The Financial Reconstruction Commission unveiled guidelines Thursday for the injection of capital into credit associations and credit unions, the collapse of which could wreak havoc on local economies.

These small lenders should in principle have a capital adequacy ratio of 4 percent -- the minimum standard for non-international banks -- to be eligible for a bailout, the FRC said.

But the lenders should first make sufficient efforts to build up their capital bases by asking local businesses for help, according to the guidelines.