Cardholders are expected to be able to withdraw the exact amount they desire from any ATM in Romania, even if the ATM belongs to a different bank than the one that issued their card. The National Bank of Romania (BNR) does not oppose the measure, and the Government supports the adoption of the project with some observations.
Currently, at many ATMs, clients from other banks can only choose from a few preset amounts and do not have the option to enter the desired value.
The change is not yet in effect. It is provided for in a draft law that is in parliamentary procedure and is supported by representatives of all parties, according to Profit.ro. The initiative had been presented as early as summer, but in the meantime, the National Bank and the Government have exchanged their views on it. If it becomes law, ATM operators will have 90 days to adapt their systems to the new requirements.
What will change at ATMs
The project obliges payment service providers operating ATMs to offer the possibility of entering a personalized amount for cash withdrawal.
The option must be available regardless of the institution that issued the card. In other words, if an ATM allows the withdrawal of a certain amount, the client will no longer be forced to choose only from the preset values on the screen simply because they are using a card from another bank.
ATMs will be able to retain quick withdrawal options – for example, 100, 200, or 500 lei – but these will not replace the possibility of manually entering the desired amount.
However, there are natural limits: the withdrawal will depend on the cash and banknotes available in the machine, as well as on the technical and security restrictions applicable to the operation.
The initiators argue that current restrictions are usually not caused by the technical impossibility of the ATM to dispense the respective amount, but by the way the interface is configured for cards issued by other institutions.
The issue is all the more relevant given that users may incur fees when withdrawing money from another bank's ATM, without always being able to choose the exact amount they need. In some cases, this can lead them to withdraw more money than intended.
What BNR says
The National Bank has informed Parliament that the measure could improve access to cash, especially in rural areas and less developed regions where there are fewer ATMs.
BNR states that it "does not oppose" the initiative but requests further clarification before adoption. These include the situation of payment service providers authorized in other EU states operating in Romania and the clear identification of the beneficiaries of the provisions, including from the perspective of sanctions.
The central bank also recommends consulting the banking system to identify any technical issues that may arise in the uniform implementation of the new rules.
Government supports the project but requests modifications
The Government has informed Parliament that it supports the adoption of the initiative but proposes several clarifications itself.
Among other things, the Government wants it to be specified whether the option of choosing the amount applies to all withdrawals, regardless of the card scheme, account currency, withdrawal currency, fees, potential currency conversions, and contractual limits set by the issuer.
The Government also believes that the wording regarding the technical and security limits of ATMs is too general. In its current form, there is a risk that such limits could be invoked arbitrarily to avoid offering the functionality. The Government proposes that restrictions be objective, non-discriminatory, and proportionate.
Another issue is the 90-day deadline for the implementation of the new rules. The Government requests an analysis of whether the period is sufficient for adapting the technical and security infrastructure.
Fines of up to 100,000 lei
The project also provides for sanctions for non-compliance with the new obligations. If consumer interests are affected or could be affected, violations of the provisions may be sanctioned with fines ranging from 50,000 to 100,000 lei.
The initiative's authors argue that implementation would not entail significant costs for ATM operators. The changes would mainly involve updating the software and interfaces of existing terminals, without significant investments in physical infrastructure.