rec_44

(44) Consumers should be guaranteed access to a range of basic payment services. Services linked to payment accounts with basic features should include the facility to place funds and withdraw cash. Consumers should be able to undertake essential payment transactions such as receiving income or benefits, paying bills or taxes and purchasing goods and services, including via direct debit, credit transfer and the use of a payment card. Such services should allow the purchase of goods and services online and should give consumers the opportunity to initiate payment orders via the credit institution’s online facility, where available. However, a payment account with basic features should not be restricted to online usage as this would create an obstacle for consumers without internet access. Member States should ensure, with respect to the services related to opening, operating and closing the payment account as well as placing funds and withdrawing cash and undertaking payment transactions with payment cards, with the exclusion of credit cards, that there are no limits to the number of operations which will be available to the consumer under the specific pricing rules laid down in this Directive. With respect to the execution of credit transfers and direct debits, as well as transactions made by means of a credit card, linked to the payment account with basic features, Member States should be able to determine a minimum number of operations, which will be available to the consumer under the specific pricing rules laid down in this Directive, provided that the services to which those operations relate are for the personal use of the consumer. In determining what should be considered as personal use, Member States should take into account existing consumer behaviour and common commercial practice. The fees charged for operations above the minimum number of operations should never be higher than those charged under the usual pricing policy of the credit institution.

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Source: EUR-Lex (Cellar) · retrieved 2026-10-29 · Text as adopted (Official Journal); later amendments are not incorporated in this text.