MADRID, 17 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) -
The Committee on Economic Affairs and Digital Transformation will debate next Tuesday a Citizens' proposal to promote the withdrawal of cash in businesses, a practice known as 'cashback' or 'cash-in-shop', which aims to reduce dependency of ATMs to carry out this type of transaction.
As stated in the text of the proposal, to which Europa Press had access, the orange formation proposes to reform Decree 19/2018, of November 23, regarding payment services and other urgent measures in financial matters, to give this practice "adequate legal coverage and easy access to cash".
The group's proposal is part of a scenario of a generalized rise in commissions for ATM operations, the progressive disappearance of these cash dispensers -more than 10,000 in the last decade, according to the Bank of Spain- and the Closing of offices and branches, an incidence "especially pronounced" in rural Spain, where currently 4,378 municipalities do not have a bank branch.
Added to all this are new consumption dynamics, which led to 28% fewer cash withdrawals being made at the end of 2021. However, Ciudadanos points out that, despite the indicated trend, cash still represents 30% of payment operations in Spain today.
Ciudadanos points out that the 'cashback' appears here as an "agile and efficient" solution for access to cash. An alternative that, moreover, has already been tested "successfully" in other countries. The formation points to the United Kingdom as an example, where a legal modification has been approved to allow cash to be withdrawn in stores without having to make a purchase.
Ciudadanos highlights that the measure would be especially significant in rural areas, since they are "much more exposed" to the unbanking process. However, it would also be "an important revulsion" in large cities, since, although in these there is a wide presence of ATMs, the lack of agreements between financial entities or multi-brand ATMs means that on many occasions the ATM of the particular user entity is "relatively remote".
