The following main principles could be envisaged:
· Broad principles aiming at ensuring that consumers have access to basic payment accounts in the EU at a reasonable cost; the principles would be designed so as to take into account, to the extent possible, the specificities of the national contexts, habits and markets.
· An objective of availability – to ensure that basic payment accounts are offered by providers in each Member State. Basic payment accounts could potentially differ from regular accounts to the extent that they would be defined through a list of related basic payment services. Access to credit, savings, insurance and pensions would be excluded from the scope of the initiative.
· An objective of wide accessibility to a targeted type of payment accounts: conditions to open the payment account could not discriminate on the basis of the nationality or the place of residence of the consumer.
· Certain aspects such as the characteristics of a basic payment account and the issues to be taken into consideration when determining the cost of such an account for the consumer could require the development of more detailed technical guidance or clarification at a later stage.
· In order to ensure a consistency of approach regarding the national implementation of potential rules under the envisaged action, some broad principles could be put in place with respect to such issues as the national competent authorities, the possibility of applying sanctions and consumers’ recourse to alternative dispute resolution.
Deadlier for comments is 17 November 2010
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