Access to cash in the EU

31.10.2019

Question for written answer  E-003563/2019
to the Commission
Rule 138
Pascal Arimont (PPE)

As a matter of principle, consumers should be able to choose freely how to pay for their purchases. Despite the many practical innovations in the area of non-cash payment methods, paying cash has benefits for consumers, including:

• 1.protection of privacy;
• 2.reduced dependence on certain technologies and commercial players in the payments market.

However, the number of ATMs in Europe is decreasing and in some cases rising charges are making their use unattractive. In some countries, many shops and even public authorities no longer accept cash payments. All this can have an adverse social and economic impact on some sections of society, such as the elderly, people without access to the relevant technology or people without a bank account.

What steps is the EU taking to ensure that people all over Europe have access to their own cash?

What view does the Commission take of the proposal to make cash withdrawals throughout Europe free as far as possible and to introduce quotas designed to make for the balanced geographical distribution of ATMs in the Member States, in order to guarantee a basic level of access for everyone?