EU Phare project assists Czech banking sector in implementing EU payment system standards

PRESS RELEASE

DELEGATION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION TO THE CZECH REPUBLIC

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EU Phare project assists Czech banking sector in implementing EU payment system standards

Prague, 26 ^th April 2004 - The ? 1,000,000 EU Phare project ""Implementation of EU Payment system standards in the Czech Republic" has been designed to complete the process of preparation of the Czech banking sector in the area of payment systems for the Single European Market and to ensure awareness of the acquis communauta ire and best practices in the EU member-states as concerns payment systems. The project will be implemented by experts of a Consortium led by the Portuguese Training Institute (other members of consortium are Belgium Banker's Academy and KPMG Czech Republic) - the winner of an international tender.

The Press Conference will be attended by important representatives from the banking sphere (Mr Frait, Member of the Board of the CNB, Mr Kavánek from CSOB) and by the Delegation of the European Commission in the Czech Republic (Mr Ruud van Enk).

The Training programme will focus on the impacts of the EC Payment Systems Standards on the following types of Payment system services:

credit transfers and direct debits
electronic and mobile channels
payment cards.

The main beneficiaries of the training will be managers and payment system specialists from the relevant commercial banks´ departments, as well as banking officers executing payment transfers and ensuring the application of the new standards.

The Press Conference will take place on Wednesday 28 April at 9:00

Venue: Congress Centre of the Czech National Bank, Entrance from Senovážné náměstí, Praha 1

For further information please contact:

Katharina von Schnurbein, Press Officer of the Delegation

Phone: 224 312 835 or 255 708 220

Contact: Katharina von Schnurbein, Delegation of the European Commission,

Pod hradbami 17, 160 00 Praha 6. Phone: +420 224 312 835 or +420 255 708 220, mobile 723 984 357 Web: http://www.evropska-unie.cz