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- Original (As adopted by EU)
Decision (EU) 2019/2195 of the European Central Bank of 5 December 2019 amending Decision ECB/2010/14 on the authenticity and fitness checking and recirculation of euro banknotes (ECB/2019/39)
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Banknote handling machines are either customer-operated machines or staff-operated machines:
Customer-operated machines
A CRM may be used as a CIM or a CCM if the detector systems, software and other components for the performance of its core functionalities are the same as the CRM type listed on the ECB’s website(1).
A CCM may be used as a CIM if the detector systems, software and other components for the performance of its core functionalities are the same as the CCM type listed on the ECB’s website.
Staff-operated machines
1. | Banknote processing machines (BPMs) | BPMs check euro banknotes for authenticity and fitness. |
2. | Banknote authentication machines (BAMs) | BAMs check euro banknotes for authenticity. |
3. | Teller assistant recycling machines (TARMs) | TARMs are cash recycling machines operated by cash handlers that check euro banknotes for authenticity and fitness. For withdrawals, TARMs may use genuine fit euro banknotes that have been deposited by other customers in previous transactions. In addition, they keep euro banknotes in safe custody and allow cash handlers to credit or debit the bank accounts of customers. |
4. | Teller assistant machines (TAMs) | TAMs are machines operated by cash handlers that check euro banknotes for authenticity. In addition, they keep euro banknotes in safe custody and allow cash handlers to credit or debit the bank accounts of customers. |
Staff-operated machines must process euro banknotes in batches.
A machine that has been tested and is listed on the ECB’s website as a CRM or a CIM/CCM can be used as a TARM or a TAM, respectively. In such a case, the machine must only be operated by cash handlers’ staff.
The Eurosystem tests types of banknote handling machines. Types of banknote handling machines can be distinguished from each other through their specific detector systems, software and other components for the performance of their core functionalities. These are: (a) the authentication of genuine euro banknotes; (b) the detection and separation of euro banknotes suspected to be counterfeit; (c) the detection and separation of unfit euro banknotes from fit euro banknotes, if applicable; and (d) the tracing of objects identified as suspect counterfeit euro banknotes and of euro banknotes that are not clearly authenticated, if applicable.’’.
Euro banknotes are classified into one of the following categories and are separated by category. Machines which do not check euro banknotes for fitness do not need to distinguish between category 4a and 4b euro banknotes.
Classification and treatment of euro banknotes by customer-operated machines in which cash is deposited with customer tracing
Category | Properties | Treatment | |
---|---|---|---|
1. | Objects not recognised as euro banknotes | Not recognised as euro banknotes because of any of the following:
| Return by the machine to the customer |
2. | Suspect counterfeit euro banknotes | Image and format recognised, but one or more authentication feature checked by the machine not detected or clearly out of tolerance | Withdraw from circulation To be handed over for authentication, together with information related to the account holder, to the competent national authorities immediately, at the latest 20 working days after deposit in the machine Do not credit to the account holder. |
3. | Euro banknotes that are not clearly authenticated | Image and format recognised, but not all authentication features checked by the machine are recognised because of quality and/or tolerance deviations. In most cases unfit euro banknotes | Withdraw from circulation The euro banknotes are handed over for authentication to the NCB immediately, at the latest 20 working days after deposit in the machine. Information on the account holder is stored for eight weeks after the euro banknotes have been detected by the machine. This information is made available on request to the NCB. Alternatively, in agreement with the NCB, information allowing the traceability of the account holder can be handed over together with the euro banknotes to that NCB. May be credited to the account holder |
4a. | Euro banknotes that are identified as genuine and fit | All authenticity and fitness checks carried out by the machine giving positive results | Can be used for recirculation Credited to the account holder |
4b. | Euro banknotes that are identified as genuine and unfit | All authenticity checks carried out by the machine giving positive results. At least one fitness criterion checked giving a negative result | Cannot be used for recirculation and are returned to the NCB Credited to the account holder |
Specific rules regarding Table 1:
Category 2 and 3 euro banknotes are not returned to the customer by a banknote handling machine if that machine allows the cancellation of a deposit transaction. Retaining such euro banknotes when a transaction is cancelled can be done by storing them in a temporary storage area in the machine.
Category 3 euro banknotes do not need to be physically separated from category 4a or 4b euro banknotes. If no physical separation takes place, the time limit for handing over the mixed category 3, 4a and 4b euro banknotes to the NCB and the requirements regarding customer tracing of category 3 euro banknotes still apply.
Category 3 euro banknotes, also when mixed together with category 4a or 4b banknotes, may be reprocessed on any successfully tested type of banknote handling machine. These banknotes are then treated as having been classified by the second banknote handling machine, whereby the traceability of the original category 3 banknotes to the original account holder needs to be maintained in case these banknotes are rejected by the second machine as euro banknotes that are not clearly authenticated.
Classification and treatment of euro banknotes by cash-out machines (COMs)
Category | Properties | Treatment | |
---|---|---|---|
1. | Objects not recognised as euro banknotes | Not recognised as euro banknotes because of any of the following:
| Cannot be dispensed to customers |
2. | Suspect counterfeit euro banknotes | Image and format recognised, but one or more authentication feature checked by the machine not detected or clearly out of tolerance | Cannot be dispensed to customers To be handed over for authentication to the competent national authorities immediately, at the latest 20 working days after detection by the machine together with information related to the account holder if available |
3. | Euro banknotes that are not clearly authenticated | Image and format recognised, but not all authentication features checked by the machine are recognised because of quality and/or tolerance deviations. In most cases unfit euro banknotes | Cannot be dispensed to customers The euro banknotes are handed over to the NCB for authentication immediately, at the latest 20 working days after deposit in the machine. |
4a. | Euro banknotes that are identified as genuine and fit | All authenticity and fitness checks carried out by the machine giving positive results | Can be dispensed to customers |
4b. | Euro banknotes that are identified as genuine and unfit | All authenticity checks carried out by the machine giving positive results At least one fitness criterion checked giving a negative result | Cannot be dispensed to customers and are returned to the NCB |
Specific rules regarding Table 2:
Category 1, 2 and 3 euro banknotes do not need to be physically separated. When mixed together, all three categories must be treated as category 2 euro banknotes. If category 1, 2 and 3 euro banknotes can be separated by using another banknote handling machine or, if agreed by an NCB, by trained staff members, they must be treated in accordance with Table 2.
Category 3 euro banknotes do not need to be physically separated from category 4a and 4b euro banknotes. If no physical separation takes place, the time limit for handing over the mixed category 3, 4a and 4b euro banknotes to the NCB as specified for category 3 still applies.
Category 3 euro banknotes, also when mixed together with category 4a or 4b banknotes, may be reprocessed on any successfully tested type of banknote handling machine. These banknotes are then treated as having been classified by the second banknote handling machine.
Classification and treatment of euro banknotes by coin dispensing machines (CDMs)
CDMs must check the banknotes received for authenticity and retain those suspected to be counterfeits, but do not need to physically separate them by category. Banknotes suspected to be counterfeits have to be handed over for authentication to the competent national authorities immediately, at the latest 20 working days after detection by the machine, together with information related to the account holder, if available. Alternatively, the banknotes received by a CDM may be reprocessed on any successfully tested type of banknote handling machine and then treated as classified by this machine. The information related to the account holder of those pieces that have been classified as Category 2 or Category 3 during the reprocessing shall be maintained, if available.’ |
The objectives of data collection are to enable the national central banks (NCBs) and the European Central Bank (ECB) to monitor the relevant activities of cash handlers and to oversee developments in the cash cycle.
information on establishments where cash is handled such as branch offices, and
information on banknote handling machines and cash dispensers.
information on the volume of cash operations (number of euro banknotes processed) involving banknote handling machines and cash dispensers,
information on remote branches of credit institutions with a low level of cash operations where fitness checks are carried out manually.
This information is to be provided to:
[Name of NCB; contact details for queries; address]
Cash handler’s name:
Headquarter address:
Zip/postal code:
City:
Street:
Type of company:
Credit institution
Bureau de change
Cash in transit company which is not a payment institution
Trader (retailer)
Casino
Other, including payment institutions where not already categorised as one of the above (specify)
Contact persons:
Names:
Telephone Nos:
Telefax Nos:
Email addresses:
Outsourcing partner (if relevant)
Name:
Address:
Zip/postal code:
City:
Total number in operation | |
---|---|
ATMs | |
SCoTs | |
Others |
Cash handler’s name | |
Reporting period |
The following data items need to be aggregated at national or regional level, as decided by the NCB — excluding remote branches.
Total number of euro banknotes processed | Euro banknotes sorted as unfit | Euro banknotes recirculated | |
EUR 5 | |||
EUR 10 | |||
EUR 20 | |||
EUR 50 | |||
EUR 100 | |||
EUR 200 | |||
EUR 500 |
In the above table, the column with the heading “Total number of euro banknotes processed” needs to contain the total number of banknotes whose authenticity and fitness have been checked on banknote handling machines, i.e. cash-recycling machines (CRMs), cash-out machines (COMs), teller assistant recycling machines (TARMs) and banknote processing machines (BPMs), and combined cash-in and cash-out machines (CCMs) with optional fitness checking. The following banknotes are not included in this data: (a) banknotes whose authenticity and fitness check is carried out manually, e.g. over-the-counter operations or back-office operations; (b) banknotes that have been checked for authenticity but not for fitness on banknote handling machines, e.g. banknotes authenticated on cash-in machines (CIMs), CCMs (without optional fitness checking), teller assistant machines (TAMs) and banknote authentication machines (BAMs).
The column with the heading “Euro banknotes sorted as unfit” is a subset of the total number of euro banknotes processed and needs to contain the number of banknotes that have been classified as genuine and unfit (i.e. category 4b) by the machines. This data item relates to CRMs, COMs, TARMs and BPMs, and to CCMs with optional fitness checking.
The column with the heading “Euro banknotes recirculated” is a subset of the total number of euro banknotes processed and:
for CRMs, COMs and TARMs, needs to contain the number of banknotes that have been classified as genuine and fit (i.e. category 4a) by the machines and dispensed to customers as provided by the machines’ statistics;
for BPMs and CCMs with optional fitness checking, needs to contain the number of banknotes that have been classified as genuine and fit (i.e. category 4a) by the machines and that have not been returned to the NCB, but kept with the intention of recirculating the banknotes back into the cash cycle.
Number of euro banknotes distributed via customer operated machines and cash dispensers |
If an NCB applies the exception for remote branches laid down in Article 7, these data are mandatory for the credit institutions of that Member State. Credit institutions must consult their NCBs to ascertain whether these data must be reported.
This information is provided only by credit institutions which have remote branches as referred to in Article 7(1).
www.ecb.europa.eu.
Council Regulation (EC) No 1338/2001 of 28 June 2001 laying down measures necessary for the protection of the euro against counterfeiting ( OJ L 181, 4.7.2001, p. 6).
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