As part of the ceremonial opening of the first OeNB cash dispenser in Obritzberg-Rust, OeNB Governor Robert Holzmann pointed out the importance of nationwide access to cash throughout Austria: “Cash is the most popular means of payment in Austria – especially because it combines many advantages. Cash is safe, it protects privacy when paying and it is inclusive. Cash can be used by all age groups and population groups. As OeNB, it is a central concern for us to continue to enable public access to cash on site in rural areas.”
On the OeNB website, a dashboard offers information about the accessibility of ATMs in Austria: https://oenb.shinyapps.io/ErreichbarkeitGeldautomaten/. It shows that the average distance to an ATM is 1.2 km and that 97.1% of the population live within 5 km of an ATM.
Johannes Pressl, President of the Austrian Association of Municipalities highlighted the basically good access to cash in Austria: “The density of cash-dispensing devices in Austria is amongst the highest in Europe; the cash supply in Austria is really excellent. Access to cash is an important part of the infrastructure in every community. Not only citizens benefit from a cash dispenser in the municipality, the economy and social life also benefit. The Association of Municipalities is proud to partner with OeNB where there are still gaps, so that they can now be closed.”
The OeNB plans to deploy 120 cash-out devices throughout Austria over the next two years. PSA Payment Services Austria will provide the acquiring services. The ATMs are primarily located in rural communities where there is neither a cash-dispenser nor a bank branch, which are a long distance away from the nearest cash dispenser and with at least 500 residents.
For the first roll-out of new ATMs, 48 municipalities were pre-selected by the OeNB. With the opening of the first ATM in Obritzberg-Rust the first tranche started today. Mayor Daniela Engelhart describes the importance of the new ATM for her community: “For many people, the easy accessibility of cash is very important. The ATM in the village will make it easier to supply cash, become a neighborly meeting place and support many conversations. With the ATM we bring a piece of infrastructure back to our community. We are very grateful to the National Bank and the Association of Municipalities for this.”
To avoid that banks close down ATMs and shift the responsibility of cash supply to the OeNB, a moratorium was concluded last year between the banks and Austrian Association of Municipalities. Banks are required to avoid closing down ATMs until 31/12/2019 and the OeNB will only deploy devices in areas outside of the scope of the moratorium.
Matthias Schroth, Director of the OeNB Cash Department, declared: “We want to ensure easy, close and free access to cash for as many people as possible. The broad acceptance and availability of cash in everyday life are essential pillars for social participation and economic stability. That is why we first prioritize those locations where we see a particularly high demand for a cash dispenser. After an evaluation of the first roll-out, there will be another round in which the municipalities can submit applications. There is also a long list of other communities that have already expressed their interest.”
In May, the Dutch Central Bank (DNB) announced it would take steps to bolster the ATM infrastructure on the islands of Saba and St. Eustatius in the Dutch Antilles. Following extensive consultations with local stakeholders and public entities, the DNB has mandated the installation of additional ATMs to ensure a reliable cash supply and strengthen the payment system.