The Central Bank will consider new measures to increase the availability of loans for small and medium-sized businesses

The Bank of Russia (CB) will consider additional measures to simplify the process of issuing loans to small and medium enterprises (SMEs). In addition, the regulator intends to discuss with the government the extension of the fee compensation program for accepting payments through the fast payment system (FPS) for 2023.

Based on the results of the meeting with representatives of business associations in the Central Bank declaredthat the parameters of the mechanism for providing financing to banks under the program of stimulating lending will be discussed. It is clarified that in this way the regulator intends to increase the availability of loans for small businesses and reduce the costs of banks when working with it.

The meeting also discussed ways to develop cross-border payments with friendly countries and reduce transaction fees by paying through the FPS. The message of the regulator notes that the Central Bank intends to discuss with the government the conditions for extending this program for the next year.

As of November, the regulator notes, 479,000 trade and service enterprises have joined the SBP.

According to a survey of 1.8 thousand companies, the business activity indicators of small and medium-sized businesses in October, after the announcement of partial mobilization, decreased: the RSBI index (determined by the study of PSB, Opora Rossii and Magram Market Research) sank to 50.9 points. At the same time, back in August, the mood of SMEs as a result of recovery was at the level of January (53 p.). However, in the area of ​​lending kept positive dynamics – the share of entrepreneurs who received a loan grew against the backdrop of low lending rates and preferential programs.

Milena Kostereva