Text tabled : A6-0053/2009

  Alessandro Battilocchio (PSE), in writing. − (IT) Thank you, Madam President. I voted for the report.

The core subject-matter of Regulation (EC) No 2560/2001 is cross-border transfers and cross-border electronic payment operations. The regulation was adopted on 19 December 2001 and its aim is to ensure that the cost of a cross-border payment is the same as a payment made within a Member State.

Up until 1 January 2006, it applied only to transfers, withdrawals from automatic teller machines and to payments made with a debit or credit card up to EUR 12 500 in EU countries, whereas, from that date, the amount has been increased to EUR 50 000. This change has led to a fall in prices and greater competition on the payment services markets. Regulation (EC) No 2560/2001 also has drawbacks, however, such as the failure to define ‘corresponding payments’ and the failure to include a review clause, and it is necessary to take action on these points immediately.

I would like to conclude by saying that we are in favour of the proposals to update and amend Regulation (EC) No 2560/2001, since it is our duty to make cross-border payment transactions easier and more economical.