TITLE IVRIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS IN RELATION TO THE PROVISION AND USE OF PAYMENT SERVICES

CHAPTER 5Out-of-court complaint and redress procedures for the settlement of disputes

Section 1Complaint procedures

Article 80Complaints

1.

Member States shall ensure that procedures are set up which allow payment service users and other interested parties, including consumer associations, to submit complaints to the competent authorities with regard to payment service providers' alleged infringements of the provisions of national law implementing the provisions of this Directive.

2.

Where appropriate and without prejudice to the right to bring proceedings before a court in accordance with national procedural law, the reply from the competent authorities shall inform the complainant of the existence of the out-of-court complaint and redress procedures set up in accordance with Article 83.

Article 81Penalties

1.

Member States shall lay down the rules on penalties applicable to infringements of the national provisions adopted pursuant to this Directive and shall take all measures necessary to ensure that they are implemented. Such penalties shall be effective, proportionate and dissuasive.

2.

Member States shall notify the Commission of the rules referred to in paragraph 1 and of the competent authorities referred to in Article 82 by 1 November 2009 and shall notify it without delay of any subsequent amendment affecting them.

Article 82Competent authorities

1.

Member States shall take all the measures necessary to ensure that the complaints procedures and penalties provided for in Articles 80(1) and 81(1) respectively are administered by the authorities empowered to ensure compliance with the provisions of national law adopted pursuant to the requirements laid down in this Section.

2.

In the event of infringement or suspected infringement of the provisions of national law adopted pursuant to Titles III and IV, the competent authorities referred to in paragraph 1 shall be those of the home Member State of the payment service provider, except for agents and branches conducted under the right of establishment where the competent authorities shall be those of the host Member State.