WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2718/97 by Susan WADDINGTON to the Commission. UK banking practice
C 117/52 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 16. 4. 98 This is without bearing on deduction of an amount, by way of an advance on the levy due from producers who exceeded their individual reference quantity for that period in accordance with Law 468/92 and Regulation (EC) No 3950/92 establishing an additional levy in the milk and milk products sector (1). The Commission’s information is that these amounts were systematically either deducted from payments to producers for their milk or secured by bank guarantee. In the circumstances the Commission does not consider that the producers in question have been 2. discriminated against. Before entry into force of the deferring provisions the sums paid by purchasers amounted to around 20% of 3. the total due following the national redistribution exercise in December 1996. These sums relate to levy amounts undisputed by purchasers against which no appeal was launched. The Commission sees no reason why they should be refunded. The Commission regrets the delay in definitive recovery of the levy due for 1995/96 and 1996/97. The work of the committee of inquiry will however enable problems in connection with the milk year bulletin such as those raised by the Honourable Members to be avoided in future. (1) OJ L 405, 31. 12. 1992. (98/C 117/64) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2718/97 by Susan Waddington (PSE) to the Commission (1 September 1997) Subject: UK banking practice Many UK banks and building societies do not accept European credit references, and refuse to open accounts for people from other EU Member States, or UK nationals who have been resident in another Member State. Such barriers continue to hamper the mobility of European Union citizens. How does the Commission view such practices, are they legal, and will it take action to remove such barriers in the near future? Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission (7 October 1997) The Commission is aware that some UK banks and building societies are reluctant to accept customers not resident in the United Kingdom. According to the information available to the Commission, it would appear that this reluctance on the part of a minority of credit institutions is based on the costs involved in meeting the legal and tax obligations associated with non-resident customers. These credit institutions take the view that, given the circumstances, it is not worthwhile for them to have non-resident customers. Although the Commission’s view is that these practices are regrettable in the context of the internal market and in the run-up to the single currency, they are not incompatible with Community law. Under current Community law, there is no obligation on banks to accept a customer or to provide a given service, such as opening a bank account, irrespective of whether the customer is resident in the country. This is a choice made on commercial grounds and based on the legal principle of contractual freedom. As it stated in its Communication of 26 June 1997 on follow-up to the Green Paper entitled Financial Services: Meeting Consumersí Expectationsí (1), the Commission supports all initiatives taken at national level to improve access by the greatest possible number of Community nationals to basic banking services. Although studies are currently being carried out on access to banking services, the Commission does not, at present, envisage taking measures in this area at Community level. (1) COM(97) 309 final