PSD2
Since 2019 various changes relating to payment services have been. These changes relate to a European directive: the PSD2 (Payment Services Directive). The most significant change is that you will be able to give a company or organisation access to your current accounts.
PSD2 explained
One of the main objectives of PSD2 is to boost competition and innovation in the field of payment services. Soon, not only banks, but also other companies and organisations will be able to process payments and initiate payment services. However, they will only be able to do so with your permission.
What you can give permission for
You can provide a company or organisation with access to your current accounts, thereby allowing them to initiate payments on your behalf or to view your current account details.
Viewing your transactions
Access to your transactions from the past 18 months. You might give a third party, such as an accountant, permission to view your account details in order to consolidate your account statements and do your accounts.
Submitting a payment order
You can give a third party permission to submit a payment order on your behalf. Or give an online store permission to initiate a payment on your behalf when making a purchase online, for example. The online store then initiates a payment for you, just as you do now with iDEAL or your credit card.
What is changing for your business
That depends. A company or organisation can only access your current accounts or initiate payments on your behalf with your express permission. If you do not give your permission, nothing will change for you.
When making transfers within the European Economic Area (EU countries + Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein), it is now only possible to share costs (SHARED) with your trade partner. You can no longer have the beneficiary (BEN) or the initiator (OUR) pay all of the costs. Companies are also no longer allowed to apply a surcharge for debit and credit card payments (e.g. Mastercard or Visa).
Important to know when giving permission
- The business or organisation only gains access to your current accounts (not to your investment or other accounts).
- Your account details can only be accessed by the business or organisation for up to 90 days, after that period of time you'll have to confirm your permission again. As from July 25th 2023 this will be up to 180 days.
- Businesses and organisations must request your permission for each new transaction.
- And you confirm each transaction using ABN AMRO Internet Banking for Business or Access Online.
Secure banking is a top priority
It is of course important that you continue to take good care when it comes to your banking, and you should make a careful assessment before choosing to share your current account details. Bear in mind that the business or organisation you are granting access to your current accounts will be able to see your entire transaction history over the past 18 months for a period of 90 days*. It is also important to remember that ABN AMRO is never a party in any conflict between you and the business in question.
*as from July 25th 2023, this will be up to 180 days
Questions about the new European Payment Services Directive
Who does the new European directive apply to?
The new European Payment Services Directive is applicable to all customers with a current account. Authorised businesses can also give permission for corporate current accounts for which they are authorised.
If I do not give permission to access my current account, can third parties still see transfers I make to other people?
Yes, this may be the case. Suppose that you transfer funds to a third party or individual who has given a business or organisation permission to view his or her transactions. The transfer you make is then visible to that business or organisation as an incoming payment. Your name, account number, the transaction description and the transferred amount will be shown.
Can I change my settings so that no-one can access my current accounts?
As standard, no-one can access your current accounts. This will remain the standard setting unless you change it.
Does ABN AMRO sell details of my current account to third parties?
No. ABN AMRO will never sell customer or payment details to third parties.
Can I grant someone access to my account details if I do not use Internet Banking for Business or Access Online?
No. You have to use Internet Banking for Business or Access Online to be able to grant someone access to your account details. The new European directive only applies to current accounts which can be viewed online.
Will transactions with an incorrect cost option be rejected?
Payment instructions within the EEA (EU countries + Norway, Iceland and Lichtenstein) including BEN or OUR as cost option will be processed different depending on the channel used. Below an overview per channel how ABN AMRO will processes these payment instructions. Payment instructions of which either the sender or the beneficiary is outside the EEA countries will still be processed in case BEN or OUR is used.
Payment orders through Internet Bankieren Zakelijk or Access Online
Do you use Internet Bankieren Zakelijk or Access Online and are you using a cost code that is not correct? If you are, you will see an error message when entering a payment or uploading a batch. You will need to adjust the cost code to get your payment processed. While uploading an batch file you will get an error message. Adjustment or removal of the specific transaction is required to get the file processed.
Payment orders through Access Direct If you use Access Direct (both Open Link and Client)
Orders with incorrect cost codes will be rejected. You will then have to resubmit these orders with the correct cost code.
Payment orders through SWIFT channels
We adapt the cost code to SHA for orders that we receive through the SWIFT channels (e.g. (MA-CUG or Fileact)(MT101) for processing at ABN AMRO. Payment instructions received in other formats like e.g. MT103 or NON-SEPA XML etc, will get rejected in case the wrong cost code is used. If we receive an order from another bank (multibank through MT101) with an incorrect cost code, we will forward it unchanged to the relevant debit bank.