WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1338/97 by André FOURÇANS to the Commission. Non-discrimination rule
Date: 1997-04-21
Institutions: European Parliament, FOURCANS
Subjects: EU law, bank charges, competition, consumer protection, electronic banking, electronic money, payment

22. 1. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 21/45

1997 

scheduled  for  the  end  of  September  1997  (action  preparing  for  implementation  of  the  support
programme for books and reading, including through the Ariane translation).

The  administrative  costs  are  included  in  Volume  IV  of  the  above  report  in  summary  tables  comparing
expenditure and administrative costs. Volume II of the report sets out administrative costs in detail and by budget
heading.

Exchanges of young people

Under the Youth for Europe programme, the Commission finances exchange projects and other activities by
youth associations. Information collected from promoters of projects indicates that projects involving several
organizations from twinned towns are relatively frequent. The Commission does not have precise data regarding
the number of projects and amounts involved.

(98/C 21/121)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1338/97

by Andre· Four(cid:231)ans (PPE) to the Commission

(21 April 1997)

Subject: Non-discrimination rule

It has recently been reported in the press that the Commission intends to abolish the non-discrimination rule
which currently applies to cash-card payment systems. The purpose of this rule is to prevent shopkeepers who
accept payment by cash card from passing on the commission which they pay to their bank to their customers and
thus  to  avoid  discrimination  between  various  means  of  payment.  With  respect  to  withdrawals  from  cash
dispensers, its purpose is to prevent the bank supplying the cash from charging commission from card holders
withdrawing cash from their dispensers.

Is taxation of payment by cash card, which the Commission intends to promote even though cash payment does
not permit shopkeepers to make any charges, not likely to lead consumers to use cash instead of cash cards?

Does the abolition of the non-discrimination rule not therefore pose the risk of a decline in electronic means of
payment?

Will the Commission take steps to ensure that the development of electronic means of payment is not hindered?

(98/C 21/122)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1339/97

by Andre· Four(cid:231)ans (PPE) to the Commission

(21 April 1997)

Subject: Non-discrimination rule

The  Commission  appears  to  take  the  view  that  the  non-discrimination  rule  does  not  guarantee  competition
between the various means of payment.

Does the Commission have any data showing that such competition is not exercised sufficiently at present by the
possibility  for  consumers  to  choose  to  obtain  one  means  of  payment  rather  than  another  from  their  bank
depending on the services offered and their cost, and by the choice available to shopkeepers to join one payment
system rather than another, depending on the advantages and cost of the various systems?

(98/C 21/123)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1340/97

by Andre· Four(cid:231)ans (PPE) to the Commission

(21 April 1997)

Subject: Non-discrimination rule

On what analysis does the Commission base its view that competition between various means of payment would
be more intense if the non-discrimination rule was abolished?