58m Europeans do not have a bank account

The European Commission Wednesday published proposals for a legislation on the transparency and comparability of bank payment account fees, account switching and access to a basic payment account. "In today's world, not having access to a basic bank account makes everyday life difficult and more expensive. Today's proposal will finally give all European citizens access to a basic bank account and enable them to participate fully in the society they live," EU Commissioner for Internal Market and Services , Michel Barnier, told a press conference presenting the proposals. He noted that around 58 million consumers over the age of 15 in the EU do not have a bank payment account. On his part, EU Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy, Tonio Borg, told the joint press conference that today's proposal allows consumers across the EU to access bank account services, to compare them and, if they are not satisfied, to switch to another provider. "Our aim is that consumers are better informed about fees both before and after they open an account, and that they can change their provider rapidly and easily if they so wish," he added.