The government supports withdrawals with the exact amount from the ATM

Cardholders could withdraw any amount they wish from an ATM by manually entering the value, if the bill amending Law No. 209/2019 is adopted. The initiative is currently under consideration by the Senate, the first chamber notified, and the Government announced on September 3 that it supports the bill, subject to several observations regarding the application of the new rules.

The bill would require ATM operators to allow users to enter the desired amount, without removing quick-withdrawal options with preset values. Withdrawals would be possible within the limits of the available cash and denominations, as well as the terminal’s technical and security conditions.

The Executive calls for clarification of the terms used in the bill, the types of cards and withdrawals covered, and the rules on currency conversion, fees, and contractual limits. It also requests details concerning cards issued by authorized providers in other European Union member states.

Operators that fail to comply with the obligation could face fines ranging from 50,000 to 100,000 lei. The bill provides a 90-day deadline for adapting systems, but the Government considers that this period is not sufficiently justified. The Chamber of Deputies will have the final decision-making role.