2024-06-26
The Central Bank of Kosovo has issued a regulation mandating that licensed payment service providers ensure specific payer and payee information accompanies all fund transfers to combat money laundering and terrorist financing. The rules require originators to verify and transmit details such as names, account numbers, and unique transaction identifiers, while destination providers must detect missing data, verify amounts over 1,000 euros, and apply risk-based measures to execute or reject transfers. Applying to domestic and cross-border transactions in any currency, the regulation establishes standardized data retention, intermediary obligations, and strict compliance protocols for financial institutions operating within Kosovo.
1 of 11 Pursuant to Article 35, paragraph 1, subparagraph 1.1, of the Law No. 03/L-209 on the Central Bank of the Republic of Kosovo (Official Gazette of the Republic of Kosovo, No. 77 / August 16, 2010, Prishtina) , amended and supplemented by Law No. 05/L -150 on the Central Bank of the Republic of Kosovo (Official Gazette of the Republic of Kosovo, No. 10 / 03 April 2017, Prishtina), Article 85, Paragraph 1, of Law No. 04/L-093 om Banks, Microfinance Institutions and Non-Bank Financial Institutions (Official Gazette of the Republic of Kosovo No. 11 / May 11, 2012, Prishtina) , Article 4, paragraph 3, of Law No. 05/L-045 on Insurances ( Official Gazette of the Republic of Kosovo / No. 38 / December 24, 2015, Prishtina) , Article 23, paragraph 6, and Article 66, paragraph 2, of Law No. 05/L096 on Preventing Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (Official Gazette of the Republic of Kosovo No. 18 / 15 June 2016, Prishtina) , the Board of the Central Bank, at its meeting held on June 26, 2024, approved the following: REGULATION ON INFORMATION ACCOMPANYING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS CHAPTER I GENERAL PROVISIONS Article 1 Purpose The purpose of this Regulation is to set out rules of information on the payer and the payee that must accompany the transfer of funds, in any currency, for the purposes of preventing, identifying and investigating money laundering and terrorist financing, where at least one of the payment service providers involved in the transfer of funds is licensed in Kosovo. This regulation also sets out rules on internal policies, procedures and controls to ensure the implementation of measures for PML/CFT where at least one of the payment service providers involved in the transfer of funds is licensed in Kosovo. Article 2 Scope
2 of 11 2.2. the number of the card, instrument or device accompanies all transfers resulting from the transaction. 3. Nevertheless, this Regulation shall apply when a payment card, electronic payment instrument, mobile phone or any other prepaid or paid technology device with similar characteristics is used to transfer funds between natural persons acting as customers for purposes other than trade, business or professional activity. 4. This Regulation shall not apply to transfer of funds in cases where one of the following criteria is met: 4.1. includes cash withdrawals by the payer from the payer's own payment account; 4.2. constitutes a transfer of funds to a public authority as payment for taxes, fines or other charges within the country. 4.3. the payer and payee are payment service providers acting on their behalf; Article 3 Definitions
3 of 11 1.11. Transfer of funds - means any transaction at least partially carried out by electronic means on behalf of a payer through a PSP, with a view to making funds available to a payee, irrespective of whether the payer and the payee are the same person and irrespective of whether the PSP of the payer and that of the payee are one and the same, including: 1.11.1. credit transfer; 1.11.2. direct debit; 1.11.3. a money remittance; 1.11.4. transfer carried out using a payment card, an electronic payment instrument, a mobile phone or other prepaid or post-paid electronic device with similar characteristics; 1.12. Batch file transfer – means a bundle of several individual transfers of funds put together for transmission; 1.13. Unique Transaction Identifier – means a combination of letters, numbers or symbols determined by the PSP, in accordance with the protocols of the payment and settlement systems or messaging systems used for the transfer of funds, which permits the traceability of the transaction back to the payer and the payee; 1.14. SEPA – stands for the Single Euro Payments Area; 1.15. Legal Entity Identifier – means a unique code based on the ISO 17442 standard assigned to a legal entity. 1.16. Remittance – means a payment service where funds are received from a payer, without any payment account being created in the name of the payer or the payee, for the sole purpose of transferring a corresponding amount to a payee or to another payment service provider acting on behalf of the payee and/or where such funds are received on behalf of and made available to the payee. CHAPTER II OBLIGATIONS FOR PAYMENT SERVICES PROVIDERS Section I Obligations on the payment service providers of payer Article 4 Information accompanying transfers of funds The payment service provider of the payer shall ensure that the transfers of funds are accompanied by the following information on the payer: 1.1. the name of the payer; 1.2. the payer's payment account number; 1.3. the payer’s address including the name of the country, the official personal identification document and the customer identification number or date and place of birth;
4 of 11 2. The payment service provider of payer shall ensure that the transfer of funds is accompanied by the following information on the payee: 2.1. the name of the payee; 2.2. the payee's payment account number; 3. By way of derogation from subparagraph 1.2 of paragraph 1, and subparagraph 2.2 of paragraph 2 of this Article, in the case of a transfer not made from or to a payment account, the payment service provider of the payer shall ensure that the transfer of funds is accompanied by a unique transaction identifier. 4. Before transferring funds, the payment service provider of the payer shall verify the accuracy of the information referred to in paragraph 1 of this article and, when applicable, in paragraph 3 of this Article, on the basis of documents, data or information obtained from a reliable and independent source. 5. Verification referred to in paragraph 4 of this article shall be deemed to have taken place when one of the following applies: 5.1. a payer's identity has been verified in accordance with the provisions of due diligence to the customer as defined in the Law on PML/CFT and the information obtained pursuant to that verification has been registered in accordance with the provisions of Article 64 of the Law on PML/CFT. 5.2. The provisions of paragraph 1.4 of article 19 of the Law on PML/CFT apply to the payer. 6. Without prejudice to the derogations provided for in Articles 5 and 6, the payment service provider of the payer shall not execute any transfer of funds before ensuring full compliance with this Article. Article 5 Transfer of funds within the country
5 of 11 2.2.2. the payment account numbers of the payer and the payee or, where paragraph 3 of Article 4 applies, the unique transaction identifier. 3. By way of derogation from paragraph 4 of Article 4, in the case of transfer of funds referred to in paragraph 2.2 of this Article, the payment service provider of payer does not need to verify information on the payer, unless the payment service provider of payer: 3.1. has received the funds to be transferred in cash or in anonymous electronic money; or 3.2. has reasonable grounds for suspecting money laundering or terrorist financing. Article 6 Transfers of funds to outside the country
6 of 11 settlement system used to effect the transfer of funds have been filled in using characters or inputs admissible in accordance with the conventions of that system. 2. The payment service provider of the payee shall implement effective procedures, including, where appropriate, ex-post monitoring or real-time monitoring, in order to detect whether the following information on the payer or the payee is missing: 2.1. for transfers of funds where the payment service provider of the payer is established in the Country, the information referred to in Article 5; 2.2. for transfers of funds where the payment service provider of the payer is established outside the Country, the information referred to in subparagraphs 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3 of paragraph 1 of Article 4, and in subparagraphs 2.1 and 2.2 of paragraph 2 of Article 4; 2.3. for batch file transfers where the payment service provider of the payer is established outside the Country, the information referred to in subparagraphs 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3 of paragraph 1 of article 4, and in subparagraphs 2.1 and 2.2 of paragraph 2 of article 4. 3. In the case of transfers of funds exceeding EUR 1 000, whether those transfers are carried out in a single transaction or in several transactions which appear to be linked, before crediting the payee's payment account or making the funds available to the payee, the payment service provider of the payee shall verify the accuracy of the information on the payee referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article on the basis of documents, data or information obtained from a reliable and independent source, and if it is regulated by the legislation in the country without prejudice to the requirements laid down regarding the time of execution and the date of validity of the transaction. 4. In the case of transfers of funds not exceeding EUR 1 000 that do not appear to be linked to other transfers of funds which, together with the transfer in question, exceed EUR 1 000, the payment service provider of the payee need not verify the accuracy of the information on the payee, unless it: 4.1. effects the pay-out of the funds in cash or in anonymous electronic money; or 4.2. has reasonable grounds for suspecting money laundering or terrorist financing. 5. Verification referred to in paragraphs 3 and 4 of this Article shall be deemed to have taken place where one of the following applies: 5.1. a payee's identity has been verified in accordance with the provisions of due diligence to the customer as defined in the Law on PML/CFT and the information obtained pursuant to that verification has been stored in accordance with the provisions of Article 64 of the Law on PML/CFT. 5.2. The provisions of paragraph 1.4 of article 19 of the Law on PML/CFT apply to the payee. Article 8 Transfer of funds with missing or incomplete information on the payer or the payee
7 of 11 1.1. Where the payment service provider of the payee becomes aware, when receiving transfers of funds, that the information referred to in subparagraphs 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3 of paragraph 1 and subparagraphs 2.1 and 2.2 of paragraph 2 of Article 4, paragraph 1 of Article 5, and Article 6, is missing or incomplete or has not been filled in using characters or inputs admissible in accordance with the conventions of the messaging or payment and settlement system as referred to in paragraph 1 of Article 7, the payment service provider of the payee shall on a risk-sensitive basis: 1.1.1. reject the transfer of funds; or 1.1.2. ask for the required information on the payer and the payee before or after crediting the payee's payment account or making the funds available to the payee. 2. Where a payment service provider repeatedly fails to provide the required information on the payer or the payee, the payment service provider of the payee shall: 2.1. take steps, which may initially include the issuing of warnings and setting of deadlines, before the rejection, restriction or termination in accordance with subparagraph 2.2 of this Article if the requested information has not yet been provided; or 2.2. directly reject any future transfer of funds from that payment service provider or restrict or terminate its business relationship with that payment service provider. 3. Based on the previous paragraph, The payment service provider of the payee shall report that failure, and the steps taken, to the CBK and FIU-K. Notvithstanding, in cases of reporting under Article 26 of the Law on PML/CFT, the payment service provider of payee must apply the provisions set forth in paragraph 4 of Article 26 of the Law on PML/CFT. Article 9 Assessment and reporting The payment service provider of the payee shall take into account missing or incomplete information on the payer or the payee as a factor when assessing whether a transfer of funds, or any related transaction, is suspicious and whether it is to be reported to the to the FIU-K in accordance with the Law on PML/CFT. Section III Obligations on intermediary payment service providers Article 10 Retention of information on the payer and the payee accompanying the transfer Intermediary payment service providers shall ensure that all the information received on the payer and the payee that accompanies a transfer of funds is retained with the transfer.
8 of 11 Article 11 Detection of missing information on the payer or the payee
9 of 11 3.3. Based on the previous paragraph, the intermediary payment service provider shall report that failure, and the steps taken, to the CBK and FIU-K. Notwithstanding, in cases of reporting under Article 26 of the Law on PML/CFT, the payment service provider of payees shall apply the provisions set forth in paragraph 4 of Article 26 of the Law on PML/CFT. Article 13 Assessment and Reporting The intermediary payment service provider shall take into account missing or incomplete information on the payer or the payee as a factor when assessing whether a transfer of funds, or any related transaction, is suspicious, and whether it is to be reported to the FIU - K in accordance with the Law on PML/CFT. Section IV Implementation of restrictive measures Article 14 Policies, procedures and internal controls to ensure the implementation of preventive measures Payment service providers shall have policies, procedures and internal controls to ensure the implementation of PML/CFT measures according to the law in force or CBK regulation when performing transfer of funds according to this Regulation. CHAPTER III INFORMATION, DATA PROTECTION AND RECORD RETENTION Article 15 Data protection
10 of 11 4. Payment service providers shall always ensure that the transmission of any personal data to parties involved in the transfer of funds is carried out in accordance with the provisions of the Law on Protection of Personal Data. Article 16 Record retention
11 of 11 CHAPTER V FINAL PROVISIONS Article 19 Transitional provisions The deadline for the full implementation of the provisions of this Regulation is December 31, 2024. Article 20 Entry into force This Regulation shall enter into force on August 1, 2024. Bashkim Nurboja Chairman of the Board of the Central Bank of the Republic of Kosovo