These adjustments include reducing the maximum amortization period to 30 years from 35 years for government-backed insured mortgages with loan-to-value ratios of more than 80 per cent. We also reduced borrowing limits in refinancing and withdrew government insurance from home equity lines of credit.

A very high share of non-performing loans burdens the financial sector and high stock of private, public, and external debt hangs on the economy, in the context of high unemployment and weak potential growth.The current account is still negative and is not adequate to guarantee a sustainable evolution of the net external liabilities stock.Government debt is expected to have peaked, but the current relaxation of fiscal policy is foreseen to slow down the needed adjustment.Despite a major restructuring of the banking sector and improved capital positions, the stock of non-performing loans is slowly declining but remains very high.

Since the authorisation of use of Calcium ascorbate (E 302) and Sodium alginate (E 401) as glazing agents in prepacked refrigerated unprocessed fruit and vegetables ready for consumption constitutes an update of the aforementioned list which is not liable to have an effect on human health, it is not necessary to seek the opinion of the European Food Safety Authority.

Since the authorisation of use of Calcium ascorbate (E 302) and Sodium alginate (E 401) as glazing agents in prepacked refrigerated unprocessed fruit and vegetables ready for consumption constitutes an update of the aforementioned list which is not liable to have an effect on human health, it is not necessary to seek the opinion of the European Food Safety Authority.

We're already offering credit cards, mortgages, home equity loans, and bill payments to Waterhouse National Bank customers.

There is only one supplier of REM in Canada — Canadian Home Income Plan, a nontraditional lender. In the absence of insurance, this supplier protects itself by limiting the equity conversion ratio to about 40 per cent of market value and by focusing on homes with higher value in centers with a history of rising property prices.