News in Brief

Belgian Competition Authority to Investigate Batopin

The four largest Belgium commercial banks, Belfius, BNP Paribas Fortis, ING and KBC, set up the Belgian ATM Optimisation Initiative (Batopin) in March 2020. Batopin addresses the infrastructure challenge of falling cash usage volumes by developing an optimal network of ATMs in Belgium. The ATMs are branded neutrally and are established away from bank branches. The aim is to have an ATM not more than 5 km from people.

Just before Christmas the Investigation and Prosecution Service of the Belgian Competition Authority (BCA) opened an investigation to determine whether the Batopin agreement could affect the quality of banknote distribution and deposit services or the competition between retail banking service providers under Article IV.1 of the Economic Law Code and/or Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.