Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-04-19-Speech-1-110"
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"en.20040419.9.1-110"2
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"Mr President, Commissioner Bolkestein, the European Parliament and the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs fully support the aim of creating a single payment area in the European Union. There continue to be very significant national barriers in the form of different national regulations, national legislation and national supervision; even today, these make it difficult to create a single internal market for bulk payments, which would ultimately benefit the citizen. We took the first steps in this direction some time ago with cross-border transfer fees. That, too, required an initiative at European level.
We also support, for example, the introduction of a single direct debit system, which has not so far been possible. Imagine, it is now possible for a citizen to travel to another state, but he still cannot have payments debited at home, but he has to choose a national bank to do it.
The question is, how do we achieve this objective? I am a strong advocate of the approach of incremental legislation in line with the principle of subsidiarity, with self-regulation in first place, that is self-regulation by the banks. We have the European Payments Council – which can, should, and indeed must set the parameters for the creation of the technical interfaces for cross-border activity, for example.
Then, also with subsidiarity in mind, I would prefer the next steps to be taken in directives and only enact in regulations what is really necessary to do uniformly. I would also like to sound a warning to the industry here, since it is itself always talking about self-regulation: these requirements will also have to be complied with and corresponding standards created without undue delay.
Consumer protection presents a greater problem in this Commission document. It contains some ideas which in my view go far beyond our objective, and I have the impression that there are some people in the Commission – let me make clear that I do not mean you, Commissioner Bolkestein – who have lost sight of the idea of citizens taking responsibility for themselves. They suggest that the bank should in future be liable for a basic transaction. For example, if customers buy something over the Internet and the purchase is void, they want their money back, and if they cannot turn to the supplier, they should be able to turn to the bank, which had nothing to do with the basic transaction. I am sure things like that can be settled by the market – and you are an advocate of the market, after all – by having products that provide safeguards; a fundamental liability of the banks in such cases should be rejected, however, as should the proposal that cardholder’s liability be limited to EUR 150 when the card is lost, regardless of how they have behaved. If they go away on holiday, discover on setting out that they have lost their card, and report it three weeks later, the cardholder’s liability will still be limited to EUR 150. I think we should give a little more protection to people who act responsibly than to those who act irresponsibly.
I am, however, pleased to welcome the fact that the Commission has taken up the idea of establishing a single EU-wide telephone number that can be called if a card is lost – a short number that is easy to remember and that the citizens can dial quickly.
I would also like to stress that the creation of a single payment area should not result in national structures that are working well and efficiently being made less economic. We must not go about it in a way that is detrimental to operational national systems. Coming back to consumer protection, however, may I appeal to you, Mr Bolkestein, in the ongoing discussions within the Commission, to speak up for mature and responsible citizens and see that responsibility is left with them. The Lisbon objectives of becoming the most innovative and fastest-growing region in the world are held up to us repeatedly. Everyone is brandishing the slogan ‘less bureaucracy’. Mr Bolkestein, the text we have before us should be judged by whether it creates more bureaucracy or makes life easier for banks and citizens in the single European Union."@en1
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