The Senate adopted a bill requiring ATMs to allow the withdrawal of a customized amount, within the available limits

The Senate has adopted a bill amending Law No. 209/2019 on payment services, which would require ATM operators to allow users to withdraw a personalized amount. The proposal was approved with 96 votes in favor, one against and six abstentions, and will be sent to the Chamber of Deputies, the decision-making body.

Under the bill, the option to enter a personalized amount must be offered to all users of cards issued by payment service providers operating in Romania, regardless of the card issuer or the operator of the ATM.

Withdrawals will be possible within the limits of the funds available in the ATM, the banknote denominations it contains, as well as the applicable technical and security limits. These limits must be objective, proportionate, non-discriminatory and applied uniformly to users in comparable situations.

Failure to comply with the obligation, if it affects or may affect consumers’ interests, will constitute an administrative offense and may be sanctioned with fines ranging from 50,000 to 100,000 lei.

The initiators, lawmakers from the PSD, AUR, UDMR, USR and national minorities’ parliamentary group, argue that the measure will eliminate differences in access to ATM functions and increase transparency and consumer protection.