The German banking industry
The Deutsche Kreditwirtschaft (DK) is an institution of the credit institutions in Germany for the common formation of opinions and will and for the representation of the interests of the credit industry towards state institutions. This amalgamation of the central banking associations in Germany was called the Central Credit Committee (ZKA) until August 2011 .
Organization and task
The association was founded in 1932 under the name Central Credit Committee (ZKA). In August 2011 it changed its name to its current name.
The five central associations of the German banking industry are represented in the merger:
- Federation of German Volksbanks and Raiffeisenbanks (BVR)
- Association of German Banks
- Federal Association of Public Banks in Germany (VÖB)
- German Savings Banks and Giro Association (DSGV)
- Association of German Pfandbrief Banks (vdp) (formerly: Association of German Mortgage Banks)
Overall, the Deutsche Kreditwirtschaft represents all banks that are direct members or members of the member associations of these central associations. Currently (2005) there are around 2,300 credit institutions based in Germany.
It is neither a registered association nor a society . He has no legal personality. The external appearance and the publication of its common positions is taken over by the leading association. The lead changes annually at the beginning of the calendar year between the Federal Association of Public Banks in Germany, the German Savings Banks and Giro Association, the Federal Association of German Banks and the Federal Association of German Volksbanks and Raiffeisenbanks.
By working together, the associations try to formulate common positions on questions of banking law, banking policy and banking practice. The positions are decided unanimously and recorded in written statements. The German credit industry represents the common position vis-à-vis the government, banking and financial institutions such as the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin), other authorities and the legislative bodies in Germany and the European Union . The publication of statements and other press releases is one of the tasks of the lead association.
The work of the association is carried out in working committees that meet regularly. These include, for example, the Central Competition Committee or the ATM working team .
Standardization of cashless payments
An important task of the association is the development of standardized rules for payment transactions between the banks involved and their customers. The developed standards are laid down in contracts between the central associations represented and their annexes. These contracts are usually referred to as "agreements". The following agreements apply to domestic payments in Germany:
- Agreement on remote data transmission between customers and credit institutions ( data transmission agreement)
- Agreement on paperless data exchange in the intercompany processing of domestic payment transactions (clearing agreement)
- Agreement on the guidelines for uniform payment transaction forms
- Home banking agreement
- Agreement on credit transfers
- Agreement on the Collection of Checks ( Check Agreement )
- Agreement on the Collection of Travelers Checks (Travelers Check Agreement )
- Agreement on direct debit ( direct debit agreement )
- Agreement on the collection of bills of exchange and the return of unredeemed and recalled bills of exchange (bill of exchange agreement )
- Agreement on the eurocheque system
- Agreement on securing the ec PIN
- Agreement on the German ec ATM system
- Agreement on setting a maximum fee for the use of the cross-institutional ATMs
- Agreement on a cross-institute system for cashless payment at automated tills ( electronic cash )
- Agreement on the POZ system
- Agreement on the cross-institutional system " GeldKarte "
The agreements are legally binding for all credit institutions organized in the associations.
Performing tasks within the European Union
The establishment of the European single market on January 1, 1993, the introduction of the third stage of the European Economic and Monetary Union on January 1, 1999 and the introduction of euro cash on January 1, 2002 have led to an increasing number of tasks for the German banking industry must be met at the European level. This applies to both lobbying and the task of standardizing payment transactions. In December 1992 the European Committee for Banking Standards (ECBS) was established. The aim of this committee was to promote the development of the technical infrastructure for European payment transactions by developing standards. For example, the ECBS developed the International Bank Account Number (IBAN). In spring 2002 the European Payments Committee (EPC) was set up by 42 European banks and various banking associations. The purpose of the committee is to implement the European Payments Area (SEPA). German banks are represented in both the ECBS and the EPC. In order to represent the interests of the German credit institutions in a uniform manner and to intensify the work in these bodies, the German credit industry founded the ZKA office SEPA on June 3, 2004. So-called mirror working groups have been set up for the individual working groups in the EPC, which deal with the same issues. The respective coordinator of the mirror working group is also represented in the corresponding EPC working group.