Payment accounts: Commission refers Spain to the Court for failure to implement payment accounts rules

The European Commission decided today to refer Spain to the Court of Justice of the EU for failure to notify measures for fully implementing the EU Payment Accounts Directive (Directive 2014/92/EU).

EU rules on payment accounts are essential to ensure consumers benefit from transparent payment accounts in a competitive and inclusive market. The Directive gives all legal EU residents the right to a basic payment account for a reasonable fee, regardless the place of residence. It also improves the transparency of payment account fees and makes it easier to compare and switch. Member States' laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with the Directive had to enter into force by 18 September 2016 and the Commission had to be informed immediately.

To date, Spain has not transposed this Directive into national law; therefore, the Commission is referring Spain to the Court of Justice of the EU.

Background

By sending a first warning - a letter of formal notice - to the Spanish authorities in November 2016, the European Commission formally requested Spain to fully implement the EU Payment Accounts Directive (Directive 2014/92/EU). After receiving a reply from the Spanish authorities, the Commission decided to send a second warning - a reasoned opinion - to Spain in April 2017.

To date, complete transposition has not been formally notified by the Spanish authorities, which leads the Commission to conclude that the EU Payment Accounts Directive is, at present, not transposed completely into their national law.

For More Information:

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  On the monitoring the EU law in the area of consumer services and payments.
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  On the key decisions in the October 2017 infringements package, see full MEMO/17/3494.
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  On the general infringements procedure, see MEMO/12/12(an info graph).
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  On the EU infringements procedure.

IP/17/3498