Efsf - European Financial Stability Facility

efsf - the temporary fiscal backstop the european financial stability facility (efsf) was created as a temporary crisis resolution mechanism by the euro area member states in june 2010. the efsf has provided financial assistance to ireland, portugal and greece. the assistance was financed by the efsf through the issuance of efsf bonds and other debt instruments on capital markets. the efsf does not provide any further financial assistance, as this task is now performed solely by the european stability mechanism (esm). nevertheless, the efsf continues to operate in order to: - receive loan repayments from beneficiary countries; - make interest and principal payments to holders of efsf bonds; - roll over outstanding efsf bonds, as the maturity of loans provided to ireland, portugal and greece is longer than the maturity of bonds issued by the efsf. for more information, please visit the esm website: www.esm.europa.eu