The Special Interest Compensation Fund Commission (FECI for its acronym in Spanish) held its second regular meeting on August 20, 2026. The Commission is composed of the Superintendency of Banks of Panama (SBP), which chairs it, the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF), and the Ministry of Agricultural Development (MIDA).
During the meeting, the Commission addressed several matters aimed at strengthening the proper implementation of the regulations governing the FECI Regime. Three interpretative criteria were updated to establish clear, consistent guidelines that address current challenges and benefit the agricultural sector.
The FECI Commission also unanimously approved its Internal Regulations through FECI Commission Resolution No. 001-2026.
The regulations set out provisions concerning the Commission’s composition and responsibilities; the holding of in-person, virtual, and hybrid meetings; quorum requirements and meeting minutes; and the procedures for adopting, formalizing, and communicating interpretative criteria under the FECI Regime.
The regulations also establish that the SBP will formalize the interpretative criteria approved by the Commission through administrative instruments of general application. These instruments will be published for information of entities subject to the regime, thereby promoting consistent application of the provisions in force.
With the approval of these regulations, the FECI Commission strengthens the institutional framework governing the performance of its duties and enhances coordination among its member institutions, contributing to more orderly management and the proper implementation of the FECI Regime.
The meeting was attended by Commission members and technical support staff from the institutions represented. Among those in attendance was SBP’s General Secretary, accompanied by specialists from the legal, supervision, and FECI areas, who provided technical support in reviewing the matters on the agenda.
In its capacity as FECI Administrator, the SBP presented the Commission members with a report on the Fund’s financial results as of June 30, 2026. It is worth noting that the FECI Audited Financial Statements as of December 31, 2025, as well as information on the interest discounts reimbursed to banks that grant loans to the agricultural and agro-industrial sectors, are available on the SBP website at www.superbancos.gob.pa, under the FECI – Statistical Information section.
