Phil Prendergast (S&D). – Mr President, millions of our citizens have been refused a basic payment account, which renders their daily life extremely difficult in a world dominated by, and dependent on, information technologies. A situation of financial exclusion equates to social exclusion. Legislative action in many of our Member States has proved effective at providing what has nowadays become an essential social service.

People in the EU are citizens, not merely consumers and, just because a person is not attractive to a bank in terms of profits, this cannot justify a denial of the means to make basic payments, especially when our exchequers and our taxpayers have done and suffered so much to save our financial institutions from the brink of disaster.

A payment account has become necessary for interaction and autonomy in our societies and is a right we must grant to our citizens regardless of their credit status, employment status or residence. I hope the Commission will heed the calls from this evening. This is a commendable report.