On 26 September 2025, the Single Resolution Board (SRB) published Operational Guidance on Resolvability Testing for Banks (Operational Guidance).

The SRM Vision 2028 calls for an increased focus on banks’ operational readiness to implement resolution strategies. A key component of the SRM Vision 2028 is resolvability testing.

The purpose of the Operational Guidance is designed to implement the revised European Banking Authority (EBA) guidelines on improving resolvability by providing practical direction on the establishment of multi-annual testing programmes (MATPs).

The Operational Guidance applies to banks under the SRB’s direct remit that are earmarked for resolution, including bank resolution groups, in line with paragraph 26 of the EBA guidelines on improving resolvability.

The Operational Guidance covers:

• Testing areas and sub-areas.
• MATP.
• Testing methods.
• Testing governance expectations.
• Testing environment expectations.
• Steps involved in designing, preparing, performing, reporting and following up on tests.

The Operational Guidance is divided into two parts, with Part 1 containing general guidance and Part 2 containing guidance specific to each testing area/sub-area.

The SRB has also published a Feedback Statement following its earlier consultation on the Operational Guidance. Among other things the Feedback Statement notes that to address industry concerns, the Operational Guidance clarifies that banks do not need to replicate their entire IT infrastructure for testing purposes. The SRB also clarifies that banks may rely on production environments for resolvability testing, provided adequate safeguards are in place, and that test environments are only expected where expressly outlined in the Operational Guidance. Furthermore, the SRB emphasises that test environments do not need to be maintained and updated on a permanent basis, and that there is no expectation that they will interact with third-party test environments.