WRITTEN QUESTION E-3063/02 by Theresa Villiers (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Transaction costs.
Date: 2002-10-29
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: application of EU law, bank charges, consumer protection, credit transfer, economic analysis, euro area, free movement of capital, law of banking

14.8.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 192 E/93

Proposals to grant restructuring aid to firms particularly affected would be assessed under the Community
guidelines on State aid for rescuing and restructuring firms in difficulty (4).

The Commission is not aware of any existing programmes of restructuring aid and support measures

3.
in the Member States for the motor vehicle sector.

(1) OJ L 203, 1.8.2002.
(2) OJ L 145, 29.6.1995.
(3) OJ L 10, 13.1.2001.
(4) OJ C 288, 9.10.1999.

(2003/C 192 E/092)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3063/02

by Theresa Villiers (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(29 October 2002)

Subject: Transaction costs

Has the Commission conducted any research into or analysis of bank charges in the euro zone over

1.
the past 12 months? If so, can the Commission indicate what it has done?

2.
Does the Commission believe that there have been any improvements since the Commission study
released at a press conference on 24 September 2001 at which Mr Bolkestein admitted that the situation
was disappointing and that there was still too much unauthorised double charging?

Does the Commission have any information on the impact of Regulation (EC) No 2560/2001 (1) on

3.
cross-border payments in euro?

4.

Has the Regulation brought down the cost of cross-border payments in euro within the euro zone?

5. What is the average price of a cross-border payment in euro in the euro zone?

6.

Has the cost of domestic payments in euro changed since the introduction of the Regulation?

Can the Commission provide any figures relating to individual countries within the euro zone

7.
(e.g. the cost of transfers between Germany and France or between Ireland and Italy)?

8.
Does the Commission have any information on the cost of bank transfers from euro-denominated
bank accounts outside the euro zone, to euro bank accounts inside the euro zone? If so, can it give a
breakdown of figures for each country?

(1) OJ L 344, 28.12.2001, p. 13.

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(28 November 2002)

The Commission has closely monitored the application of European Parliament and Council Directive of
27 January 1997 on cross-border credit transfers (1). It commissioned several studies on price trends and
the national
the following address: http://
europa.eu.int/comm/internal_market/fr/finances/payment/directives/index.htm

information is available at

transposal measures. This

In addition, as required by Article 12 of the Directive, la Commission is in the process of adopting a report
on its application in the Member States, which will subsequently be transmitted to Parliament and the
Council. It emerges from the report that, although the situation regarding double charging, has improved
significantly, the banking sector does not fully comply with the provisions of the Directive aimed at
eliminating all costs for the beneficiary (except on the express instructions of the principal). This situation
should change considerably as of 1 July 2003 with the entry into force of European Parliament and
Council Regulation (EC) No 2560/2001 of 19 December 2001 on cross-border payments in euro (2),

C 192 E/94

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

14.8.2003

subsequently extended to the Swedish krona. As of that date, cross-border transfers in euros and in the
Swedish krona will be charged at the same rate as domestic transfers between the beneficiary and the
issuer.

The Commission has not carried out any studies on bank charges in the euro zone during the last twelve
months. It does not, therefore, have exhaustive and up-to-date statistics on cross-border payments in euros.
However, after the entry into force on 1 July 2002 of the provisions of Regulation (EEC) No 2560/2001
relating to payment cards, it obtained information on the payment charges before and after 1 July 2002.
The data show that there was a substantial reduction in charges for cross-border transactions in the euro
zone as they were aligned with charges on strictly domestic transactions. The reorganisation of charges
resulted in increases for certain services, but only in a very small number of cases.

On the basis of the information available to it, the Commission takes the view (3) that the situation has
improved and that, barring a few exceptions, the provisions of the Regulation have been applied in an
entirely satisfactory manner.

As provided for in the Regulation, the Commission will submit in July 2004 a report on the application of
the Regulation and, in particular, its impact on payment charges within the Member States. To that end,
several statistical surveys will be launched.

(1) OJ L 43, 14.2.1997.
(2) OJ L 344, 28.12.2001.
(3) As at September 2002.

(2003/C 192 E/093)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3066/02

by Terence Wynn (PSE) to the Commission

(25 October 2002)

Subject: Motor racing events and EU law

Is it possible for an organisation such as the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile to restrict the rights
of EU citizens to compete in motor racing events in countries other than their own? In the past, a full
racing licence issued in any EU country has allowed its holder to compete in any event organised in
another EU country. Would such restrictive action breach EU law?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(22 November 2002)

As the Court of Justice has consistently held (see, for example, the Bosman judgment of 15 December
1995, case C-415/93), sport is subject to Community law insofar as it constitutes an economic activity
within the meaning of Article 2 of the Treaty, which is the case with participation in motor racing events.

The Commission is unable to comment on whether restrictions on competing in this type of event are
admissible, on account of the lack of other details or sufficiently clear and precise information in the
question put by the Honourable Member.

On a general level, however, the Commission would point out that the provisions of Community law
concerning freedom of movement of persons and of provision of services do not preclude rules or
practices in the field of sport which are justified on non-economic grounds and relate to the particular
nature and context of certain competitions. In addition, associations or organisations not governed by
public law are also compelled to comply with the prohibition of discrimination on grounds of nationality
and the prohibition of any unjustified and or disproportionate cross-border restrictions on sporting
activities, even when applied without distinction.