Source: https://www.readkong.com/page/2009-no-209-financial-services-and-markets-the-payment-6508112
Timestamp: 2020-02-17 22:01:23
Document Index: 391477818

Matched Legal Cases: ['ART 1', 'ART 2', 'ART 3', 'ART 4', 'ART 5', 'art 5', 'ART 6', 'art 6', 'ART 7', 'ART 8', 'art 8', 'ART 9', 'ART 1', 'ART 2', 'ART 1', 'ART 2', 'ART 1', 'ART 2', 'ART 1', 'ART 2', 'ART 1', 'arts 2', 'art 1', 'art 2', 'ART 2', 'art 1', 'art 7', 'ART 3', 'art 2', 'art 1']

FINANCIAL SERVICES AND MARKETS - 2009 No. 209
S 2009 No. 209 FINANCIAL SERVICES AND MARKETS The Payment Services Regulations 2009 Made - 9th February 2009 Laid before Parliament 9th February 2009 Coming into force in accordance with regulation 1(2) CONTENTS PART 1 INTRODUCTORY PROVISIONS 1. Citation and commencement 6 2. Interpretation 7 3. Exemption for certain bodies 11 PART 2 REGISTRATION The register 4. The register of certain payment service providers 11 Authorisation as a payment institution 5. Application for authorisation as a payment institution or variation of an existing authorisation 12 6. Conditions for authorisation as a payment institution 12 7.
Imposition of requirements 13 8. Variation etc at request of authorised payment institution 14 9. Determination of application for authorisation or variation of authorisation 14 10. Cancellation of authorisation 15 11. Variation of authorisation on Authority’s own initiative 15 Registration as a small payment institution 12. Application for registration as a small payment institution or variation of an existing registration 16 13. Conditions for registration as a small payment institution 17 14. Supplementary provisions 18 15. Application for authorisation as a payment institution where the financial limit is exceeded 18 Common provisions 16.
Duty to notify changes 18 17. Authorised payment institutions and small payment institutions acting without permission 18
2 PART 3 AUTHORISED PAYMENT INSTITUTIONS 18. Capital requirements 19 19. Safeguarding requirements 19 20. Accounting and statutory audit 21 21. Outsourcing 22 22. Record keeping 23 Exercise of passport rights 23. Notice of intention 23 24. Registration of EEA branch 24 25. Supervision of firms exercising passport rights 24 26. Carrying on of Consumer Credit Act business by EEA authorised payment institutions 25 PART 4 PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO AUTHORISED PAYMENT INSTITUTIONS AND SMALL PAYMENT INSTITUTIONS 27. Additional activities 25 28. Payment accounts and sums received for the execution of payment transactions 26 29.
Use of agents 26 30. Removal of agent from register 27 31. Reliance 28 32. Duty to notify change in circumstance 28 PART 5 INFORMATION REQUIREMENTS FOR PAYMENT SERVICES Application 33. Application of Part 5 29 34. Disapplication of certain regulations in the case of consumer credit agreements 29 35. Disapplication of certain regulations in the case of low-value payment instruments 29 Single payment service contracts 36. Information required prior to the conclusion of a single payment service contract 30 37. Information required after receipt of the payment order 30 38. Information for the payee after execution 31 39.
Avoidance of duplication of information 31 Framework contracts 40. Prior general information for framework contracts 31 41. Information during period of contract 32 42. Changes in contractual information 32 43. Termination of framework contract 32 44. Information prior to execution of individual payment transaction 33 45. Information for the payer on individual payment transactions 33 46. Information for the payee on individual payment transactions 33 Common provisions 47. Communication of information 34 48. Charges for information 34 49. Currency and currency conversion 34
3 50. Information on additional charges or reductions 34 PART 6 RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS IN RELATION TO THE PROVISION OF PAYMENT SERVICES Application 51. Application of Part 6 35 52. Disapplication of certain regulations in the case of consumer credit agreements 35 53. Disapplication of certain regulations in the case of low value payment instruments 35 Charges 54. Charges 36 Authorisation of payment transactions 55. Consent and withdrawal of consent 36 56. Limits on the use of payment instruments 37 57. Obligations of the payment service user in relation to payment instruments 37 58. Obligations of the payment service provider in relation to payment instruments 37 59.
Notification of unauthorised or incorrectly executed payment transactions 38 60. Evidence on authentication and execution of payment transactions 38 61. Payment service provider’s liability for unauthorised payment transactions 38 62. Payer’s liability for unauthorised payment transaction 38 63. Refunds for payment transactions initiated by or through a payee 39 64. Requests for refunds for payment transactions initiated by or through a payee 39 Execution of payment transactions 65. Receipt of payment orders 40 66. Refusal of payment orders 40 67. Revocation of a payment order 41 68. Amounts transferred and amounts received 41 Execution time and value date 69.
Application of regulations 70 to 72 41 70. Payment transactions to a payment account 42 71. Absence of payee’s payment account with the payment service provider 42 72. Cash placed on a payment account 42 73. Value date and availability of funds 42 Liability 74. Incorrect unique identifiers 43 75. Non-execution or defective execution of payment transactions initiated by the payer 43 76. Non-execution or defective execution of payment transactions initiated by the payee 43 77. Liability of payment service provider for charges and interest 44 78. Right of recourse 44 79. Force majeure 44 PART 7 THE AUTHORITY The functions of the Authority 80.
Functions of the Authority 44 Supervision and enforcement 81. Monitoring and enforcement 45 82. Reporting requirements 45
4 83. Entry, inspection without a warrant etc 45 84. Public censure 46 85. Financial penalties 46 86. Proposal to take disciplinary measures 46 87. Injunctions 47 88. Power of Authority to require restitution 47 89. Proposal to require restitution 48 90. Restitution orders 48 91. Complaints 49 Miscellaneous 92. Costs of supervision 49 93. Guidance 49 94. Authority’s exemption from liability in damages 50 95. Application and modification of primary and secondary legislation 50 PART 8 ACCESS TO PAYMENT SYSTEMS General 96. Application of Part 8 50 97. Prohibition on restrictive rules on access to payment systems 50 Supervision and enforcement 98.
Power of OFT to investigate 51 99. OFT power to require information 51 100. Failure to comply with information requirement 51 101. Privileged communications 52 102. Notice of OFT decision 52 103. Publication of OFT decision 52 104. Enforcement of decisions 52 105. Power of OFT to impose financial penalties 53 Miscellaneous 106. Appeal to the Competition Appeal Tribunal 53 107. Disclosure of information by OFT 53 108. Defamation 53 109. Guidance 53 PART 9 GENERAL Criminal Offences 110. Prohibition on provision of payment services by persons other than payment service providers 54 111. False claims to be a payment service provider or exempt 54 112.
Defences 54 113. Contravention of regulations 49 and 50 54 114. Misleading the Authority or the OFT 55 115. Restriction on penalties 55 116. Liability of officers of bodies corporate etc 55 117. Prosecution of offences 56 118. Proceedings against unincorporated bodies 56 Duties of the Authority, the Commissioners and the OFT to cooperate 119. Duty to co-operate and exchange of information 57
5 Actions for breach of requirements 120. Right to bring actions 58 Transitional provisions 121. Transitional provisions: deemed authorisation 58 122. Transitional provisions: requirement to be authorised as a payment institution 59 123. Transitional provisions: requirement to be registered as a small payment institution 60 124. Transitional provisions: early applications 60 125. Transitional provisions: the ombudsman scheme 60 Amendments to primary and secondary legislation 126. Amendments to primary and secondary legislation 60 SCHEDULE 1 — Payment Services 61 PART 1 — Payment services 61 PART 2 — Activities which do not constitute payment services 61 SCHEDULE 2 — Information to be included in or with an application for authorisation 63 SCHEDULE 3 — Capital requirements 64 PART 1 — Initial Capital 64 PART 2 — Own Funds 64 SCHEDULE 4 — Prior general information for framework contracts 69 SCHEDULE 5 — Application and modification of legislation 71 PART 1 — Application and modification of the 2000 Act 71 PART 2 — Application and modification of secondary legislation 75 SCHEDULE 6 — Amendments to primary and secondary legislation 77 PART 1 — Amendments to primary legislation 77 PART 2 — Amendments to secondary legislation 77 The Treasury are a government department designated(a) for the purposes of section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972(b) in relation to payment services and measures relating to payment systems; The Treasury, in exercise of the powers conferred by section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972, make the following Regulations: (a) The European Communities (Designation) (No.3) Order 1998 (S.I.
1998/2793) and the European Communities (Designation) (No.2) Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/1792).
(b) 1972 c. 68; section 2(2) was amended by section 27 of the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Act 2006 (c.51). By virtue of the amendment of section 1(2) made by section 1 of the European Economic Area Act 1993 (c.51) regulations may be made under section 2(2) to implement obligations of the United Kingdom created by or arising under the Agreement on the European Economic Area signed at Oporto on 2nd May 1992 (Cm 2073, OJ No L 1, 3.11.1994, p. 3) and the Protocol adjusting that Agreement signed at Brussels on 17th March 1993 (Cm 2183, OJ No L 1, 3.1.1994, p.572). Council Directive 2007/64/EC was extended to the EEA by Decision No.
114/2008 of the EEA Joint Committee of 7th November 2008, OJ No. L 339, 18.12.2008, p.103.
6 PART 1 INTRODUCTORY PROVISIONS Citation and commencement 1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Payment Services Regulations 2009. (2) These Regulations come into force— (a) on 2nd March 2009 for the purposes of regulations 25, 80, 92 to 94, 95 in respect of paragraphs 5 and 10 of Schedule 5, 119 and 126 in respect of paragraphs 1 and 6(g) of Schedule 6; (b) on 1st May 2009 for the purposes of— (i) enabling applications for authorisation as a payment institution and the variation of an authorisation to be made under regulation 5 and the Authority to determine such applications in accordance with regulations 6 to 9; (ii) enabling applications for registration as a small payment institution and the variation of a registration to be made under regulation 12 and the Authority to determine such applications in accordance with regulation 13 and regulations 7 to 9 (as applied by regulation 14); (iii) enabling applications for an agent to be included on the register under regulation 29 and the Authority to determine such applications in accordance with that regulation; (iv) enabling the Authority to give directions as to the manner in which an application under regulation 5(1) or (2), 12(1) or (2) or 29(3) is to be made and enabling the Authority to require the applicant to provide further information in accordance with regulation 5(4), 12(4) or 29(3)(a)(iv), as the case may be; (v) enabling the Authority to cancel an authorisation or registration or vary an authorisation or registration on its own initiative in accordance with regulation 10 or 11 (as applied, in the case of a registration, by regulation 14); (vi) requiring a person who has made an application under regulation 5(1) or (2) or 12(1) or (2) to provide information to the Authority in accordance with regulation 16 and enabling the Authority to give directions under that regulation; (vii) enabling a person to make a reference to the Tribunal under regulation 9(9), 10(4), 11(5), 24(4) or 29(11); (viii) enabling an applicant for authorisation as a payment institution to give the Authority a notice of intention under regulation 23(1) and the Authority to give directions as to the manner in which such a notice is to be given and to inform the host state competent authority in accordance with regulation 23(2); (ix) enabling the Authority to decide whether to register an EEA branch, or to cancel such a registration, under regulation 24(1); (x) enabling the Authority to give directions under regulation 82 to a person whose application under regulation 5(1) or 12(1) has been granted before 1st November 2009 in respect of— (aa) its provision as from that date of payment services; and (bb) its compliance as from that date with requirements imposed by or under Parts 2 to 6 of these Regulations; (xi) enabling the Authority to give directions under paragraph 7, 11, 12 or 16(3) of Schedule 3 to a person whose application under regulation 5(1) has been granted before 1st November 2009; (xii) requiring a person whose application under regulation 5(1), 12(1) or 29(3) has been granted before 1st November 2009 to provide information to the Authority in accordance with regulation 32 and enabling the Authority to give directions under that regulation;
7 (xiii) regulations 95 in respect of paragraphs 2 and 7 to 9 of Schedule 5, 114 to 118, and 121, 124 and 125; and (c) for all other purposes on 1st November 2009. Interpretation 2.—(1) In these Regulations — “the 2000 Act” means the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000(a); “agent” means a person who acts on behalf of an authorised payment institution or a small payment institution in the provision of payment services; “authorised payment institution” means— (a) a person included by the Authority in the register as an authorised payment institution pursuant to regulation 4(1)(a); or (b) a person deemed to have been granted authorisation by the Authority by virtue of regulation 121; “the Authority” means the Financial Services Authority; “the banking consolidation directive” means Directive 2006/48/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14th June 2006 relating to the taking up and pursuit of the business of credit institutions(b); “branch” means a place of business of an authorised payment institution, a small payment institution, or an EEA authorised payment institution, other than its head office, which forms a legally dependent part of the institution and which carries out directly all or some of the transactions inherent in its business; and, for the purposes of these Regulations, all places of business set up in the same EEA State other than the United Kingdom by an authorised payment institution are to be regarded as a single branch; “business day” means any day on which the relevant payment service provider is open for business as required for the execution of a payment transaction; “charity” means a body whose annual income is less than £1 million and is— (c) in England and Wales, a charity as defined by section 1(1) of the Charities Act 2006(c); (d) in Scotland, a charity as defined by section 106 of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005(d); (e) in Northern Ireland, a charity as defined by section 1(1) of the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008(e) or, until that section comes into force, a body which is recognised as a charity for tax purposes by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs; “the Commissioners” means the Commissioners for Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs; “consumer” means an individual who, in contracts for payment services to which these Regulations apply, is acting for purposes other than a trade, business or profession; “credit institution” has the meaning given in Article 4(1)(a) of the banking consolidation directive; “direct debit” means a payment service for debiting the payer’s payment account where a payment transaction is initiated by the payee on the basis of consent given by the payer to the payee, to the payee’s payment service provider or to the payer’s own payment service provider; “durable medium” means any instrument which enables the payment service user to store information addressed personally to them in a way accessible for future reference for a period (a) 2000 c.8.
(b) OJ No L 177, 30.6.2006, p.1. (c) 2006 c.50. (d) 2005 asp 10. (e) 2008 c 12 (N.I.).
8 of time adequate for the purposes of the information and which allows the unchanged reproduction of the information stored; “the EEA” means the European Economic Area; “EEA agent” means an agent through which an authorised payment institution, in the exercise of its passport rights, provides payment services in an EEA State other than the United Kingdom; “EEA authorised payment institution” means a person authorised in an EEA State other than the United Kingdom to provide payment services in accordance with the payment services directive; “EEA branch” means a branch established by an authorised payment institution, in the exercise of its passport rights, to carry out payment services in an EEA State other than the United Kingdom; “the electronic money directive” means Directive 2000/46/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18th September 2000 on the taking up, pursuit and prudential supervision of the business of electronic money institutions(a); “electronic money institution” has the meaning given in Article 1(3)(a) of the electronic money directive; “framework contract” means a contract for payment services which governs the future execution of individual and successive payment transactions and which may contain the obligation and conditions for setting up a payment account; “funds” means banknotes and coins, scriptural money, and electronic money as defined in Article 1(3)(b) of the electronic money directive; “group” means a group of undertakings which consists of a parent undertaking, its subsidiary undertakings and the entities in which the parent undertaking or its subsidiary undertakings have a holding, as well as undertakings linked to each other by a relationship referred to in Article 12(1) of the Seventh Council Directive 83/349/EEC of 13th June 1983 based on Article 54(3)(g) of the Treaty on consolidated accounts(b); “home state competent authority” means the competent authority designated in accordance with Article 20 of the payment services directive as being responsible for the authorisation and prudential supervision of an EEA authorised payment institution which is exercising (or intends to exercise) its passport rights in the United Kingdom; “host state competent authority” means the competent authority designated in accordance with Article 20 of the payment services directive in an EEA State in which an authorised payment institution exercises (or intends to exercise) its passport rights; “means of distance communication” means any means which, without the simultaneous physical presence of the payment service provider and the payment service user, may be used for the conclusion of a contract for payment services between those parties; “micro-enterprise” means an enterprise which, at the time at which the contract for payment services is entered into, is an enterprise as defined in Article 1 and Article 2(1) and (3) of the Annex to Recommendation 2003/361/EC(c); “the money laundering directive” means Directive 2005/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26th October 2005 on the prevention of the use of the financial system for the purpose of money laundering and terrorist financing(d); “money remittance” means a service for the transmission of money (or any representation of monetary value), without any payment accounts being created in the name of the payer or the payee, where— (a) OJ No L 275, 27.10.2000, p.39.
(b) OJ No L 193, 18.7.1983, p. 1. (c) OJ No L 124, 20.5.2003, p.36. (d) OJ No L 309, 25.11.2005, p.15.
9 (a) funds are received from a payer for the sole purpose of transferring a corresponding amount to a payee or to another payment service provider acting on behalf of the payee; or (b) funds are received on behalf of, and made available to, the payee; “notice” means a notice in writing; “the OFT” means the Office of Fair Trading; “parent undertaking” has the same meaning as in the Companies Acts (see section 1162 of, and Schedule 7 to, the Companies Act 2006(a)); “passport right” (except for the purposes of regulation 26(1)) means the entitlement of a person to establish a branch or provide services in an EEA State other than that in which they are authorised to provide payment services— (a) in accordance with the Treaty establishing the European Community as applied in the EEA; and (b) subject to the conditions of the payment services directive; “payee” means a person who is the intended recipient of funds which have been the subject of a payment transaction; “payer” means— (a) a person who holds a payment account and initiates, or consents to the initiation of, a payment order from that payment account; or (b) where there is no payment account, a person who gives a payment order; “payment account” means an account held in the name of one or more payment service users which is used for the execution of payment transactions; “payment instrument” means any— (a) personalised device; or (b) personalised set of procedures agreed between the payment service user and the payment service provider, used by the payment service user in order to initiate a payment order; “payment order” means any instruction by— (a) a payer; or (b) a payee, to their respective payment service provider requesting the execution of a payment transaction; “payment services” means any of the activities specified in Part 1 of Schedule 1 when carried out as a regular occupation or business activity, other than any of the activities specified in Part 2 of that Schedule; “payment services directive” means Directive 2007/64/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13th November 2007 on payment services in the internal market(b); “payment service provider” means any of the following persons when they carry out payment services— (a) authorised payment institutions; (b) small payment institutions; (c) EEA authorised payment institutions; (d) credit institutions; (e) electronic money institutions; (a) 2006 c.46.
(b) OJ No L 319, 5.12.2007, p.1.
10 (f) the Post Office Limited; (g) the Bank of England, the European Central Bank and the national central banks of EEA States other than the United Kingdom, other than when acting in their capacity as a monetary authority or carrying out other functions of a public nature; and (h) government departments and local authorities, other than when carrying out functions of a public nature; “payment service user” means a person when making use of a payment service in the capacity of either payer or payee, or both; “payment system” means a funds transfer system with formal and standardised arrangements and common rules for the processing, clearing and settlement of payment transactions; “payment transaction” means an act, initiated by the payer or payee, of placing, transferring or withdrawing funds, irrespective of any underlying obligations between the payer and payee; “qualifying holding” has the meaning given in article 4(11) of the banking consolidation directive; “reference exchange rate” means the exchange rate which is used as the basis to calculate any currency exchange and which is made available by the payment service provider or comes from a publicly available source; “reference interest rate” means the interest rate which is used as the basis for calculating any interest to be applied and which comes from a publicly available source which can be verified by both parties to a contract for payment services; “the register” means the register maintained by the Authority under regulation 4; “regulated agreement” has the meaning given by section 189(1) of the Consumer Credit Act 1974(a) (definitions); “single payment service contract” means a contract for a single payment transaction not covered by a framework contract; “small payment institution” means a person included by the Authority in the register pursuant to regulation 4(1)(b); “subsidiary undertaking” has the same meaning as in the Companies Acts (see section 1162 of, and Schedule 7 to, the Companies Act 2006); “the Tribunal” means the Financial Services and Markets Tribunal(b); “unique identifier” means a combination of letters, numbers or symbols specified to the payment service user by the payment service provider and to be provided by the payment service user in relation to a payment transaction in order to identify unambiguously one or both of— (a) the other payment service user who is a party to the payment transaction; (b) the other payment service user’s payment account; “value date” means a reference time used by a payment service provider for the calculation of interest on the funds debited from or credited to a payment account.
(2) In these Regulations references to amounts in euro include references to equivalent amounts in another currency. (3) Unless otherwise defined, expressions used in these Regulations which are also used in the payment services directive have the same meaning as in that directive. (4) Expressions used in these Regulations and in a modification to a provision in primary or secondary legislation applied by these Regulations have the same meaning as in these Regulations. (a) 1974 c.39. (b) Established under section 132 of the 2000 Act.
11 Exemption for certain bodies 3.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2) and regulation 4(1)(d), these Regulations do not apply to the following persons— (a) credit unions; (b) municipal banks; and (c) the National Savings Bank.
(2) Where municipal banks provide or propose to provide payment services they must give notice to the Authority. (3) In this regulation— “credit union” means a credit union within the meaning of— (a) the Credit Unions Act 1979(a); (b) the Credit Unions (Northern Ireland) Order 1985(b); “municipal bank” means a company which, immediately before 1st December 2001, fell within the definition in section 103 of the Banking Act 1987(c).
PART 2 REGISTRATION The register The register of certain payment service providers 4.—(1) The Authority must maintain a register of— (a) authorised payment institutions and their EEA branches; (b) small payment institutions; (c) agents of authorised payment institutions and small payment institutions required to be registered under regulation 29; and (d) the persons specified in regulation 3(1) where they provide payment services. (2) The Authority may include on the register any of the persons mentioned in paragraphs (c) to (h) of the definition of a payment service provider in regulation 2(1) where such persons provide payment services.
(3) Where a person mentioned in paragraph (f), (g) or (h) of the definition of a payment service provider in regulation 2(1)— (a) is not included on the register; and (b) provides, or proposes to provide, payment services, the person must give notice to the Authority. (4) The Authority may— (a) keep the register in any form it thinks fit; (b) include on it such information as the Authority considers appropriate, provided that the register identifies the payment services for which an institution is authorised or registered under this Part; and (c) exploit commercially the information contained in the register, or any part of that information.
(5) The Authority must— (a) 1979 c.34. (b) S.I. 1985/1205 (N.I. 12). (c) 1987 c.22; repealed by S.I. 2001/3649, article 3(1)(d).
12 (a) publish the register online and make it available for public inspection; (b) update the register on a regular basis; and (c) provide a certified copy of the register, or any part of it, to any person who asks for it— (i) on payment of the fee (if any) fixed by the Authority; and (ii) in a form (either written or electronic) in which it is legible to the person asking for it. Authorisation as a payment institution Application for authorisation as a payment institution or variation of an existing authorisation 5.—(1) An application for authorisation as a payment institution must contain or be accompanied by the information specified in Schedule 2.
(2) An application for the variation of an authorisation as a payment institution must— (a) contain a statement of the proposed variation; (b) contain a statement of the payment services which the applicant proposes to carry on if the authorisation is varied; and (c) contain, or be accompanied by, such other information as the Authority may reasonably require. (3) An application under paragraph (1) or (2) must be made in such manner as the Authority may direct. (4) At any time after receiving an application and before determining it, the Authority may require the applicant to provide it with such further information as it reasonably considers necessary to enable it to determine the application.
(5) Different directions may be given, and different requirements imposed, in relation to different applications or categories of application. Conditions for authorisation as a payment institution 6.—(1) The Authority may refuse to grant all or part of an application for authorisation as a payment institution only if any of the conditions set out in paragraphs (2) to (8) is not met. (2) The application must comply with the requirements of, and any requirements imposed under, regulation 5. (3) The applicant must immediately before the time of authorisation hold the amount of initial capital required in accordance with Part 1 of Schedule 3.
(4) The applicant must be a body corporate constituted under the law of a part of the United Kingdom having— (a) its head office, and (b) if it has a registered office, that office, in the United Kingdom. (5) The applicant must satisfy the Authority that, taking into account the need to ensure the sound and prudent conduct of the affairs of the institution, it has— (a) robust governance arrangements for its payment service business, including a clear organisational structure with well-defined, transparent and consistent lines of responsibility; (b) effective procedures to identify, manage, monitor and report any risks to which it might be exposed; (c) adequate internal control mechanisms, including sound administrative, risk management and accounting procedures,
13 which are comprehensive and proportionate to the nature, scale and complexity of the payment services to be provided by the institution. (6) The applicant must satisfy the Authority that— (a) any persons having a qualifying holding in it are fit and proper persons having regard to the need to ensure the sound and prudent conduct of the affairs of an authorised payment institution; (b) the directors and persons responsible for the management of the institution and, where relevant, the persons responsible for the management of payment services, are of good repute and possess appropriate knowledge and experience to provide payment services; (c) it has a business plan (including, for the first three years, a forecast budget calculation) under which appropriate and proportionate systems, resources and procedures will be employed by the institution to operate soundly; and (d) it has taken adequate measures for the purpose of safeguarding payment service users’ funds in accordance with regulation 19.
(7) The applicant must comply with a requirement of the Money Laundering Regulations 2007(a) to be included in a register maintained under those Regulations where such a requirement applies to the applicant. (8) If the applicant has close links with another person (“CL”) the applicant must satisfy the Authority— (a) that those links are not likely to prevent the Authority’s effective supervision of the applicant; and (b) if it appears to the Authority that CL is subject to the laws, regulations or administrative provisions of a territory which is not an EEA State (“the foreign provisions”), that neither the foreign provisions, nor any deficiency in their enforcement, would prevent the Authority’s effective supervision of the applicant.
(9) For the purposes of paragraph (8), an applicant has close links with CL if— (a) CL is a parent undertaking of the applicant; (b) CL is a subsidiary undertaking of the applicant; (c) CL is a parent undertaking of a subsidiary undertaking of the applicant; (d) CL is a subsidiary undertaking of a parent undertaking of the applicant; (e) CL owns or controls 20% or more of the voting rights or capital of the applicant; or (f) the applicant owns or controls 20% or more of the voting rights or capital of CL. Imposition of requirements 7.—(1) The Authority may include in an authorisation such requirements as it considers appropriate.
(2) A requirement may, in particular, be imposed so as to require the person concerned to— (a) take a specified action; (b) refrain from taking a specified action. (3) A requirement may be imposed by reference to the person’s relationship with its group or other members of its group. (4) Where— (a) an applicant for authorisation as a payment institution intends to carry on business activities other than the provision of payment services; and (b) the Authority considers that the carrying on of such other business activities will impair, or is likely to impair— (a) S.I. 2007/2157; amended by S.I.
2007/3299.
14 (i) the financial soundness of the applicant, or (ii) the Authority’s effective supervision of the applicant, the Authority may require the applicant to establish a separate body corporate to carry on the payment service business. (5) A requirement expires at the end of such period as the Authority may specify in the authorisation. (6) Paragraph (5) does not affect the Authority’s powers under regulation 8 or 11. Variation etc at request of authorised payment institution 8. The Authority may, on the application of an authorised payment institution, vary that person’s authorisation by— (a) adding a payment service to those for which it has granted authorisation; (b) removing a payment service from those for which it has granted authorisation; (c) imposing a requirement such as may, under regulation 7, be included in an authorisation; (d) cancelling a requirement included in the authorisation or previously imposed under paragraph (c); or (e) varying such a requirement, provided that the conditions set out in regulation 6(4) to (8) and, if applicable, the requirement in regulation 18(1) to maintain own funds, will continue to be met.
Determination of application for authorisation or variation of authorisation 9.—(1) The Authority must determine an application for authorisation or the variation of an authorisation before the end of the period of three months beginning with the date on which it received the completed application. (2) The Authority may determine an incomplete application if it considers it appropriate to do so, and it must in any event determine any such application within 12 months beginning with the date on which it received the application.
(4) The Authority may grant authorisation to carry out the payment services to which the application relates or such of them as may be specified in the grant of the authorisation. (5) If the Authority decides to grant an application for authorisation, or for the variation of an authorisation, it must give the applicant notice of its decision specifying— (a) the payment services for which authorisation has been granted; or (b) the variation granted, described in such manner as the Authority considers appropriate. (6) The notice must state the date on which the authorisation or variation takes effect.
(8) The Authority must, having considered any representations made in response to the warning notice— (a) if it decides to refuse the application or to impose a requirement, give the applicant a decision notice; or (b) if it grants the application without imposing a requirement, give the applicant notice of its decision, stating the date on which the authorisation or variation takes effect. (9) If the Authority decides to refuse the application or to impose a requirement the applicant may refer the matter to the Tribunal.
15 (10) If the Authority decides to authorise the applicant, or vary its authorisation, it must update the register as soon as practicable.
Cancellation of authorisation 10.—(1) The Authority may cancel a person’s authorisation and remove the person from the register where— (a) the person does not provide payment services within 12 months beginning with the date on which the authorisation took effect; (b) the person requests, or consents to, the cancellation of the authorisation; (c) the person ceases to engage in business activity for more than six months; (d) the person has obtained authorisation through false statements or any other irregular means; (e) the person no longer meets, or is unlikely to continue to meet, any of the conditions set out in regulation 6(4) to (8) or, if applicable, the requirement in regulation 18(1) to maintain own funds; (f) the person has provided payment services other than in accordance with the authorisation granted to it; (g) the person would constitute a threat to the stability of a payment system by continuing its payment services business; (h) the cancellation is desirable in order to protect the interests of consumers; or (i) the person’s provision of payment services is otherwise unlawful.
(3) The Authority must, having considered any representations made in response to the warning notice— (a) if it decides to cancel the authorisation, give the person a decision notice; or (b) if it decides not to cancel the authorisation, give the person notice of its decision. (4) If the Authority decides to cancel the authorisation, other than at the person’s request, the person may refer the matter to the Tribunal. (5) Where the period for a reference to the Tribunal has expired without a reference being made, the Authority must as soon as practicable update the register accordingly. Variation of authorisation on Authority’s own initiative 11.—(1) The Authority may vary a person’s authorisation in any of the ways mentioned in regulation 8 if it appears to the Authority that— (a) the person no longer meets, or is unlikely to continue to meet, any of the conditions set out in regulation 6(4) to (8) or, if applicable, the requirement in regulation 18(1) to maintain own funds; (b) the person has provided a particular payment service or payment services other than in accordance with the authorisation granted to it; (c) the person would constitute a threat to the stability of a payment system by continuing to provide a particular payment service or payment services; (d) the variation is desirable in order to protect the interests of consumers; or (e) the person’s provision of a particular payment service or payment services is otherwise unlawful.
(2) A variation under this regulation takes effect— (a) immediately, if the notice given under paragraph (6) states that that is the case; (b) on such date as may be specified in the notice; or
16 (c) if no date is specified in the notice, when the matter to which the notice relates is no longer open to review. (3) A variation may be expressed to take effect immediately or on a specified date only if the Authority, having regard to the ground on which it is exercising the power under paragraph (1), reasonably considers that it is necessary for the variation to take effect immediately or, as the case may be, on that date.
(5) A person who is aggrieved by the variation of their authorisation under this regulation may refer the matter to the Tribunal. (6) Where the Authority proposes to vary a person’s authorisation under this regulation, it must give the person notice. (7) The notice must— (a) give details of the variation; (b) state the Authority’s reasons for the variation and for its determination as to when the variation takes effect; (c) inform the person that they may make representations to the Authority within such period as may be specified in the notice (whether or not the person has referred the matter to the Tribunal); (d) inform the person of the date on which the variation takes effect; and (e) inform the person of their right to refer the matter to the Tribunal and the procedure for such a reference.
(8) The Authority may extend the period allowed under the notice for making representations. (9) If, having considered any representations made by the person, the Authority decides— (a) to vary the authorisation in the way proposed, or (b) if the authorisation has been varied, not to rescind the variation, it must give the person notice. (10) If, having considered any representations made by the person, the Authority decides— (a) not to vary the authorisation in the way proposed, (b) to vary the authorisation in a different way, or (c) to rescind a variation which has taken effect, it must give the person notice.
(11) A notice given under paragraph (9) must inform the person of their right to refer the matter to the Tribunal and the procedure for such a reference. (12) A notice under paragraph (10)(b) must comply with paragraph (7). (13) For the purposes of paragraph (2)(c), paragraphs (a) to (d) of section 391(8) of the 2000 Act (publication) apply to determine whether a matter is open to review. Registration as a small payment institution Application for registration as a small payment institution or variation of an existing registration 12.—(1) An application for registration as a small payment institution must contain, or be accompanied by, such information as the Authority may reasonably require.
(2) An application for the variation of a registration as a small payment institution must— (a) contain a statement of the proposed variation;
17 (b) contain a statement of the payment services which the applicant proposes to carry on if the registration is varied; and (c) contain, or be accompanied by, such other information as the Authority may reasonably require. (3) An application under paragraph (1) or (2) must be made in such manner as the Authority may direct. (4) At any time after receiving an application and before determining it, the Authority may require the applicant to provide it with such further information as it reasonably considers necessary to enable it to determine the application.
Conditions for registration as a small payment institution 13.—(1) The Authority may refuse to register an applicant as a small payment institution only if any of the conditions set out in paragraphs (2) to (6) is not met. (2) The application must comply with the requirements of, and any requirements imposed under, regulation 12. (3) The monthly average over the period of 12 months preceding the application of the total amount of payment transactions executed by the applicant, including any of its agents in the United Kingdom, must not exceed 3 million euros.
(4) None of the individuals responsible for the management or operation of the business has been convicted of— (a) an offence under Part 7 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002(a) (money laundering) or under the Money Laundering Regulations 2007; (b) an offence under section 15 (fund-raising), 16 (use and possession), 17 (funding arrangements), 18 (money laundering) or 63 (terrorist finance: jurisdiction) of the Terrorism Act 2000(b); (c) an offence under the 2000 Act; (d) an offence under article 7, 8 or 10 of the Terrorism (United Nations Measures) Order 2006(c) or article 7, 8 or 10 of the Al-Qaida and Taliban (United Nations Measures) Order 2006(d); (e) an offence under these Regulations; or (f) any other financial crimes.
(6) The applicant must comply with a requirement of the Money Laundering Regulations 2007 to be included in a register maintained under those Regulations where such a requirement applies to the applicant. (7) For the purposes of paragraph (3), where the applicant has yet to commence the provision of payment services, or has been providing payment services for less than 12 months, the monthly average may be based on the projected total amount of payment transactions over a 12 month period. (8) In paragraph (4) “financial crime” includes any offence involving fraud or dishonesty and, for this purpose, “offence” includes any act or omission which would be an offence if it had taken place in the United Kingdom.
(a) 2002 c.29. (b) 2000 c.11. (c) S.I.2006/2657. (d) S.I.2006/2952.
18 Supplementary provisions 14. Regulations 7 to 11 apply to registration as a small payment institution as they apply to authorisation as a payment institution with the following modifications— (a) references to authorisation are to be treated as references to registration; (b) omit regulation 7(4); (c) in regulation 8 for “an authorised payment institution” substitute “small payment institution” and for “provided that” to the end substitute— “provided that the conditions set out in regulation 13(4) to (6) will continue to be met and that the monthly average over any period of 12 months of the total amount of payment transactions executed by the institution, including any of its agents in the United Kingdom, continues not to exceed 3 million euro (“the financial limit”).”; (d) in regulation 10 for paragraph (1)(e) substitute— “(e) the person no longer meets, or is unlikely to continue to meet, any of the conditions set out in regulation 13(4) to (6) or the financial limit referred to in regulation 8;”; and (e) in regulation 11 for paragraph (1)(a) substitute— “(a) the person no longer meets, or is unlikely to continue to meet, any of the conditions set out in regulation 13(4) to (6) or the financial limit referred to in regulation 8;”.
Application for authorisation as a payment institution where the financial limit is exceeded 15. Where the financial limit referred to in regulation 8 (as applied by regulation 14(c)) is exceeded, the institution concerned must, within 30 days of becoming aware of the change in circumstances, apply for authorisation as a payment institution under regulation 5 if it intends to continue providing payment services in the United Kingdom. Common provisions Duty to notify changes 16.—(1) If at any time after an applicant has provided the Authority with any information under regulation 5(1), (2), or (4), or 12(1), (2) or (4) and before the Authority has determined the application— (a) there is, or is likely to be, a material change affecting any matter contained in that information; or (b) it becomes apparent to the applicant that the information is incomplete or contains a material inaccuracy, the applicant must provide the Authority with details of the change, the complete information or a correction of the inaccuracy (as the case may be) without undue delay, or, in the case of a material change which has not yet taken place, the applicant must provide details of the likely change as soon as the applicant is aware of such change.
(2) The obligation in paragraph (1) also applies to material changes or significant inaccuracies affecting any matter contained in any supplementary information provided pursuant to that paragraph. (3) Any information to be provided to the Authority under this regulation must be in such form or verified in such manner as it may direct. Authorised payment institutions and small payment institutions acting without permission 17. If an authorised payment institution or a small payment institution carries on a payment service in the United Kingdom, or purports to do so, other than in accordance with an
19 authorisation or registration granted, or deemed to be granted under regulation 121, to it by the Authority under these Regulations, it is to be taken to have contravened a requirement imposed on it under these Regulations. PART 3 AUTHORISED PAYMENT INSTITUTIONS Capital requirements 18.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), an authorised payment institution must maintain at all times own funds as defined for the purposes of Part 2 of Schedule 3 equal to or in excess of— (a) the amount of initial capital specified in Part 1 of Schedule 3, or (b) the amount of the own funds requirement calculated in accordance with paragraph 11 of Schedule 3 subject to any adjustment directed by the Authority under paragraph 12 of that Schedule, whichever is greater.
(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply to an authorised payment institution— (a) which is included in the consolidated supervision of a parent credit institution pursuant to the banking consolidation directive; and (b) in respect of which all of the conditions specified in Article 69(1) of the banking consolidation directive are met.
Safeguarding requirements 19.—(1) For the purposes of this regulation “relevant funds” comprise the following— (a) sums received from, or for the benefit of, a payment service user for the execution of a payment transaction; and (b) sums received from a payment service provider for the execution of a payment transaction on behalf of a payment service user. (2) Where— (a) only a portion of the sums referred to in paragraph (1)(a) or (b) is to be used for the execution of a payment transaction (with the remainder being used for non-payment services); and (b) the precise portion attributable to the execution of the payment transaction is variable or unknown in advance, the relevant funds are such amount as may be reasonably estimated, on the basis of historical data and to the satisfaction of the Authority, to be representative of the portion attributable to the execution of the payment transaction.
(3) Where the relevant funds in respect of a payment transaction exceed £50, an authorised payment institution must safeguard such funds in accordance with either— (a) paragraphs (4) to (8); or (b) paragraphs (9) and (10). (4) An authorised payment institution must keep relevant funds segregated from any other funds that it holds. (5) Where the authorised payment institution continues to hold the relevant funds at the end of the business day following the day on which they were received it must— (a) place them in a separate account that it holds with an authorised credit institution; or