The Eurosystem conducts market operations with its monetary policy counterparties, giving them access to standing facilities. In principle, all financially solid credit institutions are required to hold minimum reserves with the central bank have the right to act as monetary policy counterparty. However, in practice this right is restricted by certain requirements imposed on counterparties by national central banks and the European Central Bank in order to ensure efficient implementation of monetary policy.
Finnish banks and Finnish subsidiaries and branches of foreign banks may apply for the right to participate in Eurosystem monetary policy operations through the Bank of Finland.