Guideline (EU) 2021/832 of the European Central Bank of 26 March 2021 on reporting requirements on payments statistics (ECB/2021/13)

This Guideline establishes the reporting requirements for NCBs on payments statistics to be reported to the ECB. In particular, this Guideline specifies the statistical information to be reported to the ECB, the treatment of that statistical information, as well as the frequency and timing of that reporting and the standards to be applied to that reporting.

For the purposes of this Guideline, the following definitions apply: (a) the definitions in Article 1 of Regulation (EU) No 1409/2013 (ECB/2013/43), where relevant; (b) the definitions in Annex II to Regulation (EU) No 1409/2013 (ECB/2013/43), where relevant. The following definition also applies: ‘statistical information’ means ‘statistical information’ as defined in Article 1(11) of Council Regulation (EC) No 2533/98 .

1 NCBs shall report to the ECB the statistical information set out in Annex III to Regulation (EU) No 1409/2013 (ECB/2013/43) on an aggregated basis at national level.

2 NCBs shall report to the ECB the statistical information set out in the Annex to this Guideline on an aggregated basis at national level.

3 For the purposes of paragraph 1, where NCBs grant derogations to reporting agents in accordance with Article 4 of Regulation (EU) No 1409/2013 (ECB/2013/43), NCBs shall gross up to 100 % coverage ensuring that the required statistical information referred to in Article 3(1) of that Regulation is reported.

4 Where the statistical information referred to in paragraph 2 is not available or cannot be reported by NCBs, NCBs shall: (a) request additional information from reporting agents; or (b) use provisional data; or (c) use estimates, the methodology of which shall be defined by each NCB reflecting national specificities. For the purposes of this paragraph, NCBs shall provide explanations to the ECB justifying the approach used.

1 NCBs shall report the statistical information referred to in Article 3(1) of this Guideline in accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EU) No 1409/2013 (ECB/2013/43).

2 NCBs shall report the statistical information referred to in Article 3(2) on a semi-annual basis as specified in the relevant table of the Annex to this Guideline and as follows: (a) for reporting on a semi-annual basis of the statistical information relating to the period January to June, by close of business on the last working day of November following the end of the first half of the year to which it relates; (b) for reporting on a semi-annual basis of the statistical information relating to the period July to December, by close of business on the last working day of May following the end of the second half of the year to which it relates; (c) for reporting on a semi-annual basis with a quarterly breakdown, paragraphs (a) and (b) apply.

3 By the end of September each year, the ECB shall communicate the exact transmission dates to NCBs in the form of a reporting calendar for the following year.

1 Where a Member State whose currency is not the euro (hereinafter the ‘non-euro area Member States’) adopts the euro following the entry into force of this Guideline, the NCB of that Member State shall report to the ECB the statistical information on payments statistics for five years prior to the Member State’s adoption of the euro and only since the accession to the Union of that Member State.

2 NCBs shall compile the statistical information referred to in paragraph 1 as if the Member State was part of the euro area throughout all reference periods. For this purpose, NCBs may use statistical information reported to the ECB before the Member State’s adoption of the euro in accordance with the reporting schemes adapted by the ECB for non-euro area Member States. NCBs shall report statistical information in accordance with the requirements and templates which were applicable to euro area Member States in the respective reference periods unless the ECB and NCB agree, with due consideration of the NCB’s reporting burden, to exclude some statistical information.

1 Without prejudice to Regulation (EC) No 2533/98 and Regulation (EU) No 1409/2013 (ECB/2013/43), NCBs shall monitor and ensure the quality and reliability of the statistical information reported to the ECB pursuant to Article 3. In particular, NCBs shall verify both of the following: (a) that the information reported pursuant to this Guideline satisfies the validation rules provided and maintained by the ECB; (b) the consistency between the quarterly and semi-annual statistical information reported pursuant to Article 3.

2 Where NCBs identify any discrepancies pursuant to the verifications conducted in accordance with this Article, they shall provide the ECB with the results of the verifications without undue delay.

1 Where necessary, NCBs shall revise the statistical information reported pursuant to Article 3 referring to the previous reporting reference period while ensuring the consistency between the statistical information reported with different frequencies, including where such consistency requires revisions to other reporting reference periods (ordinary revisions). NCBs shall report any ordinary revisions during regular reporting.

2 Where necessary, NCBs shall revise statistical information reported pursuant to Article 3 which are not ordinary revisions (exceptional revisions) at any time with prior approval by the ECB and shall provide explanations when reporting such revisions.

Where necessary, NCBs shall provide explanations to the ECB on deviations from the reporting requirements due to national specificities and structural breaks in detail, including the impact on that statistical information. NCBs shall also provide such explanations upon request by the ECB.

1 NCBs shall transmit the statistical information to be reported pursuant to this Guideline electronically, using the means specified by the ECB. The statistical message format developed for this electronic exchange of statistical information shall be the format agreed by the ESCB.

2 Where paragraph 1 does not apply, NCBs may use other means of transmitting statistical information with the ECB’s prior consent.

Taking account of the views of the Statistics Committee, the ECB’s Executive Board shall make any necessary technical amendments to the Annex to this Guideline provided that such amendments neither change the underlying conceptual framework nor affect the reporting burden on reporting agents in Member States. The Executive Board shall inform the Governing Council of any such amendment without undue delay.

1 First reporting for quarterly statistical information to be reported pursuant to this Guideline shall begin with statistical information for the first quarter of 2022.

2 First reporting for semi-annual statistical information with a quarterly breakdown to be reported pursuant to this Guideline shall begin with statistical information for the first and second quarter of 2022.

3 First reporting for semi-annual statistical information to be reported pursuant to this Guideline shall begin with statistical information for the first half year of 2022.

4 First reporting for annual statistical information with a half-yearly breakdown to be reported pursuant to this Guideline shall begin with statistical information for the first and second half year of 2022.

For the reference period 2021, NCBs shall report to the ECB the following: (a) the annual statistical information as set out in Regulation (EU) No 1409/2013 as applicable on 31 December 2021; (b) the annual statistical information as set out in Article 18 of Guideline ECB/2014/15 and Part 16 of Annex II to that Guideline as applicable on 31 December 2021.

1 This Guideline shall take effect on the day of its notification to the national central banks of the Member States whose currency is the euro.

2 The national central banks of the Member States whose currency is the euro and the ECB shall comply with this Guideline from 1 February 2022.

This Guideline is addressed to all Eurosystem central banks.