11.9.2012   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 245/3

(1)

The euro banknote production is organised on a decentralised basis with pooling under which the annual production of different banknote denominations is pooled among the national central banks of Member States whose currency is the euro (hereinafter the ‘NCBs’) according to the NCBs’ percentage shares in the subscribed capital of the European Central Bank (the ‘ECB’) for the relevant financial year calculated using the NCBs’ weightings in the key for capital subscription referred to in Article 29.1 of the Statute of the European System of Central Banks and of the European Central Bank (hereinafter the ‘Statute of the ESCB’).

(2)

Under the principle of decentralisation as laid down in Articles 9.2 and 12.1 of the Statute of the ESCB, NCBs are entrusted with putting into and withdrawing from circulation all euro banknotes, including those issued by the ECB. In line with this principle, the physical handling of euro banknotes is carried out by the NCBs. Due to the decentralised production scenario with pooling, the efficient cross-border bulk transfers of euro banknotes contribute to the smooth functioning of the cash cycle in the euro area.

(3)

In February 2007 the ECB’s Governing Council approved the timetable and a roadmap for further convergence of NCBs’ cash services in the medium term with a view to increasing harmonisation and integration to allow stakeholders (in particular the banking industry and cash-in-transit companies) to obtain greater benefits from the single currency, thus, contributing to the Single euro Cash Area.

(4)

The Data Exchange for Cash Services (DECS) is aimed at further harmonising cash services in the Eurosystem. It maximises efficiency in the supply and withdrawal of cash and the functioning of the cash cycle in the euro area. As cash services currently offered by NCBs vary to a significant extent, DECS ensures the interchangeability of data for cross-border cash transactions and bulk transfers of euro banknotes between NCBs that use different cash management systems. DECS does not affect the provision of cash services by NCBs at domestic level.

(5)

Given that the process of convergence of NCBs’ cash services will require some flexibility, it is necessary to establish a simplified procedure to make technical amendments to this Guideline. Therefore, the Executive Board should be delegated the powers to make such amendments,

(a)

‘DECS’ means the common interface that communicates with an NCB’s cash management system enabling the mapping, routing and transformation of electronic data messages between NCBs using different cash management systems or cash management specifications related to cash transactions and bulk transfers;

(b)

‘communication format’ means a set of files based on Cash Single Shared Platform (CashSSP), Global Standards One (GS1) or other communication formats;

(c)

‘cash management system’ means the logistical cash management IT system used by an NCB based on the CashSSP, GS1 or other communication formats;

(d)

‘cash management specifications’ means the technical specifications of a given cash management system;

(e)

‘cash’ means euro banknotes and coins, excluding collector coins;

(f)

‘cash lodgement’ means a free-of-charge cross-border cash lodgement transaction between a client and a non-domestic NCB;

(g)

‘cash withdrawal’ means a free-of-charge cross-border cash withdrawal transaction between a client and a non-domestic NCB;

(h)

‘cash transaction’ means a free-of-charge cross-border cash lodgement or cross-border cash withdrawal;

(i)

‘bulk transfer’ means any cross-border transfer of euro banknotes between two NCBs or between a printing works and an NCB which is reported in the Currency Information System 2 (CIS 2) (1);

(j)

‘domestic NCB’ means an NCB that provides to clients established in its Member State an interface to its cash management system for cash transactions;

(k)

‘non-domestic NCB’ means an NCB that enters into a cash transaction with a client established outside its Member State;

(l)

‘supplying NCB’ means for bulk transfers of euro banknotes an NCB that is responsible for supplying euro banknotes to a receiving NCB from: (i) the production allocated to that supplying NCB; (ii) the supplying NCB’s logistical stocks; (iii) the Eurosystem Strategic Stock;

(m)

‘receiving NCB’ means an NCB which receives euro banknotes from a supplying NCB or a printing works for bulk transfers of euro banknotes;

(n)

‘cash-in-transit company’ means an entity providing transport, storage and handling services of banknotes and coins for credit institutions;

(o)

‘client’ means a credit institution providing cash services incorporated in a Member State whose currency is the euro or, if applicable, a cash-in-transit company incorporated in a Member State whose currency is the euro that is registered in the database of a domestic NCB for the use of its cash management system and DECS;

(p)

‘transaction order message’ means a transaction message transmitted via DECS by a domestic/supplying NCB through its cash management system to a non-domestic/receiving NCB. This message is: (i) for cash withdrawals, an ‘order for cash withdrawal’ sent by a client; (ii) for cash lodgements, a ‘notification of lodgement’ sent by a client; (iii) for bulk transfers, a ‘bulk transfer message’ sent by the supplying NCB;

(q)

‘feedback validation message’ means a transaction message sent by a non-domestic/receiving NCB to a domestic/supplying NCB via DECS through the domestic/supplying NCB’s cash management system on receipt of a transaction order message;

(r)

‘transaction confirmation message’ means a transaction message sent after a transaction takes place: (i) to a client for cash transactions; or (ii) to a supplying NCB for bulk transfers via DECS through the domestic/supplying NCB’s cash management system. This message is: (i) for cash withdrawals, a ‘withdrawal receipt’ sent by a non-domestic NCB; (ii) for cash lodgements, a ‘lodgement receipt’ sent by a non-domestic NCB; (iii) for bulk transfers, a ‘bulk transfer receipt’ sent by a receiving NCB;

(s)

‘transaction message’ means a transaction order message, a feedback validation message and a transaction confirmation message;

(t)

‘printing works’ means printing works that concluded contractual arrangements with an NCB for the production of euro banknotes;

(u)

‘future Eurosystem NCB’ means the national central bank of a Member State that has fulfilled the conditions set for the adoption of the euro and in relation to which a decision on the abrogation of the derogation pursuant to Article 140(2) of the Treaty has been taken.

(a)

the conditions and technical requirements for processing transaction messages via DECS, including the potential cancellation of transactions via DECS;

(b)

the physical handling of the cash transactions, e.g. general terms and conditions of packaging and delivery;

(c)

the rules and procedures for financial settlement between the client and the non-domestic NCB, including the verification of whether a cash transaction can legitimately be carried out;

(d)

the conduct of individual plausibility checks on the volumes of the cash transactions.

(a)

be sent separately for each individual cash transaction;

(b)

contain items to be delivered to only one branch of a client or NCB;

(c)

contain an order either for euro banknotes or euro coins;

(d)

contain article items for single banknote pieces and for single coin pieces only;

(e)

comply with the packaging requirements in Annex II;

(f)

comply with the minimum quantity requirements in Annex II;

(g)

comply with the requirements on the banknote denominations and series in Annex II;

(h)

comply with the quality requirements in Annex II;

(i)

comply with the labelling requirements in Annex II;

(j)

contain the minimum data items set out in Annex III.