Regulation 2011/1214 - Professional cross-border transport of euro cash by road between euro-area Member States - Main contents

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 316/1

The introduction of the euro has considerably increased the need for cross-border transport of cash by road. Within the euro area, banks, the large retail sector and other professional cash handlers should be able to contract with the cash-in-transit (CIT) company that offers the best price and/or service and to take advantage of the cash services of the nearest national central bank (NCB) branch or CIT cash centre, even if it is located in another Member State. Furthermore, a large number of Member States whose currency is the euro (hereinafter ‘participating Member States’) have arranged, or may want to arrange for, euro banknotes and coins to be produced abroad. The very principle of a single currency implies the freedom to move cash between participating Member States.

Due to the marked differences between Member States’ national law, it is generally very difficult to carry out the professional cross-border transport of euro cash by road between participating Member States. This situation is in contradiction to the principle of the free circulation of the euro and is to the detriment of the principle of freedom to provide services, which are among the fundamental principles of the European Union.

This Regulation is the response to the possible presentation of harmonisation instruments for the transport of cash, as expressed in Article 38(b) of Directive 2006/123/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 December 2006 on services in the internal market (3).

With a view to improving CIT security for both the CIT security staff involved and the public, use of the intelligent banknote neutralisation system (IBNS) should be encouraged and, after a thorough analysis of the potential impacts by the Commission, should be capable of being developed in a manner entailing harmonisation of IBNS among the participating Member States, without prejudice to the rules set out in this Regulation on applicable transport arrangements.

In view of the particular dangers to the health and life of both CIT security staff and the general public that are associated with the activity of transporting cash, it is appropriate that the cross-border transport of euro cash be subject to holding a specific cross-border CIT-licence. Such a licence should be held in addition to the national CIT licence that is required in most participating Member States, the form of which this Regulation does not harmonise. It is, moreover, appropriate that CIT companies established in those participating Member States which do not have a specific approval procedure for CIT-companies in addition to their general rules for the security or transport sectors, demonstrate a minimum experience of 24 months of regularly transporting cash in the Member State of establishment without infringing national law before they are granted a cross-border CIT licence by that Member State. Such an approach would increase mutual confidence between Member States.

In order to avoid the duplication of obligations and the introduction of an unnecessarily burdensome procedure, it is...