17 Amendments of Burkhard BALZ related to 2012/2055(INI)
Amendment 38 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
J. whereas in order to be effective a basic bank account needs to be straightforward to open, even for those with non-standard proof of identity and to provide a specified range of core services, and there need to be measures in place for effective supervision and settlement of conflicts;
Amendment 43 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital K
Recital K
K. whereas as part of their corporate social responsibility strategies, banks should share responsibility with public authorities and civil society for the provision of access to basic banking servicemaking it possible to open basic bank accounts without cost;
Amendment 64 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Requests the Commission to submit, by the end of 2012, on the basis of Article 114 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, a legislative proposal or proposalone or more proposals for directives ensuring access to basic banking services to all consumers living in the Union, following the detailed recommendations set out in the Annex hereto;
Amendment 79 #
Proposal for a recommendation
Annex – recommendation 1 – paragraph 1
Annex – recommendation 1 – paragraph 1
1. The legislation should empower Member States to oblige as many payment service providers as possible, as defined in Article 4(9) of Directive 2007/64/EC, to provide basic banking services.
Amendment 89 #
Proposal for a recommendation
Annex – recommendation 1 – paragraph 3 – point (a)
Annex – recommendation 1 – paragraph 3 – point (a)
a. Payment service providers operating on a cooperativenon-profit buasiness model, on a non- profit basiss, or not operating in general retail banking, or requiring membership on defined criteria, such as profession.
Amendment 97 #
Proposal for a recommendation
Annex – recommendation 1 – paragraph 4
Annex – recommendation 1 – paragraph 4
Amendment 100 #
Proposal for a recommendation
Annex – recommendation 2 – paragraph 5
Annex – recommendation 2 – paragraph 5
5. The legislation should ensure that any consumer, that is to say any natural person who is acting for purposes other than his trade, business, craft or profession, legally resident in the Union has the right to open and use, in the State where he has his habitual residence, a basic bank account with a payment service provider operating in athat Member State provided that the consumer does not already hold a payment transaction account or basic bank account meeting the requirements of Union legislation as specified in these Recommendations in the territand it can be proven that he has had an application to open a payment transaction account rejected. The consumer must have a link – in the forym of that Member Statea home, job or place on a course of study – to the Member State concerned and to the field of business of the payment service provider in which he intends to open a basic bank account.
Amendment 115 #
Proposal for a recommendation
Annex – recommendation 2 – paragraph 7
Annex – recommendation 2 – paragraph 7
7. The right to access a basic bank account should apply irrespective of the consumer's nationality orEU citizen’s place of residence in the Union. Criteria such as the level or regularity of income, employment, credit history, level of indebtedness, or individual situation regarding bankruptcy or future activity of the account should not be taken into account for the opening a basic bank account. However, the circumstances must not be such that it would be unreasonable to expect the credit institution to open and administer the account. If, therefore, the EU citizen makes false statements in the context of the contractual relationship, fails to pay fees or makes himself a gross nuisance to staff or customers of the bank, or endangers them, this should be regarded as grounds for refusing to open a basic bank account or for closing it. Access to a basic bank account should under no circumstances be made conditional on the purchase of other products or services, for instance insurance.
Amendment 138 #
Proposal for a recommendation
Annex – recommendation 3 – paragraph 14
Annex – recommendation 3 – paragraph 14
14. The payment service provider should not offer, explicitly or tacitly, any overdraft facilities or overrunning in conjunction with a basic bank account. A payment order to the consumer’s payment service provider should not be executed where such an execution would result in a negative balance of the consumer’s basic bank account; this should not apply to fees charged by the bank for services used by the consumer. Access to credit should not be considered as a component of or a right related to a basic bank account, whatever the purpose or the form of the credit.
Amendment 144 #
Proposal for a recommendation
Annex – recommendation 3 – paragraph 15
Annex – recommendation 3 – paragraph 15
15. Access toIt should be possible to open a basic bank account should be free of charge.
Amendment 154 #
Proposal for a recommendation
Annex – recommendation 3 – paragraph 16
Annex – recommendation 3 – paragraph 16
16. Any default charges should be affordable and at least as favourable as the provider’s usual pricing policy. The legislation should ensure that the consumer does not bear any fee or penalty arising from circumstances independent of his/her will, such as insufficient funds in his account due to late payment of wages or social benefits.
Amendment 165 #
Proposal for a recommendation
Annex – recommendation 3 – paragraph 17 – section A – subparagraph 1
Annex – recommendation 3 – paragraph 17 – section A – subparagraph 1
The consumer should be provided with non-discriminatory access to personal service, such as over-the-counter service in branches and to the use of automatic teller machines (ATMs), including other banks’ ATMs where technically possible. The provider should not charge any fees related tofees which the provider charges for the execution of basic account management services should be appropriate and comparable to existing account models.
Amendment 190 #
Proposal for a recommendation
Annex – recommendation 4 – paragraph 19
Annex – recommendation 4 – paragraph 19
19. Communication campaigns should be developed in cooperation with consumer organisations or social advisory bodies. At Union level, they should be carried out by EU institutions and should, in particular, raise awareness about the Union-wide availability of basic banking services and cross-border rights for access. At Member State level, communication to be undertaken by State agencies should aim at giving necessary and understandable information about basic bank accounts’ features, conditions and practical steps while addressing specific concerns, including those of unbanked citizens and migrant workers. Communication campaigns at Member State level should be multi-lingual, taking into account the most relevant mother tongues spoken by minority populations or migrants.
Amendment 194 #
Proposal for a recommendation
Annex – recommendation 4 – paragraph 20
Annex – recommendation 4 – paragraph 20
20. Providers within the scope of the legislation should be required to raise awareness about the availability of basic bank accounts. They should be required to advertise basic bank accounts offering clear and comprehensive informationprovide information about the basic bank accounts which they offer via different available channels, namelyfor example the providers’ website and branches where standardised, durable media should be visible to consumers.
Amendment 197 #
Proposal for a recommendation
Annex – recommendation 4 – paragraph 21
Annex – recommendation 4 – paragraph 21
21. Providers should, after identifying consumers’ needst has been established that a consumer has a need for it by producing evidence that the consumer has so far been refused a payment transaction account in the Member State, recommend a basic bank account if it fits the needs expressed by the consumer. Consumers interested in opening a basic bank account should receive information in a durable medium setting out the services included, the fact that they are not tied to purchasing other products or services, and the cost, if any. The information should be available in a form in which it is as understandable, standardised and as simple as possible and distributed in any Union language requested by the costumer. Staff should make sure that the consumer has understood what his rights and obligations are when contracting such an account.
Amendment 228 #
Proposal for a recommendation
Annex – recommendation 6 – paragraph 32
Annex – recommendation 6 – paragraph 32
32. The Commission should complement basic banking legislation by further initiatives aiming at improving financial education at schools and at further integration and harmonisation of retail banking services and prevention of financial exclusion. Such a package should:
Amendment 231 #
Proposal for a recommendation
Annex – recommendation 6 – paragraph 32 – point (d)
Annex – recommendation 6 – paragraph 32 – point (d)
(d) enable access to fair credit and to combat over-indebtedness, the most important “new social risk” across the Union because full financial inclusion requires access to other essential banking services, such as low-interest credit and insurance coverage at decent and fair conditions or access to financial and counselling services.