Federal Economy Minister Pierre-Yves Dermagne (PS) plans to relaunch a legislative initiative aimed at introducing an obligation to be able to pay in cash in shops, he announced on Thursday in the plenary session of the Chamber.
“There had been no consensus on this in government,” the minister said. “Now the complaints are increasing. We see that even the SNCB [railway company] refuses payment in cash. It therefore seems appropriate to me to come back with a legislative initiative on this matter.”
“I will soon get back to the government with an initiative on this subject and, from what I have heard, I am convinced that it will have the support of the majority parties,” he added. “You can’t on the one hand ask for more ATMs, but then not want to guarantee that citizens can use their cash in all shops.”
The deputy prime minister was responding to queries from Vanessa Matz (Les Engagés), Reccino Van Lommel (Vlaams Belang) and Gaby Colebunders (PTB) about an agreement reached on 31 March between the government and financial sector federation FEBELFIN on the distribution of ATMs across the country.
“It is a capitulation to the banks,” Matz said, calling for a hearing with associations such as Financité, Test-Achats and Okra, a senior citizens’ organisation.
“The banks are doing what they want. This slightly modified version [of the so-called ‘Batopin’ project, editor’s note] will only worsen the situation,” Colebunders added.
[The Batopin initiative is aimed at optimising Belgium's ATM network, among other things by installing the right number of ATMs at the right places.]
Pierre-Yves Dermagne disputed these analyses. “The protocol provides for a clear improvement in the coverage rate compared to the situation at the end of 2021, particularly in Wallonia,” he countered. “We will go from 79.52% of the population within 5 km of a distributor by road in rural areas in 2021 to 81.99% in 2025, despite the drop in 2022. (…)
“Specifically, while the initial plan for the sector provided for 2,162 locations and 3,774 ATMs by 2025, with the protocol, it is 2,369 locations and 4,061 ATMs, at least, by the end of 2027.”
