81 %

6.71 %

2.94 %

2.81 %

1.08 %

6.30 %

3.99 %

3.11 %

Each  one  of  the  macroeconomic  scenarios  is  given  a  probability  of  occurrence.  As  for  its  allocation,  Santander 
Consumer Bank AS associates the base-case scenario with the highest probability of occurrence, while associating 
the lower probabilities to the most extreme scenarios. The weightings used, both in 2022 and 2021, are as follows:

Worst-case scenario

Worse-case scenario

Base-case scenario

Better-case scenario

Best-case scenario

5 %

20 %

50 %

20 %

5 %

The estimated sensitivity of expected losses for the most relevant portfolios in Sweden as of 31 December 2022, 
based on what is detailed in the Provisions Sensitivity Exercise section is shown below:

GDP growth:

(100) bps

100 bps

Change in expected loss (IFRS9)

Auto individuals

Direct

6.27 %

(1.30 %)

1.81 %

(0.19 %)

With  regards  to  the  determination  of  classification  in  stage  2,  the  quantitative  criteria  applied  by  the  entity  are 
based  on  identifying  whether  any  increase  in  the  probability  of  default  (PD)  for  the  entire  expected  life  of  the 
operation  is  greater  than  a  relative  threshold.  This  threshold  is  established  for  each  portfolio  and  is  different 
depending on the characteristics of the transactions, and a transaction is considered to exceed this threshold when 
the PD for the entire life of the transaction increases with respect to the PD it had at the time of initial recognition 
by 10% in relative terms. 

The entity, among other criteria, considers that an operation presents a significant increase in risk when it presents 
positions  past  due  for  more  than  30  days.  These  criteria  depend  on  the  risk  management  practices  of  each 
portfolio.

26

•

Spain

Information on the estimation of impairment

The detail of exposure and impairment losses associated to each stage for the most significant business units in 
Spain (Santander Consumer Finance S.A.) as of 31 December 2022 is as follows. Additionally, in line with its current 
credit quality, the exposure is classified in three grades (investment, speculation and default):

Exposure and impairment losses by stage 2022

(EUR millions)

Credit Quality (*)

Investment grade

Speculation grade
Default

Total exposure (**)

Impairment losses

Stage 1

4,069

10,967
—

15,035

121

Stage 2

Stage 3

5

236
—

241

32

—

—
477

477

288

(*) Detail of credit quality rating calculated for  Group’s management purposes.

(**) Amortised cost assets, Loans and advances, Customers + loan commitments granted

Exposure and impairment losses by stage 2021

(EUR millions)

Credit Quality (*)

Investment grade

Speculation grade
Default

Total exposure (**)

Impairment losses

Stage 1

14,959

520
—

15,479

127

Stage 2

Stage 3

—

366
—

366

61

—

—
396

396

274

(*) Detail of credit quality rating calculated for Group’s management purposes.

(**) Amortised cost assets, Loans and advances, Customers + loan commitments granted

Total

4,074

11,203
477

15,753

441

Total

14,959

886
396

16,241

462

The delinquency rate in the case of Spain has increased to 3.44% at the end of December 2022 (3.09% at the end of 
2021).

Prospective information has been considered for the estimation of the expected losses, . Specifically, regarding in 
Santander Consumer Finance, S.A. portfolio, five prospective macroeconomic scenarios are considered, which are 
updated periodically, during a time horizon of 5 years. 

The projected performance in the years to follow of the macroeconomic indicators used during 2022 regarding the 
estimation pf the expected credit losses for Santander Consumer Finance, S.A. portfolios in Spain is as follows:

5-year scenario (2023-2027)

Magnitudes

Interest rate

Unemployment rate

Housing market price surges

GDP growth

Worst-case 
scenario

Worse-case 
scenario

Base-case 
scenario

Better-case 
scenario

Best-case 
scenario

3.39 %

19.43 %

1.72 %

(0.57 %)

2.98 %

16.61 %

2.34 %

0.53 %

2.59 %

12.20 %

3.31 %

2.05 %

2.25 %

10.65 %

3.83 %

3.34 %

2.00 %

9.46 %

4.29 %

4.15 %

27

The projected evolution for the next five years of the main macroeconomic indicators used by Santander Consumer 
Finance, S.A. for estimating expected losses as of 31 December 2021 is presented below:

5-year scenario (2022-2026)

Magnitudes

Interest rate

Unemployment rate

Housing market price surges

GDP growth

Worst-case 
scenario

Worse-case 
scenario

Base-case 
scenario

Better-case 
scenario

Best-case 
scenario

0.97 %

20.89 %

0.39 %

0.13 %

0.62 %

18.28 %

1.67 %

1.06 %

(0.25 %)

12.96 %

2.63 %

2.91 %

(0.20 %)

11.18 %

3.18 %

3.74 %

(0.01 %)

9.46 %

4.04 %

4.72 %

Each  one  of  the  macroeconomic  scenarios  is  given  a  probability  of  occurrence.  As  for  its  allocation,  Santander 
Consumer Finance S.A. associates the base-case scenario with the highest probability of occurrence, while associating 
the lower probabilities to the most extreme scenarios. The weightings used, both in 2021 and 2022,  are as follows:

Worst-case scenario

Worse-case scenario

Base-case scenario

Better-case scenario

Best-case scenario

5 %

20 %

50 %

20 %

5 %

The  estimated  sensitivity  of  expected  losses  for  the  most  relevant  portfolios  in  Spain  as  of  31  December  2022, 
based on what is detailed in the Provisions Sensitivity Exercise section is shown below:

GDP growth:
(100) bps
100 bps

Auto New

Change in expected loss (IFRS9)
Mortgages
Auto Used

Cards

5.03%
(3.42%)

2.99%
(2.1%)

0.91%
(0.65%)

2.61%
(1.84%)

Regarding  Stage  2  classification,  the  quantitative  criteria  that  have  been  applied  in  the  entity  are  based  in 
identifying if any increase in the PD for the whole operation life expectancy is greater than a series of absolute and 
relative thresholds. Each portfolio has its own thresholds depending on the characteristics and credit risk profile of 
the products that form this portfolio. 

As  an  example,  regarding  the  main  portfolios  of  Santander  Consumer  Finance  S.A.,  it  is  considered  that  a 
transaction should be classified as stage 2 when the PD for the whole life expectancy of the operation at any given 
moment  is  greater  than  its  PD  at  initial  recognition  in  absolute  and  relative  thresholds,  depending  on  the  sub-
segment. 

Furthermore,  there  are  a  series  of  specific  qualitative  criteria  that  signal  if  the  exposure  has  had  a  significant 
increase in credit risk, regardless of the performance of its PD at initial recognition. The entity, among other criteria, 
considers  that  a  given  transaction  presents  significant  increase  in  credit  risk  when  it  is  30  days  past  due.  These 
criteria depend on management practices depending on portfolio credit risk.

Credit Risk

Changes in 2022 

The  development  of  non-performing  assets  and  the  cost  of  credit  reflect  the  impact  of  the  worsening  economic 
environment, mitigated by prudent risk management, which has generally kept these figures lower than those of our 
competitors in recent years. As a result, Santander Consumer Finance maintains an adequate level of coverage to face 
the expected loss of the credit risk portfolios it manages.

28

Forborne loan portfolio

The term “forborne loan portfolio” refers, for the purposes of the Group's risk management, to those transactions in 
which the customer has, or might foreseeably have, financial difficulty in meeting its payment obligations under the 
terms and conditions of the current agreement with Santander Consumer Finance and, accordingly, the agreement has 
been modified or cancelled or even a new transaction has been entered into.

The Santander Group, which Santander Consumer Finance Group belongs to, has a detailed customer debt forbearance 
policy that serves as a reference for the various local adaptations made for all the financial institutions forming part of 
the Group. This policy is adapted to the bank regulation establish by the EBA, like it is said in the "Guidelines relating to 
the  management  of  non-performing  and  restructured  or  refinanced  exposures"  (EBA/GL/2018/06)  of  October,  31 
2018. It is also adapted the Bank of Spain Circular 6/2021 that modifies 4/2017. 

This policy establishes strict prudential criteria for the assessment of these loans:

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

The use of this practice is restricted, and any actions that might defer the recognition of impairment must be 
avoided.

The  main  aim  must  be  to  recover  the  amounts  owed,  and  any  amounts  deemed  unrecoverable  must  be 
recognised as soon as possible. 

Forbearance must always envisage maintaining the existing guarantees and, if possible, enhance them. Not 
only  can  effective  guarantees  serve  to  mitigate  losses  given  default,  but  they  might  also  reduce  the 
probability of default.

This  practice  must  not  give  rise  to  the  granting  of  additional  funding  or  be  used  to  refinance  debt  of  other 
entities or as a cross-selling instrument.

All the alternatives to forbearance and their impacts must be assessed, making sure that the results of this 
practice will exceed those which would foreseeably be obtained if it were not performed.

Forborne  transactions  are  classified  using  more  stringent  criteria  which  prudentially  ensure  that  the 
customer's  ability  to  pay  is  restored  from  the  date  of  forbearance  and  for  an  adequate  period  of  time 
thereafter.

In  addition,  in  the  case  of  customers  that  have  been  assigned  a  risk  analyst,  it  is  particularly  important  to 
conduct an individual analysis of each specific case, for both the proper identification of the transaction and 
its subsequent classification, monitoring and adequate provisioning. 

The forbearance policy also sets out various criteria for determining the scope of transactions qualifying as forborne 
exposures  by  defining  a  detailed  series  of  objective  indicators  that  permit  identification  of  situations  of  financial 
difficulty.

Accordingly,  transactions  not  classified  as  non-performing  at  the  date  of  forbearance  are  generally  considered  to  be 
experiencing  financial  difficulty  if  at  that  date,  they  were  more  than  one  month  past  due.  Where  no  payments  have 
been missed or there are no payments more than one month past due, other indicators of financial difficulty are taken 
into account, including most notably the following: 

•

•

•

Transactions with customers who are already experiencing difficulties in other transactions.

Situations  where  a  transaction  has  to  be  modified  prematurely,  and  the  Group  has  not  yet  had  a  previous 
satisfactory experience with the customer. 

Cases in which the necessary modifications entail the grant of special conditions, such as the establishment 
of a grace period, or where these new conditions are deemed to be more favourable for the customer than 
those which would have been granted for an ordinary loan approval.

• Where  a  customer  submits  successive  loan  modification  requests  at  unreasonable  time  intervals.  In 
Consumer Finance’s case, a maximum of 1 restructuring agreement is established in a year or 3 in a period of 
5 years.

29

•

In any case, if once the modification has been made any payment irregularity arises during a given probation 
period  (as  evidenced  by  back  testing),  even  in  the  absence  of  any  other  symptoms,  the  transaction  will  be 
deemed to be within the scope of forborne exposures.

Once  it  has  been  determined  that  the  reasons  for  the  modification  of  the  customer’s  debt  conditions  are  due  to 
financial difficulties, regardless of whether or not the customer has outstanding payments and the number of days 
payment has been outstanding, and the customer will be considered to be under monitoring for all purposes and, 
as such, will be manages in accordance with this policy.

Once  forbearance  measures  have  been  adopted,  transactions  that  have  to  remain  classified  as  nonperforming 
because at the date of forbearance they do not meet the regulatory requirements to be reclassified to a different 
category must comply with a continuous prudential payment schedule in order to assure reasonable certainty as to 
the recovery of the ability to pay. 

On  successful  completion  of  the  period,  the  duration  of  which  depends  on  the  customer's  situation  and  the 
transaction features (term and guarantees provided), the transaction is no longer considered to be nonperforming, 
although it continues to be subject to a probation period during which it undergoes special monitoring.

This  monitoring  continues  until  a  series  of  requirements  have  been  met,  including  most  notably:  a  minimum 
observation  period  of  24  months;  repayment  of  a  substantial  percentage  of  the  outstanding  amounts;  and 
settlement of the amounts that were past due at the time of forbearance. In the case that it is justified that, while 
an operation is in the 24-month Cure Period of Phase 2, there is no longer a Significant Increase in its Credit Risk, 
said  operation  may  be  reclassified  as  Phase  1  and  Non-Default.  risk,  without  the  need  to  complete  the 
aforementioned Cure Period. However, it is important to note that restructurings at the time of origination can only 
be classified as Stage 2 or Stage 3, never as Stage 1.

When forbearance is applied to a transaction classified as non-performing, the original default dates continue to be 
considered for all purposes, irrespective of whether as a result of forbearance the transaction becomes current in 
its payments. Also, the forbearance of a transaction classified as non-performing does not give rise to any release 
of the related provisions.

The renewals can be long or short term (less than two years). Carrying out renewals with terms not exceeding two 
years will be taken into account, when the borrower meets the following criteria:

•

•

•

•

That experiences temporary liquidity restrictions, for which the recovery of the client will be evidenced in the 
short term 

That  the  application  of  long-term  redirection  measures  was  not  effective  given  the  temporary  financial 
uncertainty of a general or specific nature of the client.

That they have been complying with the contractual obligations before the reinstatement

Demonstrates a clear willingness to cooperate with the entity.

As a consequence of the analysis that is carried out, both of the client's situation and of the characteristics of the 
redirection operation that is used, it must be ensured that the redirection will facilitate the reduction of the client's 
debt, and therefore it will be viable. In this sense, to assess the feasibility of the operation, the following will be 
taken into account:

a.

b.

c.

d.

That it can be demonstrated with evidence that the proposed renewal is within the customer's reach, that is, 
that a full refund is expected.

The  payment  by  the  client  of  the  outstanding  amounts,  in  full  or  in  their  majority,  and  the  considerable 
reduction of exposure in the medium-long term.

The  non-existence  of  repeated  breaches  of  the  payment  plans  that  have  given  rise  to  successive  renewals 
(more than three renewals in a period of three years)

In  the  temporary  application  of  short-term  renewal  measures,  it  can  be  proven  through  evidence  that  the 
client has sufficient payment capacity to meet the debt, principal and interest, once the period of application 
of the temporary renewal has expired.

30

e.

The measure does not give rise to the successive application of several refinancing or restructuring measures 
for the same exposure.

In the event that operations are carried out that do not comply with the above, they will be considered non-viable 
operations and will form part of the Non-performing refinancing category.

c) Measurement metrics and tools

Credit rating tools

In  keeping  with  the  Santander  Group  tradition,  which  has  witnessed  the  use  of  proprietary  rating  models  since 
1993, at Santander Consumer Finance Group the credit quality of customers and transactions is also measured by 
internal scoring and rating systems. Each credit rating assigned by models relates to a certain probability of default 
or non-payment, based on the Group’s historical experience.

Since the Group focuses mainly on the retail business, assessments are based primarily on scoring models or tables 
which, combined with other credit policy rules, issue an automatic decision on the loan applications received. These 
tools have the dual advantage of allocating an objective appraisal of the level of risk and speeding up the response 
time that would be required for a purely manual analysis. 

In addition to the scoring models used for the approval and management of portfolios (rating of the transactions 
composing the portfolios in order to assess their credit quality and estimate their potential losses), other tools are 
available  to  assess  existing  accounts  and  customers  which  are  used  in  the  defaulted  loan  recovery  process.  The 
intention  is  to  cover  the  entire  “loan  cycle”  (approval,  monitoring  and  recovery)  by  means  of  statistical  rating 
models based on the Bank’s internal historical data.

For individualised corporates and institutions, which at the Group include mainly dealers/retailers, the assessment 
of the level of credit risk is based on expert rating models that combine in the form of variables the most relevant 
factors to be taken into account in the assessment, in such a way that the rating process generates appraisals that 
are consistent and comparable among customers and summarise all the relevant information. In 2018 all the units 
conducted  reviews  of  the  aforementioned  portfolios,  involving  the  participation  of  all  areas  of  the  Group.  The 
review  meetings  covered  the  largest  exposures,  companies  under  special  surveillance  and  the  main  credit 
indicators of these portfolios.

Ratings assigned to customers are reviewed periodically to include any new financial information available and the 
experience  in  the  banking  relationship.  The  frequency  of  the  reviews  is  increased  in  the  case  of  customers  that 
reach certain levels in the automatic warning systems and of customers classified as requiring special monitoring. 
The rating tools themselves are also reviewed in order to progressively fine-tune the ratings they provide.

To  a  lesser  extent,  certain  exposures  are  also  assessed  using  the  global  rating  tools  which  cover  the  global 
wholesale  banking  segment.  Management  of  this  segment  is  centralised  at  the  Risk  Division  of  the  Santander 
Group,  for  both  rating  calculation  and  risk  monitoring  purposes.  These  tools  assign  a  rating  to  each  customer, 
which  is  obtained  from  a  quantitative  or  automatic  module,  based  on  balance  sheet  ratios  or  macroeconomic 
variables, supplemented by the analyst’s expert judgement.

The  Group’s  portfolio  of  individualised  corporates  is  scarcely  representative  of  the  total  risks  managed,  since  it 
relates mainly to vehicle dealer stock financing.

Credit risk parameters

The  assessment  of  customers  or  transactions  using  rating  or  scoring  systems  constitutes  a  judgement  of  their 
credit quality, which is quantified through the probability of default (PD). 

In addition to customer assessment, the quantification of credit risk requires the estimation of other parameters, 
such as exposure at default (EAD) and the percentage of EAD that will not be recovered (loss given default or LGD). 
Therefore, other relevant aspects are taken into account in estimating the risk involved in transactions, such as the 
quantification of off-balance-sheet exposures, which depends on the type of product, or the analysis of expected 
recoveries, which is related to the guarantees provided and other characteristics of the transaction: type of product, 
term, etc. 

31

These factors are the main credit risk parameters. Their combination facilitates calculation of the probable loss or 
expected  loss  (EL).  This  loss  is  considered  to  be  an  additional  cost  of  the  activity  which  is  reflected  in  the  risk 
premium and must be charged in the transaction price.

These  risk  parameters  also  make  it  possible  to  calculate  regulatory  capital  in  accordance  with  the  regulations 
deriving  from  the  new  Basel  Capital  Accord  (BIS  III).  Regulatory  capital  is  determined  as  the  difference  between 
unexpected loss and expected loss. 

Unexpected loss is the basis for the capital calculation and refers to a very high, albeit scantly probable, level of 
loss, which is not deemed to be recurring and must be catered for using capital. 

Observed loss: measurement of cost of credit

To  supplement  the  predictiveness  provided  by  the  advanced  models  described  above,  other  habitual  metrics  are 
used to facilitate prudent and effective management of credit risk based on observed loss.

In terms of recognition of losses, the cost of credit risk in Santander Consumer Finance is measured using different 
approaches: Change in non-performing loans (new defaults – cures – recovery of assets written off), net loan-loss 
provisions (gross provisions - recovery of assets written off), net losses (failures - recovery of losses) and expected 
loss. In order to obtain a monitoring ratio, the first two indicators (in 12 months) are divided by the average of 12 
months  of  the  total  portfolio  to  obtain  the  risk  premium  and  the  cost  of  credit.  These  gives  the  manager  a  full 
insight into the evolution and future prospects of the portfolio.

It  should  be  noted  that  unlike  default,  change  in  non-performing  loans  (end  doubtful  -  initial  doubtful  +  failed  - 
recovery of write-offs) refers to the total of the impaired portfolio in a period, regardless of the situation in which it 
is  found  (doubtful  and  failed).  This  makes  metrics  a  main  driver  when  it  comes  to  establishing  measures  for 
portfolio.

The  two  approaches  measure  the  same  reality  and,  consequently,  converge  in  the  long  term  although  they 
represent successive moments in credit risk cost measurement: flows of non-performing loans (MOV), coverage of 
non-performing loans (net credit loss provisions), respectively. Although they converge in the long term within the 
same economic cycle, the three approaches show differences at certain times, which are particularly significant at 
the start of a change of cycle, as observed in this period. These differences are explained by the different moment 
of  calculation  of  losses,  which  is  basically  determined  by  accounting  regulations  (for  example,  mortgage  loans 
have a coverage calendar and becomes written off “slower” than consumer portfolios). In addition, the analysis can 
be  clouded  by  changes  in  the  policy  of  hedging  and  default,  composition  of  the  portfolio,  doubtful  of  acquired 
entities,  changes  in  accounting  regulations  (IFRS9),  sale  of  portfolios  and  adjustments  on  expected  losses 
calculation parameters, etc.

e) Credit risk cycle

The  credit  risk  management  process  consists  of  identifying,  measuring  analysing,  controlling,  negotiating  and 
deciding  on  the  risks  incurred  in  the  Group’s  operations.  This  process  involves  the  areas  that  take  risks,  senior 
management and the Risk function.

As the Group is a member of the Santander Group, the process starts with senior management, through the board 
of directors and the executive risk committee, which set the risk policies and procedures, the limits and delegation 
of powers, and approve and supervise the framework for action by the risk function.

The risk cycle has three phases: pre-sale, sale and post-sale. The process is constantly revised, incorporating the 
results and conclusions of the after-sale phase into the study of risk and pre-sale planning.

32

e1. Pre-sale

•

Study of risk and credit rating process

Generally  speaking,  risk  study  consists  of  analysing  a  customer’s  capacity  to  meet  their  contractual 
commitments  with  the  Group  and  other  creditors.  This  entails  analysing  the  customer’s  credit  quality,  risk 
operations, solvency and profitability on the basis of the risk assumed.

With  this  objective,  the  Group  has  used  rating  models  for  classifying  customer  solvency  since  1993.  These 
mechanisms  are  applied  in  the  wholesale  segment  (sovereign,  financial  entities,  corporate  banking)  and  to 
SMEs and individuals.

The  rating  results  from  a  quantitative  model  based  on  balance  sheet  ratios  or  macroeconomic  variables, 
complemented by the expert judgement of analysts. 

The ratings given to customers are regularly reviewed, incorporating the latest available financial information 
and experience in the development of the banking relationship. The regularity of the reviews increases in the 
case of customers who trigger certain levels in the automatic warning systems and who are classified as special 
watch. The rating tools are also reviewed in order to adjust the accuracy of the rating. 

While  ratings  are  used  in  the  wholesale  sector  and  for  companies  and  institutions,  scoring  techniques 
predominate for individuals and smaller companies. In general, these techniques automatically assign a score 
to the customer for decision-making purposes, as explained in the Decisions on operations section.

•

Planning and setting limits

The purpose of this phase is to limit the levels of risk assumed by the Group, efficiently and comprehensively. 
The  credit  risk  planning  process  serves  to  set  the  budgets  and  limits  at  the  portfolio  level  for  subsidiaries. 
Planning  is  carried  out  through  a  dashboard  that  ensures  that  the  business  plan  and  lending  policy  are 
achieved, and that the resources needed to achieve these are available. This arose as a joint initiative between 
the Sales area and the Risk function, providing a management tool and a way of working as a team. 

Incorporating  the  volatility  of  macroeconomic  variables  that  affect  portfolio  performance  is  a  key  aspect  in 
planning.  The  Group  simulates  this  performance  under  a  range  of  adverse  and  stressed  scenarios  (stress 
testing), enabling assessment of the Group's solvency in specific situations.

Scenario  analysis  enables  senior  management  to  understand  the  portfolio's  evolution  in  the  face  of  market 
conditions and changes in the environment. It is a key tool for assessing the sufficiency of provisions in stress 
scenarios.

Limits are planned and established using documents agreed between the Business and Risk areas and approved 
by  the  Group,  setting  out  the  expected  business  results  in  terms  of  risk  and  return,  the  limits  to  which  this 
activity is subject and management of the associated risks, by group or customer. 

e2. Sales

• Decisions and operations

The sales phase consists of the decision-making process, analysing and deciding on operations. Approval by the 
risk  area  is  a  prior  requirement  before  the  contracting  of  any  risk.  This  process  must  take  into  account  the 
policies defined for approving operations, the risk appetite and the elements of the operation that are relevant 
to the search for the right balance between risk and profitability.

In  the  sphere  of  standardised  customers  (individuals  and  businesses  and  SMEs  with  low  turnover),  large 
volumes of credit operations can be managed more easily by using automatic decision models for classifying 
the  customer/transaction  pair.  The  ratings  these  models  give  to  transactions  enable  lending  to  be  classified 
consistently into homogeneous risk groups, based on information on the characteristics of the transaction and 
its owner.

33

e3. After-sales

• Monitoring

The Monitoring function is based on a continuous process of ongoing observation, enabling early detection of 
changes that could affect the credit quality of customers, in order to take measures to correct deviations with a 
negative impact.

This monitoring is based on customer segmentation, and is carried out by dedicated local and global risk teams, 
supplemented by internal audit.

The function includes, among other tasks, the identification, monitoring and assignment of policies at customer 
level to anticipate surprises and manage them in the most appropriate way for their situation, credit policies, 
rating reviews and continuous monitoring of indicators.

The system called Santander Customer Assessment Notes (SCAN) distinguishes between four levels depending 
on  the  level  of  concern  of  the  circumstances  observed  (Specialized  Follow-up,  Intensive  Follow-up,  Ordinary 
Follow-up, Do Not Attend). The inclusion of a position in SCAN does not imply that non-compliance has been 
recorded,  but  rather  the  convenience  of  adopting  a  specific  policy  with  the  same,  determining  the  person 
responsible  and  the  time  frame  in  which  it  must  be  carried  out.  SCAN  qualified  clients  are  reviewed  at  least 
semi-annually, being such review quarterly and/or monthly for the most serious grades. The ways in which a 
firm qualifies in SCAN are the monitoring work itself, the review carried out by the internal audit, the decision of 
the  commercial  manager  who  oversees  the  firm  or  the  entry  into  operation  of  the  established  system  of 
automatic alarms. 

Ratings are reviewed at least every year, but this may be more frequent if weaknesses are detected or based on 
the rating itself.

The  main  risk  indicators  for  individual  customers,  businesses  and  SMEs  with  low  turnover  are  monitored  to 
detect  changes  in  the  performance  of  the  loan  portfolio  with  respect  to  the  projections  in  the  commercial 
strategic plans (CSPs).

Measurement and control

In  addition  to  monitoring  the  customers'  credit  quality,  the  Group  puts  in  place  the  necessary  control 
procedures to analyse the current credit risk portfolio and its performance throughout the different stages of 
credit risk.

This  function  assesses  risks  from  a  range  of  interrelated  standpoints.  The  key  vectors  of  control  are 
geographies,  business  areas,  management  models,  products,  etc.  The  approach  allows  for  early  detection  of 
specific focal points, and the framing of action plans to correct any impairment.

Each control axis supports two types of analysis:

1.- Quantitative and qualitative portfolio analysis

Portfolio analysis continuously and systematically monitors changes in risk with respect to budgets, limits and 
benchmark  standards,  evaluating  the  effects  with  a  view  to  future  situations  driven  by  external  factors  or 
arising  from  strategic  decisions,  so  as  to  establish  measures  that  place  the  profile  and  volume  of  the  risk 
portfolio within the parameters set by the Group.

In the credit risk control phase, the following metrics, among others, are used in addition to the conventional 
ones:

• MDV (change in manage NPLs)

MDV measures how NPLs change over a period, stripping out write-offs and including recoveries. It is an 
aggregate metric at the portfolio level that enables us to react to any impairments seen in the behaviour of 
non-performing loans.

34

•

EL (expected loss) and capital

Expected  loss  is  an  estimate  of  the  financial  loss  that  will  occur  over  the  next  year  from  the  portfolio 
existing  at  the  given  time.  It  is  a  further  cost  of  business,  and  must  be  reflected  in  the  pricing  of 
transactions.

2.- Evaluation of control processes

A  systematic  scheduled  review  of  procedures  and  methods,  implemented  throughout  the  entire  credit  risk 
cycle, to ensure control process effectiveness and validity.

In 2006, within the corporate framework established across the Group for compliance with the Sarbanes Oxley 
Act,  a  corporate  methodology  was  created  for  the  documentation  and  certification  of  the  Control  Model, 
specified in terms of tasks, operating risks and controls. The risk division annually evaluates the efficiency of 
internal control of its activities.

Moreover,  the  internal  validation  function,  as  part  of  its  mission  to  supervise  the  quality  of  the  Group's  risk 
management, ensures that the management and control systems for the different risks inherent in the Group's 
business  comply  with  the  most  stringent  criteria  and  best  practices  seen  in  the  industry  and/or  required  by 
regulators.  In  addition,  internal  audit  is  responsible  for  ensuring  that  policies,  methods  and  procedures  are 
adequate, effectively implemented and regularly reviewed.

Recoveries management

Recovery  activity  is  an  important  function  within  the  Group's  risk  management  area.  The  area  responsible  is 
Collection  and  Recoveries,  which  frames  a  global  strategy  and  a  comprehensive  approach  to  recovery 
management.

The Group combines a global model with local execution, taking account of the specific features of the business 
in each area.

The  main  objective  of  the  recovery  activity  is  to  recover  outstanding  debts  and  obligations  by  managing  our 
customers, thus contributing to a lesser need for provisions and a lower cost of risk.

The specific targets of the recovery process are guided as follows:

•

Achieve collection or regularisation of outstanding balances, so that an account returns to its normal state; 
if  this  is  not  possible,  the  objective  is  total  or  partial  recovery  of  debts,  whatever  their  accounting  or 
management status.

• Maintain and strengthen our relationship with the customer by addressing their behaviour with an offer of 
management  tools,  such  as  refinancing  products  according  to  their  needs,  consistently  with  careful 
corporate policies of approval and control, as established by the risk areas.  

In  the  recovery  activity,  Standardised  customers  and  Individually  Managed  customers  are  segmented  or 
differentiated  with  specific  and  comprehensive  management  models  in  each  case,  according  to  basic 
specialisation criteria. 

Management is articulated through a multichannel customer relationship strategy.  The telephone channel is 
oriented towards standardised management, with a focus on achieving contact with customers and monitoring 
payment  agreements,  prioritising  and  adapting  management  actions  based  on  the  state  of  progress  of  their 
situation of "in arrears", "doubtful" or "in default", their balance sheet and their payment commitments. 

The commercial network of recovery management operates alongside the telephone channel. It is a means of 
developing  a  closer  relationship  with  selected  customers,  and  is  composed  of  teams  of  agents  with  a  highly 
commercial  focus,  specific  training  and  strong  negotiation  skills.  They  conduct  personalised  management  of 
their  own  portfolios  of  high-impact  customers  (large  balance  sheets,  special  products,  customers  requiring 
special management).

Recovery  activities  at  advanced  stages  of  non-performance  are  guided  by  a  dual  judicial  and  extra  judicial 
management  approach.  Commercial  and  follow-up  activities  by  telephone  and  via  agent  networks  are 
continued, applying strategies and practices specific to the state of progress. 

35

The  management  model  encourages  proactivity  and  targeted  management  through  continuous  recovery 
campaigns with specific approaches for customer groups and non-performance states, acting with predefined 
goals through specific strategies and intensive activities via appropriate channels within limited time frames.

Suitable local production and analysis of daily and monthly management information, aligned with corporate 
models, have been defined as the basis of business intelligence for ongoing decision-making for management 
guidance and results monitoring.

 Concentration risk

Concentration  risk  is  a  key  component  of  credit  risk  management.  The  Santander  Group,  which  Santander 
Consumer  Finance  Group  belongs,  continuously  monitors  the  degree  of  credit  risk  concentration,  by 
geographical area/country, economic sector, product and customer group.

The Board of Directors, by reference to the risk appetite, determines the maximum levels of concentration, and 
the executive risk committee establishes the risk policies and reviews the appropriate exposure limits to ensure 
the adequate management of credit risk concentration.

Santander Consumer Finance is subject to Bank of Spain regulations on large exposures contained in the fourth 
part of the CRR (Regulation UE No.575 / 2013), according to which the exposure contracted by an entity with 
respect  to  a  client  or  related  group  of  clients  will  be  considered  'great  exposure'  when  its  value  is  equal  or 
greater  than  10%  of  its  computable  capital.  Additionally,  to  limit  large  exposures,  no  entity  may  assume 
against a client or group of clients linked to each other an exposure whose value exceeds 25% of its eligible 
capital, after taking into account the effect of credit risk reduction under rule. 

At  December  closing,  after  applying  risk  mitigation  techniques,  no  group  reached  the  aforementioned 
thresholds.

The  Santander  Consumer  Finance  Group’s  Risk  Division  works  closely  with  the  Finance  Division  in  the  active 
management  of  credit  portfolios,  which  includes  reducing  the  concentration  of  exposures  through  several 
techniques,  such  as  the  arrangement  of  credit  derivatives  for  hedging  purposes  or  the  performance  of 
securitisation transactions, in order to optimise the risk/return ratio of the total portfolio.

The detail, by activity and geographical area of the counterparty, of the concentration of the Group's risk (*) at 
31 December 2022 and 2021 is as follows:

Credit institutions

Public sector

Of which:

Central government

Other

2022

Spain

  2,940,703 
924,475

Other EU 
Countries

6,497,642

5,504,140

921,804

4,255,960

2,671

1,248,180

EUR Thousands

Americas

—

—

—

—

Rest of the 
world

Total

242,744

9,681,089

42,951

6,471,566

60

5,177,824

42,891

1,293,742

Other financial institutions

10,863

1,145,014

338,628

246,749

1,741,254

Non-financial companies and individual traders

3,171,286

28,351,567

Of which:

Construction and property development

Civil engineering construction

Large companies

SMEs and individual traders

Other households and non-profit institutions 

serving households

Of which:

Residential

Consumer loans
Other purposes

—

—

211,566

6,678

1,034,445

10,699,079

2,136,841

17,434,244

—

—

—

—

—

2,673,489

34,196,342

—

—

211,566

6,678

986,488

12,720,012

1,687,001

21,258,086

10,121,975

54,814,108

14

6,575,205

71,511,302

1,318,606

2,394,903

8,714,320
89,049

52,074,766
344,439

—

14
—

—

3,713,509

6,575,205
—

67,364,305
433,488

Total 123,601,553

(*)  The  definition  of  risk  for  the  purposes  of  this  table  includes  the  following  items  on  the  public  consolidated  balance  sheet:  'Loans  and 
advances:  to  credit  institutions',  'Loans  and  advances:  central  banks',  'Loans  and  advances:  to  customers'  ,  'Debt  securities',  'Equity 
instruments', 'Derivatives', 'Derivatives - Hedge accounting', 'Participations and guarantees granted'.

36

Credit institutions

Public sector

Of which:

Central government

Other

Other financial institutions

2021

Spain

  5,096,843 
1,136,219

Other EU 
Countries
15,221,781

2,687,032

1,135,291

2,106,457

928

2,706

580,575

983,191

EUR Thousands

Americas

Rest of the 
world

Total

3

—

—

—

419,861

20,738,488

177,194

4,000,445

132,741

3,374,489

44,453

625,956

206,888

225,043

1,417,828

Non-financial companies and individual traders

1,962,248

23,787,207

—

2,511,404

28,260,859

Of which:

Construction and property development

Civil engineering construction
Large companies

SMEs and individual traders

Other households and non-profit institutions 

serving households

Of which:

Residential

Consumer loans

Other purposes

—

—

257,106

5,846

698,777

8,693,490

1,263,471

14,830,765

11,112,915

53,012,709

1,441,332

2,418,162

9,575,949

50,296,449

95,634

298,098

—

—

—

—

7

—

7

—

—

—

257,106

5,846

967,906

10,360,173

1,543,498

17,637,734

6,694,057

70,819,688

—

3,859,494

6,694,057

66,566,462

—

393,732

Total 125,237,308

(*)  For  the  purposes  of  this  table,  the  definition  of  risk  includes  the  following  items  in  the  public  consolidated  balance  sheet:  “Cash,  cash 
balances  at  central  banks  and  others  deposits  on  demand”,  “Deposits  to  Credit  Institutions”,  “Loans  and  Advances  to  Customers”,  “Debt 
Instruments”, “Trading Derivatives”, “Hedging Derivatives”, “Investments”, “Equity Instruments” and “Contingent Liabilities”,

Market, structural and liquidity risk

a) Scope and definitions

The measurement perimeter, control and monitoring of the Market Risks function covers those operations where 
equity risk is assumed, as consequence of changes in market factors.

These risks are generated through two fundamental types of activities:

•

•

The trading activity, which includes both the provision of financial services in markets for clients, in which the 
entity is the counterparty, as well as the activity of buying and selling and own positioning in fixed income, 
variable income and currency products.

Santander  Consumer  Finance  does  not  do  negotiation  activities  (trading),  it  limits  its  treasury  activity  to 
manage the structural risk of the balance sheet and its coverage, as well as to manage the liquidity necessary 
to finance the business.

The  management  activity  of  the  balance  sheet  or  ALM,  which  involves  managing  the  risks  inherent  in  the 
entity's balance sheet, excluding the trading portfolio.

The risks generated in these activities are;

• Market:  risk  incurred  because  of  the  possibility  of  changes  in  market  factors  that  affect  the  value  of  the 

positions that the entity maintains in its trading portfolios (trading book).

•

Structural: risk caused by the management of the different balance sheet items. This risk includes both the 
losses  from  price  fluctuations  that  affect  the  available-for-sale  and  held-to-maturity  portfolios  (banking 
book),  as  well  as  the  losses  derived  from  the  management  of  the  Group's  assets  and  liabilities  valued  at 
amortized cost.

37

•

Liquidity:  risk  of  not  meeting  payment  obligations  on  time  or  doing  so  at  an  excessive  cost,  as  well  as  the 
ability to finance the growth of its volume of assets. Among the types of losses caused by this risk are losses 
due to forced sales of assets or impacts on margin due to the mismatch between forecast cash outflows and 
cash inflows.

Trading and structural market risks, depending on the market variable that generates them, can be classified as:

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

 Interest rate risk: identifies the possibility that variations in interest rates may adversely affect the value of a 
financial instrument, a portfolio or the Group.

Credit  spread  risk:  identifies  the  possibility  that  variations  in  credit  spread  curves  associated  with  specific 
issuers and types of debt may adversely affect the value of a financial instrument, a portfolio or the Group. 
The  spread  is  a  differential  between  financial  instruments  that  trade  with  a  margin  over  other  reference 
instruments, mainly IRR (Internal Rate of Return) of government securities and interbank interest rates.

Exchange rate risk: identifies the possibility that variations in the value of a position in a currency other than 
the base currency may adversely affect the value of a financial instrument, a portfolio or the Grou .

Inflation  risk:  identifies  the  possibility  that  variations  in  inflation  rates  may  adversely  affect  the  value  of  a 
financial instrument, a portfolio or the Group.

Volatility risk: identifies the possibility that variations in the listed volatility of market variables may adversely 
affect the value of a financial instrument, a portfolio or the Group.

Liquidity risk: identifies the possibility that an entity or the Group will not be able to undo or close a position 
on time without impacting the market price or the cost of the transaction.

Prepayment  or  cancellation  risk:  identifies  the  possibility  that  early  cancellation  without  negotiation,  in 
operations whose contractual relationship explicitly or implicitly allows it, generates cash flows that must be 
reinvested at a potentially lower interest rate.

There are other variables that exclusively affect market risk (and not structural risk), so that it can be further classified 
into:

•

•

•

•

Variable  income  risk:  identifies  the  possibility  that  changes  in  the  value  of  prices  or  in  the  expectations  of 
dividends of variable income instruments may adversely affect the value of a financial instrument, a portfolio 
or the Group.

Raw materials risk: identifies the possibility that changes in the value of merchandise prices may adversely 
affect the value of a financial instrument, a portfolio or the Group.

Correlation  risk:  identifies  the  possibility  that  changes  in  the  correlation  between  variables,  whether  of  the 
same  type  or  of  a  different  nature,  quoted  by  the  market,  may  adversely  affect  the  value  of  a  financial 
instrument, a portfolio or the Group

Underwriting risk: identifies the possibility that the placement objectives of securities or other types of debt 
will not be achieved when the entity participates in underwriting them.

Liquidity risk can be classified into the following categories:

•

Financing  risk:  identifies  the  possibility  that  the  entity  is  unable  to  meet  its  obligations  as  a  result  of  the 
inability to sell assets or obtain financing.

• Mismatch  risk:  identifies  the  possibility  that  the  differences  between  the  maturity  structures  of  assets  and 

liabilities generate an extra cost to the entity.

•

Contingency risk: identifies the possibility of not having adequate management elements to obtain liquidity 
as a result of an extreme event that implies greater financing or collateral needs to obtain it.

38

b) Measurement and methods

1. Structural interest-rate risk

The Group analyses the sensitivity of net interest income and of equity to interest rate fluctuations. This sensitivity 
is determined by mismatches in the maturity and review dates of interest rates of different balance sheet items.

According to the interest rate positioning of the balance sheet, and considering the situation and perspectives of 
the market, financial measures are adopted to adjust the positioning to that sought by the Bank. These measures 
may  range  from  taking  up  positions  in  markets  to  the  specification  of  interest  rate  characteristics  of  commercial 
products.

The  metrics  used  to  control  the  interest  rate  risk  in  these  activities  are  the  interest  rate  gap,  financial  margin 
sensibility and equity in the levels of interest rate.

•

Interest rate gap

Analysis of the interest rate gap deals with the mismatch between the timing of re-pricing of on and off-balance 
aggregates of assets and liabilities and of memorandum accounts (off-balance sheet). It provides a basic profile of 
the balance sheet structure and can detect concentrations of interest rate risk at different terms. It is also a useful 
tool for estimates of the potential impact of interest rate movements on net interest income and the equity of the 
entity.

All  on-  and  off-balance  sheet  aggregates  have  to  be  broken  down  so  that  they  can  be  placed  in  the  point  of 
repricing/maturity. For aggregates that do not have a contractual maturity, the Santander Group's internal model 
for analysis and estimation of their durations and sensitivity is used.

•

Sensitivity of Net Interest Income (NII)

The sensitivity of net interest income measures the change in expected accruals for a certain period (12 months) in 
the event of a shift in the interest rate curve.

•

Sensitivity of Economic Value of Equity (EVE)

This measures the implied interest rate risk in the economic value of equity which, for the purposes of interest rate 
risk, is defined as the difference between the net present value of assets minus the net present value of liabilities, 
based on the effect of a change in interest rates on such present values.

2. Liquidity risk

Management of structural liquidity aims to fund the recurring activity of the Santander Consumer Finance Group in 
optimal conditions of term and cost, while avoiding undesired liquidity risks.

The measures used for the control of liquidity risk are the liquidity gap, liquidity ratios, the statement of structural 
liquidity, liquidity stress tests, the financial plan, the liquidity contingency plan and regulatory reporting.

•

Liquidity Gap

The liquidity gap provides information on contractual and expected cash inflows and outflows for a given period in 
each of the currencies in which the Santander Consumer Finance Group operates. The gap measures the net cash 
needed or the surplus at a given date and reflects the liquidity level maintained under normal market conditions.

In the contractual liquidity gap, all balance sheet items that generate cash flows are analysed and placed at their 
point of contractual maturity. For assets and liabilities with no contractual maturity, the Santander Group's internal 
analysis  model  is  used.  It  is  based  on  a  statistical  study  of  products'  time  series,  and  the  so-called  stable  and 
unstable balance is determined for liquidity purposes.

•

Liquidity ratios

The minimum liquidity ratio compares liquid assets available for sale or transfer (after the relevant discounts and 
adjustments have been applied) and assets at less than 12 months with liabilities of up to 12 months.

39

The Net Stable Funding Ratio measures the extent to which assets that require structural funding are being funded 
by structural liabilities.

•

Structural liquidity

The  purpose  of  this  analysis  is  to  determine  the  structural  liquidity  position  according  to  the  liquidity  profile 
(greater or lesser stability) of different asset and liability instruments.

•

Liquidity stress test

The purpose of the liquidity stress tests conducted by the Santander Consumer Finance Group is to determine the 
impact of a severe, but plausible, liquidity crisis. In such stress scenarios, a simulation is made of internal factors 
that may affect Group liquidity, such as, inter alia, a credit rating downgrade of the institution, a fall in the value of 
balance  sheet  assets,  banking  crises,  regulatory  factors,  a  change  in  consumer  trends  and/or  a  loss  of  depositor 
confidence. 

Every month, four liquidity stress scenarios (banking crisis in Spain, idiosyncratic crisis at the Santander Consumer 
Finance Group, global crisis and a combined scenario) are simulated by stressing these factors, and the results are 
used to establish early warning levels.

•

Financial Plan

Every  year,  a  liquidity  plan  is  prepared  based  on  the  funding  needs  arising  from  the  business  budgets  of  all  the 
Group's  subsidiaries.  Based  on  these  liquidity  requirements,  an  analysis  is  made  of  limits  on  new  securitisation 
considering eligible assets available, in addition to potential growth in customer deposits. This information is used 
to establish an issue and securitisation plan for the year. Throughout the year, regular monitoring is carried out of 
actual trends in funding requirements, thus giving rise to the revisions of the plan.

•

Contingency Funding Plan

The purpose of the Liquidity Contingency Plan is to set out the processes (governance structure) to be followed in 
the event of a potential or real liquidity crisis, as well as the analysis of contingency actions or levers available to 
Management should such a situation arise.

The Liquidity Contingency Plan is underpinned by, and must be designed in line with, two key elements: liquidity 
stress tests and the early warning indicator (EWI) system. Stress tests and different scenarios are used as the basis 
for  analysing  available  contingency  actions  and  for  determining  such  actions  are  sufficient.  The  EWI  system 
monitors  and  potentially  triggers  the  escalation  mechanism  for  activating  the  plan  and  subsequently  monitoring 
the situation.

•

Regulatory Reporting

Santander  Consumer  Finance  applies  the  Liquidity  Coverage  Ratio  (LCR)  as  required  by  the  European  Banking 
Authority  (EBA)  for  the  consolidated  sub-group  on  a  monthly  basis,  and  the  net  stable  funding  ratio  (NSFR)  on  a 
quarterly basis.

In  addition,  Santander  Consumer  Finance  has  produced  an  annual  Internal  Liquidity  Adequacy  and  Assessment 
Process (ILAAP) report as part of the consolidated document of the Santander Group, although the supervisor does 
not require this report at sub-group level.

3. Structural change risk

Structural change risk is managed centrally, as part of the general corporate procedures of the Santander Group.

c)

Internal Control

The  structural  and  liquidity  risk  control  environment  in  Santander  Consumer  Finance  Group  is  based  on  the 
framework of the annual limits plan, where the limits for said risks are established, responding to the Group's level 
of risk appetite.

40

The limit structure involves a process that considers:

•

•

•

•

•

Efficient  and  comprehensive  identification  and  delimitation  of  the  main  types  of  market  risk  incurred, 
consistently with the management of the business and the strategy defined.

Quantification  and  communication  of  the  risk  levels  and  profile  considered  acceptable  by  senior 
management to the business areas, so that undesired risks are not incurred.

Providing  flexibility  for  the  business  areas  in  the  acceptance  of  risks,  responding  efficiently  and 
appropriately  to  developments  in  the  market  and  changes  in  business  strategies,  within  the  risk  limits 
considered acceptable by the entity.

Enabling business generators to take sufficient prudent risks to achieve their budgeted results.

Delimiting  the  range  of  products  and  underlying  assets  in  which  each  Treasury  unit  can  operate, 
considering characteristics such as the model and assessment systems, the liquidity of the instruments 
involved, etc.

In  the  event  of  exceeding  one  of  these  limits  or  their  sub-limits,  the  risk  management  officers  involved  must 
explain the reasons and facilitate an action plan to correct it.

The main management limits for structural risk at the consolidated Santander Consumer level are: 

•

•

One-year net interest income sensitivity limit. 

Equity value sensitivity limit.

The  limits  are  compared  with  the  sensitivity  that  implies  a  greater  loss  among  those  calculated  for  different 
scenarios of parallel rise and fall of the interest rate curve. During 2022, these limits applied to the scenarios of 
plus  and  minus  25  basis  points,  and  as  of  January  2023  they  have  been  established  on  the  most  adverse  loss 
among  8  scenarios  of  parallel  increases  and  decreases  of  up  to  100  basis  points.  In  addition,  other  parallel  and 
non-parallel  scenarios  are  calculated,  including  those  defined  by  the  European  Banking  Authority  (EBA).  Using 
various scenarios allows for better control of interest rate risk. In the lowering interest rates scenarios, negative 
interest rates are contemplated.

During 2022, the level of exposure at the consolidated level in the SCF Group, both on the financial margin and on 
economic value, is low in relation to the budget and the amount of own resources respectively, being in both cases 
less than 1% throughout the year. year, and within the established limits.

With  regard  to  liquidity  risk,  the  main  limits  at  the  Santander  Consumer  Finance  Group  level  include  regulatory 
liquidity  metrics  such  as  the  LCR  and  NSFR,  as  well  as  liquidity  stress  tests  under  different  adverse  scenarios 
previously mentioned.

At  the  end  of  December  2022,  all  liquidity  metrics  are  above  the  internal  limits  in  force,  as  well  as  regulatory 
requirements. Both for the LCR and for the NSFR at the consolidated Group level, it has been at levels above 115% 
and 103% throughout the year.

d) Management

Balance  sheet  management  entails  the  analysis,  projection  and  simulation  of  structural  risks,  along  with  the 
design,  proposal  and  execution  of  transactions  and  strategies  to  manage  this  risk.  Finance  Management  is 
responsible for this process, and it takes a projection-based approach where and when this is applicable or feasible

A high-level description of the main processes and/or responsibilities in managing structural risks is as follows:

•

Analysis of the balance sheet and its structural risks.

• Monitoring  of  movements  in  the  most  relevant  markets  for  asset  and  liability  management  (ALM)  for  the 

Group.

•

Planning.  Design,  maintenance  and  monitoring  of  certain  planning  instruments.  Finance  Management  is 
responsible  for  preparing,  following  and  maintaining  the  financial  plan,  the  funding  plan  and  the  liquidity 
contingency plan. 

41

•

•

Strategy proposals. Design of strategies aimed at funding the SCF sub-group's business by securing the best 
available  market  conditions  or  by  managing  the  balance  sheet  and  its  exposure  to  structural  risks,  thereby 
avoiding unnecessary risks, preserving net interest income and safeguarding the market value of equity and 
capital.

Execution. To achieve appropriate ALM positioning, Finance Management uses different tools. Chief among 
these are issues in debt or capital markets, securitisation, deposits and interest rate and/or currency hedges, 
and management of ALCO portfolios and the minimum liquidity buffer. 

•

Compliance with risk limits and with risk appetite

e)

IBOR reform

Since  2013,  various  supranational  bodies  and  authorities  (IOSCO  and  FSB)  have  driven  and  monitored  reform 
initiatives to ensure more robust interest rate benchmarks. In this context, central banks and regulators in several 
jurisdictions organised work groups to recommend risk-free indices so that the transition would be non-disruptive 
and progressive.

The main aim was to facilitate the shift to the risk-free indices identified in various countries, particularly the SONIA 
index, as the Libor's sterling index replacement, the SOFR for the USD Libor and the €STR for the euro Libor. 

As  a  result  of  the  combined  efforts  of  market  authorities  and  participants,  this  transition  process  led  to  various 
milestones during the period from 2019 to 2022, leaving only the implementation of the sterling Libor and USD 
Libor plans for 2023. 

According to the regulatory transition milestones, the USD Libor terms (overnight, 1M, 3M, 6M and 12M) will still 
be calculated using contributions from the panel banks until mid-2023, although their use in new operations has 
been limited since the end of 2021. The final USD Libor publication date for the overnight and 12M terms will be 30 
June  2023.  For  the  1,  3  and  6-month  terms,  on  23  November  2022  the  FCA  announced  a  consultation  on  its 
proposal to require the Libor administrator IBA to carry on publishing these terms for the USD Libor using a non-
representative  "synthetic"  method  until  end-September  2024.  Publication  would  be  permanently  discontinued 
from then on. 

Publication of the sterling Libor using the synthetic method for the 3-month term has been confirmed until end-
March 2024, while the 1 and 6-month terms will cease to be published in March 2023. 

According  to  the  milestones  mentioned,  the  Group  and  its  entities  have  been  focusing  on  making  all  the 
contractual, commercial, operational and technological changes necessary to shift to these benchmarks. Work will 
continue  in  2023  to  meet  the  next  transition  milestones  in  each  of  the  Group's  jurisdictions.  There  follows  a 
breakdown of the carrying amount of financial assets, financial liabilities, derivatives and loan commitments that 
remain referenced to the indices pending transition at 31 December 2022.

EUR Thousand

Loans and 
advances

Debt Securities 
(Assets)

Deposits

Debt securities 
issued 
(Liabilities)

Derivatives 
(Assets)

Derivatives 
(Liabilities)

Loan 
commitments 
granted

Referenced to EONIA

—

Referenced to LIBOR

Of which USD

Of which GBP

40,000

40,000

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

977,612

41,533

25,713

—

—

—

977,612

41,533

25,713

—

—

—

—

42

Operational risk

a. Definition and objectives

The  Bank  defines  operational  risk  (OR)  as  the  risk  of  loss  resulting  from  inadequate  or  failed  internal  processes, 
people and systems, or from external events.

Operational risk is inherent to all products, activities, processes and systems, and is generated in all business and 
support areas. Accordingly, all employees are responsible for managing and controlling operational risks arising in 
their area of activity.

The aim pursued by the Bank in operational risk control and management is primarily to identify, measure/ assess, 
monitor, control, mitigate and report this risk.

The Bank's priority, therefore, is to identify and mitigate focal points of risk, irrespective of whether they have given 
rise  to  any  losses.  Measurement  also  contributes  to  the  establishment  of  priorities  in  the  management  of 
operational risk.

To improve and promote adequate operational risk management, Santander Consumer Finance has developed an 
advanced loss distribution model (LDA) based on internal event database such as the external loss database of our 
banking  peers  (ORX  consortium  database)  and  scenario  analysis.  This  approach  is  accepted  by  t  he  industry  and 
regulators

b. Operational risk management and control model

Operational risk management cycle

The stages of the model of operational risk management and control involve the following:

•

Identifying  the  operational  risk  inherent  to  all  activities,  products,  processes  and  systems  of  the  Group.  This 
process is carried out via the Risk and Control Self-assessment (RCSA) exercise.

• Definition  of  the  target  operational  risk  profile,  specifying  the  strategies  by  unit  and  time  horizon,  through  the 

establishment of the operational risk appetite and tolerance, the budget and the related monitoring.

•

Encouragement of the involvement of all employees in the operational risk culture, through appropriate training 
for all areas and levels of the organisation.  

43

• Objective and ongoing measurement and assessment of operational risk, consistent with industry and regulatory 

standards (Basel, Bank of Spain, etc.).

•

•

•

Continuous  monitoring  of  operational  risk  exposures,  implementation  of  control  procedures,  improvement  of 
internal awareness and mitigation of losses.

Establishment of mitigation measures to eliminate or minimise operational risk.

Preparation  of  periodic  reports  on  the  exposure  to  operational  risk  and  its  level  of  control  for  the  senior 
management of the Group and its areas/units, and reporting to the market and the regulatory authorities.

• Definition  and  implementation  of  the  methodology  required  for  calculating  capital  in  terms  of  expected  and 

unexpected loss. 

 The following is required for each of the key processes indicated above:

•

The  existence  of  a  system  whereby  operational  risk  exposures  can  be  reported  and  controlled,  as  part  of  the 
Group's daily management efforts.

Towards  this  end,  in  2016  the  Group  implemented  a  single  tool  for  management  and  control  of  operational  risk, 
compliance and internal control, called Heracles, and which is considered the Golden Source for Risk Data Aggregation 
(RDA).

Internal rules and regulations based on principles for management and control of operational risk have been defined 
and approved pursuant to the established governance system and in line with prevailing regulation and best practices.

In 2015, the Group adhered to the relevant corporate framework and subsequently, the model, policies and procedures 
were approved and implemented, along with the Operational Risk Committee Regulation. 

The model of operational risk management and control implemented by the Group provides the following benefits: 

– It promotes the development of an operational risk culture.

– It  allows  for  comprehensive  and  effective  management  of  operational  risk  (identification,  measurement  / 

assessment, control / mitigation, and reporting).

– It  improves  knowledge  of  both  actual  and  potential  operational  risks  and  their  assignment  to  businesses  and 

support lines.

– Information on operational risk helps improve processes and controls and reduce losses and income volatility.

– It facilitates the setting of limits for operational risk appetite.

44

c. Risk identification, measurement and assessment model

In November 2014, the Group adopted the new management system of the Santander Group, in which three lines of 
defence are defined:

•

1st line of defence: integrated in areas of business or support areas. Its tasks are to identify, measure or assess, 
control  (primary  control)  mitigate  and  report  the  risks  inherent  to  the  activity  or  function  for  which  it  is 
responsible.

Given  the  complexity  and  heterogeneous  nature  of  Operational  Risk  within  a  large-scale  organization  with  various 
lines of business, appropriate risk management is carried out in two axes:

(1) Operational Risk Management: each business unit and support function of the Santander Group is responsible for 
the Operational Risks arising within its scope, as well as for their management. This particularly affects the heads of 
the business units and support functions, but also the coordinator (or OR team) in the 1LoD.

(2)  Management  of  specialized  Operational  Risk  controls:  there  are  some  functions  that  tend  to  manage  specialized 
controls for certain risks where they have greater visibility and specialization. Such functions have a global view of the 
specific Operational Risk exposure in all areas. We can also refer to them as Subject Matter Experts or SME.

OR Managers:

Operational  Risk  management  is  the  responsibility  of  all  staff  in  their  respective  areas  of  activity.  Consequently,  the 
Head of each division or area has the ultimate responsibility for Operational Risk in its scope.

OR Coordinators:

OR  coordinators  are  actively  involved  in  Operational  Risk  management  and  support  the  RO  managers  in  their  own 
areas  of  OR  management  and  control.  Each  coordinator  has  a  certain  scope  for  action,  which  does  not  necessarily 
coincide with organizational units or areas, and has an in-depth knowledge of the activities within their scope. Their 
roles and responsibilities include:

•

•

•

•

Interaction  Undertake  interaction  with  the  second  line  of  defense  in  day-to-day  operations  and 
communication to Operational Risk Management in their scope.

Facilitate integration in the management of OR in each scope.

Support  the  implementation  of  qualitative  and  quantitative  methodologies  and  tools  for  operations 
management and control.

Provide support and advice on Operational Risk within its scope.

• Maintain an overview of risk exposure in scope.

•

•

•

Ensure  the  quality  and  consistency  of  data  and  information  reported  to  2LoD,  identifying  and  monitoring 
the implementation of relevant controls.

Review and monitor results provided by business units and support functions related to controls testing.

Support in sign-off and certification of controls (control testing).

• Monitor mitigation plans in your area.

•

Coordinate the definition of business continuity plans in your area.

2nd line of defence: Exercised by the Non-Financial Risks Department and reporting to the CRO. Its functions are the 
design, maintenance and development of the local adaptation of the Operational Risk Management Framework (BIS), 
and control and challenge on the first line of defense of Operational Risk. Their main responsibilities include:

•

Design, maintain and develop the Operational Risk management and control model, promoting the 
development of an operational risk culture throughout the Group.

45

•

•

•

•

•

•

Safeguard the adequate design, maintenance and implementation of the Operational Risk regulations.

Encourage the business units to effectively supervise the identified risks.

Guarantee that each key risk that affects the entity is identified and duly managed by the corresponding 
units.

Ensure that the Group has implemented effective RO management processes.

Prepare Operational Risk appetite tolerance proposals and monitor risk limits in the Group and in the 
different local units.

Ensure that Top Management receives a global vision of all relevant risks, guaranteeing adequate 
communication and reports to Senior Management and the Board of Directors, through the established 
governing bodies.

In addition, the 2LoD will provide the information necessary for its consolidation, along with the remaining risks, to the 
risk consolidation and supervision function.

To ensure proper supervision, a solid knowledge of the activities of the Business Units / Support Functions is required, 
as  well  as  a  specific  understanding  of  the  categories  of  risk  events  (IT,  Compliance,  etc.)  and  a  Local  Capacity  and 
Capability Plan. In that context, the RO control function (2LOD function) needs to take advantage of specific profiles 
that  can  support  the  implementation  of  the  RO  framework  in  the  1LOD,  but  also  provide  specific  risk  exposure  and 
business  information,  to  ensure  that  the  RO  profile  related  is  well  managed  and  reported.  Business  Risk  Managers 
(BRM) as business insight specialists (eg Global Corporate Banking) and Specialized Risk Managers (SRM) as OR control 
specialists (eg IT and cyber risks) perform these functions within OR 2LOD and are positioned as key contact points for 
1LOD business units and operations management support functions.

3rd line of defence: Exercised by Internal Audit, which evaluates the compliance of all activities and units of the entity 
with its policies and procedures. His main responsibilities include:

•

•

•

•

•

Verify that the risks inherent to the Group's activity are sufficiently covered, complying with the policies 
established by Senior Management and the applicable internal and external procedures and regulations.

Supervise compliance, effectiveness and efficiency of the internal control systems for operations in the 
Group, as well as the quality of accounting information.

Carry  out  an  independent  review  and  challenge  the  OR  controls,  as  well  as  the  Operational  Risk 
management processes and systems.

Evaluate the state of implementation of the OR management and control model in the Group.

Recommend continuous improvement for all functions involved in operations management.

46

Management at the Bank is carried out based on the following elements:

To  carry  out  the  identification,  measurement  and  evaluation  of  operational  risk,  a  set  of  quantitative  and  qualitative 
corporate techniques / tools have been defined, which are combined to carry out a diagnosis based on the identified 
risks and obtain an assessment through the measurement / evaluation of area / unit.

The  quantitative  analysis  of  this  risk  is  carried  out  mainly  through  tools  that  record  and  quantify  the  level  of  losses 
associated with operational risk events.

•

Internal events database, whose objective is to capture all the Bank's operational risk events. The capture of 
events related to operational risk is not restricted by establishing thresholds, that is, there are no exclusions 
based on the amount, and it contains both events with an accounting impact (including positive impacts) and 
non-accounting ones.

There are accounting reconciliation processes that guarantee the quality of the information collected in the database. 
The most relevant events of the Bank and of each operational risk unit thereof are specially documented and reviewed.

•

•

External  database  of  events,  since  the  Bank,  through  the  Santander  Group,  participates  in  international 
consortiums,  such  as  ORX  (operational  risk  exchange).  In  2016,  the  use  of  external  databases  that  provide 
quantitative and qualitative information and that allow a more detailed and structured analysis of relevant 
events that have occurred in the sector was reinforced.

Analysis of RO scenarios. Expert opinion is obtained from the business lines and risk and control managers, 
whose objective is to identify potential events with a very low probability of occurrence, but which, in turn, 
may  entail  a  very  high  loss  for  an  institution.  Its  possible  effect  on  the  entity  is  evaluated  and  additional 
controls  and  mitigating  measures  are  identified  that  reduce  the  possibility  of  a  high  economic  impact.  In 
addition, the results of this exercise (which has also been integrated into the HERACLES tool) will be used as 
one  of  the  inputs  for  the  calculation  of  economic  capital  for  operational  risk  based  on  the  advanced  model 
(LDA).

The  tools  defined  for  the  qualitative  analysis  try  to  evaluate  aspects  (coverage  /  exposure)  linked  to  the  risk  profile, 
thereby allowing the capture of the existing control environment. These tools are mainly:

•

RCSA:  Methodology  for  the  evaluation  of  operational  risks,  based  on  the  expert  criteria  of  the  managers, 
serves to obtain a qualitative vision of the main sources of risk of the Bank, regardless of whether they have 
materialized previously.

47

 
Advantages of the RCSA:

a.

b.

c.

d.

Encourage  the  responsibility  of  the  first  lines  of  defense:  The  figures  of  risk  owner  and  control 
owner in the first line are determined.

Favor the identification of the most relevant risks: Risks that are not pre-defined, but arise from the 
areas that generate risk.

Improve the integration of RO tools: Root cause analysis is incorporated.

Improve  exercise  validation.  It  is  developed  through  workshops  or  workshops,  instead  of 
questionnaires.

e. Make the exercises have a more forward-looking approach: The financial impact of risk exposure is 

evaluated.

•

•

Corporate  system  of  operational  risk  indicators,  in  continuous  evolution  and  in  coordination  with  the 
corresponding corporate area. They are statistics or parameters of various kinds that provide information on an 
entity's  exposure  to  risk.  These  indicators  are  reviewed  periodically  to  warn  of  changes  that  may  reveal 
problems with risk.

Recommendations from regulators, Internal Audit and the external auditor. These provide relevant information 
on inherent risk arising from internal and external factors, and enable identification of weaknesses in controls.

• Other  specific  instruments  that  permit  a  more  detailed  analysis  of  technology  risk,  such  as  control  of  critical 

incidences in systems and cyber-security events.

d. Operational risk information system

HERACLES  is  the  corporate  operational  risk  information  system.  This  system  has  modules  for  risk  self-assessment, 
event  registration,  a  risk  and  assessment  map,  indicators  of  both  operational  risk  and  of  internal  control,  mitigation 
and reporting systems and scenario analysis, and it is applied to all entities of the Consumer Group including Bank.

e. Business Continuity Plan

The  Santander  Group  and,  accordingly,  the  Santander  Consumer  Finance  Group,  have  a  Business  Continuity 
Management System (BCMS) to ensure the continuity of its entities' business processes in the event of a disaster or 
serious incident.

48

 
The basic objective consists of the following:

• Minimising  possible  injury  to  persons,  as  well  as  adverse  financial  and  business  impacts  for  the  Bank, 

resulting from an interruption of normal business operations.

•

•

•

•

•

Reducing  the  operational  effects  of  a  disaster  by  supplying  a  series  of  pre-defined,  flexible  guidelines  and 
procedures to be employed in order to resume and recover processes.

Resuming time-sensitive business operations and associated support functions, in order to achieve business 
continuity, stable earnings and planned growth.

Re-establishing the time-sensitive technology and transaction-support operations of the business if existing 
technologies are not operational.

Safeguarding the public image of, and confidence in, the Bank.

Satisfy the Bank's obligations to its employees, customers, shareholders and other interested third parties.

f.  Corporate information

The  Santander  Group's  and  Bank´s  corporate  operational  risk  control  area  has  an  operational  risk  management 
information system that provides data on the Bank's main risk elements. The information available from each country/
unit in the operational risk sphere is consolidated to obtain a global view with the following features:

•

•

Two levels of information: a corporate level, with consolidated information, and an individual level containing 
information for each country/unit.

Dissemination  of  best  practices  among  the  Santander  Group  countries/units,  obtained  from  the  combined 
study of the results of quantitative and qualitative analyses of operational risk.

Specifically, information is prepared on the following subjects:

•

•

•

•

•

•

The operational risk management model in the Bank and the main units and geographic areas of the Group.

The scope of operational risk management.

The monitoring of appetite metrics

Analysis of internal event database and of significant external events.

Analysis  of  most  significant  risks  detected  using  various  information  sources,  such  as  operational  and 
technology risk self-assessment processes.

Evaluation and analysis of risk indicators.

• Mitigation measures/active management.

•

Business continuity plans and contingency plans.

This  information  is  used  as  the  basis  for  meeting  reporting  requirements  to  the  Executive  Risk  Committee,  the  Risk 
Supervision, Regulation and Compliance Committee, the Operational Risk Committee, senior management, regulators, 
credit rating agencies, etc.

g. The role of insurance un operational risk management

The Santander Consumer Finance Group considers insurance to be a key tool in the management of operational risk. 
Since  2014,  common  guidelines  have  been  in  place  for  coordination  between  the  different  functions  involved  in  the 
management cycle of operational risk-mitigating insurance, mainly the areas of proprietary insurance and operational 
risk control, but also different areas of first line risk management.

49

These guidelines include the following activities: 

•

•

•

•

Identification of all risks at the Group that could be covered by insurance, as well as new insurance cover for 
risks already identified in the market.

Establishment and implementation of criteria for quantifying insurable risk, based on the analysis of losses and 
in loss scenarios that make it possible to determine the Group's level of exposure to each risk.

Analysis  of  the  cover  available  in  the  insurance  market,  as  well  as  preliminary  design  of  the  terms  and 
conditions that best suit the requirements previously identified and evaluated.

Technical assessment of the level of protection provided by a policy, the cost and levels of retention that would 
be  assumed  by  the  Group  (deductibles  and  other  items  borne  by  the  insured)  for  the  purpose  of  deciding 
whether to contract it.

• Negotiation with suppliers and contract awards in accordance with the relevant procedures established by the 

Bank.

• Monitoring  of  claims  reported  under  the  policies,  as  well  as  those  not  reported  or  not  recovered  due  to 

incorrect reporting.

•

•

•

•

Close cooperation between local operational risk officers and local insurance coordinators in order to enhance 
operational risk mitigation. 

Regular meetings to inform on the specific activities, situation and projects of the two areas.

Analysis of the adequacy of the group's policies to the risks covered, taking the appropriate corrective measures 
for the deficiencies detected.

Active participation of both areas in the global insurance sourcing table, the highest technical body in the Group 
for the definition of insurance coverage and contracting strategies.

Cyber risk

Cybersecurity risk (also known as cyber risk) is defined as any risk that produces financial loss, business interruption or 
damage to the reputation of Santander Consumer derived from the destruction, misuse, theft or abuse of systems or 
information. This risk comes from inside and outside the corporation.
In the event of a cyber incident, the main cyber risks for the Bank are made up of three elements:

– Unauthorized access or misuse of information or systems (eg. theft of business or personal information).

– Theft and financial fraud.

– Interruption of business service (eg, sabotage, extortion, denial of service).

During  2022,  the  Bank  has  continued  to  pay  full  attention  to  risks  related  to  cybersecurity.  This  situation,  which 
generates concern in entities and regulators, prompts them to adopt preventive measures to be prepared for attacks of 
this nature.

The  Bank  has  evolved  its  cyber  regulations  with  the  approval  of  a  new  cybersecurity  framework  and  the  cyberrisk 
supervision model, as well as different policies related to this matter.

Similarly, a new organizational structure has been defined and governance for the management and control of this risk 
has  been  strengthened.  For  this  purpose,  specific  committees  have  been  established  and  cybersecurity  metrics  have 
been incorporated into the Bank's risk appetite.

The main instruments and processes established to control cybersecurity risk are:

•

Compliance with the cyber risk appetite, the objective of this process being to guarantee that the cyber risk 
profile is in line with the risk appetite. The cyber risk appetite is defined by a series of metrics, risk statements 
and indicators with their corresponding tolerance thresholds and where existing government structures are 
used to monitor and escalate, including Risk committees, as well as Cybersecurity committees. .

50

•

•

Cybersecurity risk identification and assessment: The cyberrisk identification and assessment process is a key 
process to anticipate and determine risk factors that could estimate their probability and impact. Cyber risks 
are identified and classified in line with the control categories defined in the latest relevant industry security 
standards (such as ISO 27k, the NIST Cybersecurity Framework, etc.). The methodology includes the methods 
used to identify, qualify and quantify cyber risks, as well as to evaluate the controls and corrective measures 
that the first line of defense function develops. Cyber risk assessment exercises are the fundamental tool for 
identifying  and  evaluating  cyber  security  risks  in  the  Bank.  The  cybersecurity  and  technological  risk 
assessment will be updated when reasonably necessary taking into account changes in information systems, 
confidential or business information, as well as the entity's business operations.

Control and mitigation of cyber risk: processes related to the evaluation of the effectiveness of controls and 
risk  mitigation.  Once  the  cyber  risks  have  been  assessed  and  the  mitigation  measures  have  been  defined, 
these  measures  are  included  in  a  Santander  Consumer  Finance  cybersecurity  risk  mitigation  plan  and  the 
residual risks identified are formally accepted. Due to the nature of cyber risks, a periodic evaluation of risk 
mitigation plans is carried out. A key process in the face of a successful cybersecurity attack is the business 
continuity plan. The Bank has mitigation strategies and measures related to business continuity and disaster 
recovery  management  plans.  These  measures  are  also  linked  to  cyber  attacks,  based  on  defined  policies, 
methodologies and procedures.

• Monitoring,  supervision  and  communication  of  cyber  risk:  Santander  Consumer  Finance  carries  out  control 
and monitoring of cyber risk in order to periodically analyze the information available on the risks assumed in 
the  development  of  the  Bank's  activities.  For  this,  the  key  risk  indicators  (KRI)  and  the  key  performance 
indicators (KPI) are controlled and supervised to assess whether the risk exposure is in accordance with the 
agreed risk appetite. Escalation and reporting: The proper escalation and communication of cyber threats and 
cyber attacks is another key process. Santander Consumer Finance has tools and processes to detect internal 
threat  signals  and  potential  compromises  in  its  infrastructure,  servers,  applications  and  databases. 
Communication includes the preparation of reports and the presentation to the relevant committees of the 
information necessary to assess the exposure to cyber risk and the profile of cyber risk and take the necessary 
decisions  and  measures.  For  this,  they  prepare  reports  on  the  cyber  risk  situation  for  the  management 
committees. Also, there are mechanisms for internal escalation independent of the bank's management team 
of technological and cybersecurity incidents and, if necessary, the corresponding regulator.

Other emerging risks

In  addition  to  the  aforementioned  Cyber  Risk,  the  Santander  Consumer  Group  is  increasingly  strengthening  the 
supervision of new emerging risks derived from 1) supplier management and 2) transformation projects.

– Regarding supplier management risks, the focus is on the quality and continuity of services provided to SCF, but 
also on ensuring compliance with the new EBA Guidelines and Regulations such as DORA through implementation 
of specific risk instruments throughout the different phases of the supplier's life cycle

–  The  Transformation  Operational  Risk  is  that  derived  from  changes  in  the  organization,  launch  of  new  products, 
services,  systems  or  processes  derived  from  imperfect  design,  construction,  testing,  deployment  of  projects  and 
initiatives, as well as the transition to the day- a-day (BAU). The transformation constitutes a root cause, which can 
manifest  itself  in  a  variety  of  risks  and  impacts,  not  restricted  to  Operational  Risk,  (for  example,  Credit,  Market, 
Financial Crimes…)

Compliance and conduct risk

The compliance function includes all issues relating to regulatory compliance, prevention of money laundering and 
terrorist financing, governance of products and consumer protection, and reputational risk according to the General 
Corporate Compliance and Conduct Framework (Marco Corporativo General de Cumplimiento y Conducta). 

The  compliance  function  promotes  the  adhesion  of  Santander  Consumer  Finance,  S.A.  ("SCF")  to  standards, 
supervisory requirements, and the principles and values of good conduct by setting standards, debating, advising 
and reporting, in the interest of employees, customers, shareholders and the wider community. In accordance with 
the current corporate configuration of the Santander Group's three lines of defence, the compliance function is a 
second-line independent control function that reports directly to the Board of Directors and its committees through 
the  CCO.  This  configuration  is  aligned  with  the  requirements  of  banking  regulation  and  with  the  expectations  of 
supervisors.

51

The  SCF  Group's  objective  in  the  area  of  compliance  and  conduct  risk  is  to  minimise  the  probability  that 
noncompliance  and  irregularities  occur  and  that  any  that  should  occur  are  identified,  assessed,  reported  and 
quickly resolved. 

The  main  tools  used  by  the  Compliance  function  in  order  to  meet  their  objectives  are  (among  others): 
establishment  and  coordination  with  the  Compliance  Program,  coordination  of  the  Risk  Assessments  of  all  the 
areas of Compliance and Conduct, definition and monitoring of the Compliance Metrics that participate in the SCF 
Appetite Risk Framework and monitoring of the Norms of Obligatory Compliance. 

Climate and environmental risk

Santander  Consumer  Finance's  ESG  strategy  (environmental,  climate,  social  and  governance  factors)  consists  of 
doing  business  in  a  responsible  and  sustainable  way,  supporting  the  green  transition,  building  a  more  inclusive 
society and doing business correctly, following the most rigorous government standards.

On  the  other  hand,  ESG  factors  can  carry  traditional  types  of  risk  (for  example,  credit,  liquidity,  operational  or 
reputational) due to the physical impacts of a changing climate, the risks associated with the transition to a new, 
more  sustainable  economy  and  the  Failure  to  meet  expectations  and  commitments.  For  this  reason,  they  are 
included in the Santander Consumer Finance risk map as relevant risk factors.

In  recent  times,  climate  risks  (physical  risks  and  transition  risks)  have  become  very  relevant,  and  for  this  reason 
Santander Consumer Finance is reinforcing its management and control in coordination with the Santander Group 
corporate teams within the framework of the Climate Project, being Some of the priorities are as follows:

1.

2.

3.

EWRM (Enterprise-Wide Risk Management) approach, which provides a holistic and anticipatory vision of 
climatic aspects as a basis for their proper management.
Availability of relevant data (for example, CO2 emissions from financed assets, financing ratio of green 
assets,  sectoral  classification  and  location  of  companies,  energy  efficiency  certificates  and  location  of 
collaterals, etc.).
Integration of climatic risks in the day-to-day management and control of risks.

The relevance of the data and its quality is, if possible, even greater in this area than in the rest, given that some 
data that until recently was not very relevant and perhaps was not even collected has become essential for issues 
such as Alignment of portfolios to environmental objectives, information disclosure or climate risk management. 
Therefore, one of the pillars of the Climate Project is to collect said data with the required quality.

Regarding  the  EWRM  approach,  first  of  all,  a  fundamentally  qualitative  evaluation  has  been  carried  out  on  the 
implications  and  materiality  of  climatic  aspects  for  Santander  Consumer  Finance,  with  special  focus  on  the  auto 
portfolio, which is summarized in the following paragraphs.

As previously mentioned, for Banking in general, the climate is a transversal issue with multiple angles, but with 
two main interrelated dimensions:

1.

Banks  have  a  key  role  in  mitigating  climate  change  and  the  transition  towards  a  new  green 
economy.

2. Weather aspects can cause losses to Banks through different transmission mechanisms.

With regard to Santander Consumer Finance in particular, our vision is as follows:

1. Our  role  in  sustainable  financing:  the  alignment  of  our  portfolios  to  the  ambition  of  net  zero 
emissions is happening naturally and gradually thanks to the policies of the European Union and the 
short  duration  of  our  contracts.  In  any  case,  Santander  Consumer  Finance  is  becoming  more 
sustainable and proactively helping clients to become more sustainable. In this path, the effort that 
is being made in terms of data and information dissemination is essential.

52

2.

Potential  impacts  of  climate  risks  on  Santander  Consumer  Finance:  from  the  materiality  analysis 
carried  out,  it  is  concluded  that  the  types  of  risk  most  affected  for  SCF  are  credit,  residual  value, 
reputational and strategic (business model). The potential impacts are greatly mitigated thanks to 
the  context  (gradual  transformation  of  the  automobile  industry)  and  the  business  model  of 
Santander  Consumer  Finance  (whose  portfolios  are  mainly  retail,  of  good  quality,  short-term  and 
diversified). On the other hand, climate issues could be the trigger for a general economic crisis, for 
example due to a disorderly transition to the new green economy. We are already managing these 
risks, but we will continue to strengthen their management and control.

Climate risks have been progressively incorporated into the different EWRM processes:

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

"Top Risks": framed within the event of evolution of the automotive sector, which has historically 
been identified as one of the main ones in the matrix,

Risk map: as a transversal risk, included as such since 2021,

Assessment of the risk profile: through a questionnaire related to the control environment, as well 
as a qualitative assessment,

Risk  appetite:  through  stress  metrics,  as  well  as  the  opening  of  the  residual  value  by  the  type  of 
engine,

Risk strategy,

Strategic risk, as a driver of changes in market trends,

Capital  risk  and  stress  tests.  The  stress  tests  included  in  the  strategic  plans  and  in  the  ICAAP  of 
Santander  Consumer  Finance  take  into  account  climate  risks  through  idiosyncratic  events,  in 
addition to a specific scenario included in this exercise to reflect the potential impact of a disorderly 
transition towards an economically low emissions. The results of these stress tests form part of the 
entity's risk appetite.

Stress test scenarios and methodologies will become more sophisticated as more information becomes available. 
In 2022, Santander Consumer Finance has participated, together with the Santander Group teams, in the first ECB 
climate stress test and in the thematic review of climate risks.

Finally,  with  regard  to  day-to-day  integration  of  risk  management  and  control,  Santander  Consumer  Finance's 
EWRM team prepares an internal climate risk monitoring report quarterly, which will also be incorporated from of 
its  publication  the  results  of  the  exercise  of  Pillar  III  ESG.  In  parallel,  work  is  being  done  on  the  integration  of 
climate risks in all phases of the risk cycle, ensuring compliance with the commitments acquired and supervisory 
expectations. The initiatives for calculating emissions are framed within this axis, as a basis for the commitments of 
the Net Zero Banking Alliance.

Proposed appropiation of profit or loss

The  appropriation  of  profit  obtained  by  the  Bank  in  2022,  amounting  EUR  851,793  thousand,  will  be  submitted  for 
approval by the shareholders at the Annual General Shareholder’s Meeting in accordance with the following proposal:

Legal reserve: EUR 85,179 thousand

Voluntary reserve: EUR 114,411 thousand

Capital and treasury shares

In  2022  the  Group  did  not  conclude  any  transactions  involving  treasury  shares/own  shares.  There  was  no  treasury 
share balance on its balance sheet at 31 December 2022.

Research and development

Grupo  Santander  understands  innovation  and  technological  development  as  a  key  anchor  point  of  the  corporate 
strategy,  and  seeks  to  take  advantage  of  the  opportunities  offered  by  digitalization.  Aligned  with  the  Santander 
Consumer Finance Group's technology and innovation strategy, it leverages global capabilities and incorporates local 
particularities to maximize the development of its business and stay ahead of its competitors. 

53

It is crucial for Technology and Operations to support the needs of the business, with specific value-added proposals 
for  the  value  offer  of  consumer  finance,  focusing  on  the  point  of  sale,  customer  management  and  the  design  of 
specialized products, guaranteeing optimal management of the process to maintain good efficiency ratios and ensure 
control of technological and operational security.

On  the  other  hand,  like  the  rest  of  the  Santander  Group's  units,  Santander  Consumer  Finance  is  coming  under 
increasing  pressure  from  ever  more  demanding  regulatory  requirements  that  impact  the  systems  model  and 
underlying technology, and require additional investments to ensure compliance and legal security.

Events after the reporting date

Events occurring after the 2022 year-end are disclosed in Note 1-i to the consolidated financial statements.

Compliance with regulatory framework

The Basel III regulations came into effect in 2014, setting new global standards for the capital, liquidity and leverage of 
financial entities. 

From the capital perspective, Basel III redefines what is considered available capital for financial entities (including new 
deductions  and  increasing  requirements  for  eligible  capital  instruments);  increases  minimum  capital  requirements; 
requires financial entities to always hold capital buffers; and adds new requirements for the risks considered. 

These regulations were implemented in Europe through Directive 2013/36/EU, known as ‘CRD IV’, and its regulations, 
575/2013 (CRR), which apply directly in all EU member states (Single Rule Book). These rules are currently subject to 
regulatory development by the European Banking Authority (EBA). 

CRD  IV  was  introduced  into  Spanish  law  through  Act  10/2014,  on  the  ordering,  supervision  and  solvency  of  credit 
institutions,  and  its  subsequent  regulatory  implementation  through  Royal  Decree  Act  84/2015.  The  CRR  is  directly 
applicable to member states from 1 January 2014 and repeals lower-ranking standards that entail additional capital 
requirements. 

The CRR provides for a phase-in period that will allow institutions to adapt gradually to the new requirements in the 
European  Union.  The  phase-in  arrangements  have  been  introduced  into  Spanish  law  through  Bank  of  Spain  Circular 
2/2014.  The  phase-in  affects  both  the  new  deductions  from  capital  and  the  capital  instruments  and  elements  that 
cease to be eligible as capital under the new regulations. The capital conservation buffers provided for in CRD IV are 
also being phased in gradually, starting in 2016 and reaching full implementation in 2019.

In 2022, the Santander Consumer Finance Group must maintain a minimum capital ratio of 7.89% CET1 phase-in (4.5% 
for  Pillar  I,  0.84%  for  Pillar  II,  2.5%  for  the  capital  conservation  buffer,  and  0.05%  for  the  anticyclical  buffer).  This 
requirement includes: (i) the minimum Common Equity Tier 1 requirement to be maintained at all times under Section 
92(1)(a) of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 (ii) the Common Equity Tier 1 requirement to be maintained in excess at all 
times under Section 16(2)(a) of Regulation (EU) No 1024/2013; and (iii) the capital conservation buffer under Section 
129 of Directive 2013/36/EU. In addition, the Santander Consumer Finance Group must maintain a minimum capital 
ratio of 9.675% of Q1 phase-in as well as a minimum Total Ratio of 12.05% phase-in.

At the end of 2022, the Bank exceeds the prudential requirement defined by the ECB, with a CET1 (Fully Loaded) ratio 
of 12.53% and a total capital ratio of 16.52% (Fully Loaded).

Regarding credit risk, the Bank continues its plan to implement the advanced internal models approach (AIRB) of Basel. 
This progress is also conditioned by the acquisitions of new entities, as well as by the need for coordination between 
supervisors of the internal model validation processes.

The  Santander  Consumer  Finance  Group  is  mainly  present  in  geographies  where  the  legal  framework  between 
supervisors is the same, as is the case in Europe through the Capital Directive.

Currently, the Santander Consumer Finance Group has supervisory authorization for the use of advanced approaches 
for the calculation of regulatory capital requirements for credit risk for its main portfolios in Spain, certain portfolios in 
Germany, the Nordic countries and France. 

With  regard  to  operational  risk,  the  Santander  Consumer  Finance  Group  currently  uses  the  standard  approach  for 
calculating regulatory capital provided for in the European Capital Directive.

54

In  relation  to  the  other  risks  explicitly  contemplated  in  Pillar  I  of  Basel,  market  risk  is  not  significant  in  Santander 
Consumer Finance since it is not the object of the business, and the standard approach is used.

Leverage ratio

The leverage ratio has been defined within the regulatory framework of Basel III as a measure of the capital required 
by  financial  institutions  not  sensitive  to  risk.  The  Group  performs  the  calculation  as  stipulated  in  CRD  IV  and  its 
subsequent  amendment  in  EU  Regulation  no.  573/2013  of  17  January  2015,  which  was  aimed  at  harmonising 
calculation criteria with those specified in the BCBS “Basel III leverage ratio framework” and “Disclosure requirements” 
documents. This ratio is calculated as the ratio of Tier 1 divided by leverage exposure.

The ratio mentioned is  calculated as the quotient between Tier 1 divided by the leverage exposure. This exposure is 
calculated as the sum of the following elements:

•

Accounting asset, without derivatives and without elements considered as deductions in Tier 1 (for example, 
the balance of the loans is included but not the goodwill).

• Memorandum accounts (guarantees, unused credit limits granted, documentary credits, mainly) weighted by 

credit conversion factors.

•

•

•

Inclusion  of  the  net  value  of  derivatives  (gains  and  losses  are  netted  with  the  same  counterparty,  less 
collateral if they meet certain criteria) plus a surcharge for potential exposure 

A surcharge for the potential risk of securities financing operations 

Finally, a surcharge is included for the risk of credit derivatives (CDS).

Santander Consumer Finance maintains a fully loaded leverage ratio at sub consolidated level of 8.93% at the end of 
2022, based on a reference ratio of 3%.

Economic capital

From  the  point  of  view  of  solvency,  in  the  context  of  Basel  Pillar  II  Santander  Consumer  Finance  Group  uses  its 
economic model for its internal capital adequacy assessment process (ICAAP). For this purpose, business performance 
and capital needs are planned under a base case scenario and under alternative stress scenarios.

In this scenario, the Group ensures that it maintains its solvency targets even in adverse economic scenarios.

Economic  capital  is  the  capital  required,  according  to  an  internally  developed  model,  to  support  all  the  risks  of  our 
business at a certain level of solvency. In our case, the solvency level is determined by the long-term objective rating of 
'A'  (two  steps  above  Spain's  rating),  which  means  applying  a  confidence  level  of  99.95%  (above  the  regulatory 
99.90%) to calculate the necessary capital.

The  Group's  economic  capital  model  includes  in  its  measurement  all  significant  risks  incurred  by  the  Group  in  its 
operations, and therefore considers risks such as concentration, structural interest rate, business, pensions and others 
that  are  outside  the  scope  of  "regulatory"  Pillar  1.  Furthermore,  economic  capital  incorporates  the  diversification 
effect, which in the case of the Group is crucial, due to the multinational and multi-business nature of its activity, in 
order to determine the overall risk and solvency profile. 

The  Santander  Consumer  Finance  Group  uses  the  RORAC  method  in  its  risk  management  to  calculate  the  economic 
capital  consumption  and  return  on  risk-adjusted  capital  of  the  Group's  business  units,  segments,  portfolios  or 
customers, in order to periodically analyse value creation and facilitate optimal allocation of capital. 

The  RORAC  methodology  makes  it  possible  to  compare,  on  a  uniform  basis,  the  returns  on  transactions,  customers, 
portfolios and businesses, identifying those that obtain a risk-adjusted return higher than the Group's cost of capital, 
and thus aligning risk and business management with the intention of maximising value creation, which is the ultimate 
objective of Santander Consumer Finance's senior management. 

55

Annual corporate governance report

Pursuant to article 9,4 of Order ECC/461/2013, of 20 March, from the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, the 
Bank, an entity domiciled in Spain with voting rights belonging, directly and/or indirectly, to Banco Santander, S.A., has 
not prepared an annual corporate governance report, as this is drawn up and filed with the CNMV by Banco Santander, 
S.A. as the parent of the Santander Group.

Non-financial information

On  28  December  2018,  the  Council  of  Ministers  approved  Law  11/2018  amending  the  Commercial  Code,  the 
consolidated text of the Companies Law approved by Royal Legislative Decree 1/2010 of 2 July and Law 22/2015 of 20 
July on account auditing, non-financial reporting and diversity. 

The  statement  of  non-financial  information  shall  contain  the  following:  a  brief  description  of  the  group's  business 
model, the group's relevant policies and their outcomes, the principal risks related to its business, in addition to non-
financial  key  performance  indicators  on  matters  relating  to  the  environment,  employees,  human  rights,  the  fight 
against corruption and bribery and diversity.

The Directive applies to entities whose average number of employees in the financial year exceeds 500 and which are 
either considered to be public-interest entities in accordance with auditing legislation or, for two consecutive financial 
years,  at  the  closing  date  of  each  year  engage  at  least  two  of  the  circumstances  indicated  in  the  Law.  However, 
subsidiaries belonging to a group are exempt from this obligation if the company and its subsidiaries are included in 
another company's consolidated management report.

In  this  regard,  as  a  subsidiary  of  Banco  Santander  S.A,  Santander  Consumer  Finance,  S.A.  and  the  companies  in  the 
Consumer Finance Group (consolidated) have included this information in the management report of Banco Santander 
S.A.  and  subsidiaries  for  the  year  ended  31  December  2022,  which  has  been  filed  with  the  Companies'  Registry  of 
Santander, together with the consolidated financial statements of the Banco Santander Group and subsidiaries, as set 
out in note 1 to the accompanying Notes. These are also available at www.santander.com

Capital structure and significant shareholders

Banco Santander, S.A.

1,879,546,152 Ownership 99.99%

Cántabro Catalana de Inversiones, S.A.

20 Ownership 0.00000106%

Total number of shares outstanding

Par value

Shareholder's equity

1,879,546,152

3.00

5,638,638,516

At 31 December 2022, the Bank’s share capital consisted of 1,879,546,172 registered shares, with a par value of EUR 3 
each, all fully subscribed and paid up, and with equal dividend and voting rights.

Restrictions on the transferability of shares

Not applicable

Restrictions on voting rights

The shareholders attending the Annual General Meeting will have one vote for each share that they hold or represent.

Only the holders of 20 or more shares will be entitled to attend the Annual General Meeting, provided that they are 
registered in their name in the share register.

Side agreements

Not applicable

56

Appointment and replacement of members of the Board of Directors and amendment of the bylaws

The representation of the Bank is the responsibility of the Board of Directors, which will comprise no fewer than 5 and 
no more than 15 members, who will be appointed by the Annual General Meeting for a period of three years, although 
they may be re-elected, as many times as may be desired, for further three-year periods.

It is not necessary to be a shareholder of the Bank in order to be a director.

Powers of the member of the Board of Directors

On  17  December  2020,  the  SCF,  S.A.  Board  of  Directors  granted  powers  of  attorney  to    Mr.  José  Luis  de  Mora  Gil-
Gallardo and Mr. Ezequiel Szafir as Managing Directors of Santander Consumer Finance, S.A.  The Board of Directors 
agreed to delegate in favor of Mr. José Luis de Mora Gil-Gallardo and Mr. Ezequiel Szafir, jointly and severally, all the 
powers of the Board, except those that cannot be legally delegated.

Because  of  the  reason  of  his  re-election  as  Director,  agreed  by  the  General  Shareholders'  Meeting  on  February  24, 
2022,  the  Board  of  Directors,  agreed  to  the  re-election  of  Mr.  José  Luis  de  Mora  as  CEO,  attributing  him,  jointly  and 
severally, all the Board Directors’ faculties, except those that may not be delegated by law or bylaws, classified as non-
delegable in the Board Regulations, which are the following:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

The approval of the Company's general policies and strategies, and the supervision of their application.

The formulation of the annual accounts and their presentation to the general meeting.

The  formulation  of  any  kind  of  report  required  by  law  to  the  board  of  directors  as  long  as  the  operation  to 
which the report refers cannot be delegated.

The announcement of the shareholders’ general meeting and the preparation of the agenda and the proposal 
of agreements.

The definition of the Group’s structure of companies of which the Company is the parent entity

The monitoring, control and periodic evaluation of the corporate governance and internal governance system 
and of the regulatory compliance policies, as well as the adoption of appropriate measures to solve, where 
appropriate, its deficiencies.

The approval, within the framework of the Social Statute and the remuneration policy for directors approved 
by the general meeting, of the remuneration that corresponds to each director.

The approval of the contracts that regulate the provision by the directors that its functions differs on those 
that  correspond  to  them  in  their  capacity  as  such  and  the  remuneration  that  corresponds  to  them  for  the 
performance of other functions different from the supervision and collegiate decision that they carry out in 
their capacity as mere council members.
The design and supervision of the director selection policy, as well as the director succession plans.

10. The selection and evaluation of directors.

11. The supervision of the development of the Responsible Banking Agenda.

12. The faculties that the general meeting has delegated to the board of directors, unless expressly authorized by 

it to sub-delegate them.

13. The determination of its organization and operation and, in particular, the approval and modification of the 

regulations of the Council

Significant agreements that are modified or terminated in the event of a change of control of the Company

Not applicable

Agreements  between  the  Company,  administrators,  managers  or  employees  that  provide  for  compensation  upon 
termination of the relationship with the Company due to a takeover bid.

57