2019-01-01

Circular No. 29: Preparation Guidelines for Developing the Banking Accounts System

The Palestine Monetary Authority issued Circular No. 29/2019 mandating all Palestinian banks to develop and prepare their internal systems to generate standardized demographic and account data files. The directive requires banks to implement specific TXT file structures with semicolon delimiters to report individual and legal entity demographic data, banking account types, collection check modifications, and customer updates, while explicitly excluding account balances from disclosures. Compliance is enforced through a phased timeline culminating in an official system launch in August 2019, aimed at streamlining operations, strengthening KYC protocols, and mitigating operational, credit, and AML/CFT risks.

Palestine Monetary Authority logo

Palestine

Palestine Monetary Authority

Click to view thumbnail

Palestine Monetary Authority

PALESTINE MONETARY AUTHORITY

Circular No. (29/2019)

To all banks operating in Palestine Date: Monday, February 04, 2019


Subject: Preparation Guidelines for Developing the Banking Accounts System

In the context of the Palestine Monetary Authority's efforts to develop banking operations systems and enhance them to facilitate and simplify banking sector operations, thereby reducing operational, credit, and money laundering/combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) risks associated with new account opening processes, and to strengthen "Know Your Customer" (KYC) procedures when opening various banking accounts, and based on previous workshops held with bank operations and IT managers regarding the development of the banking accounts system, and the understandings reached during these workshops, all banks are requested to begin working on developing and preparing their systems and to prepare for implementing this system after fulfilling all requirements outlined in this Circular.


First: Demographic File Structure

Two types of demographic files will be created: the first for individuals, and the second for legal entities (companies, institutions, associations, etc.). The file type must be (TXT), and a semicolon (;) shall be used as the delimiter between fields within a single file.

1- Individual Demographic File:

This file contains demographic data for resident and non-resident individuals only. It is used to add demographic data for new accounts and demographic data for founders and shareholders of legal entities, as well as to modify demographic data for active accounts existing in the banking accounts database for all customers, including primary customers who do not hold any banking or credit accounts but for whom the bank holds data because they are attached or directly/indirectly linked to a banking account. Annex (1).


B- Legal Entity Demographic File:

This file contains demographic data for companies/institutions/other legal entities. It is used to add demographic data for new accounts, as well as to modify demographic data for active accounts existing in the banking accounts database. Annex (2).


Second: Banking Account Type Data File

This file contains data on the types of banking accounts for individuals and legal entities, without disclosing the balances of these banking accounts. It is used to add data for new banking accounts, modified data, and data for checks deposited for collection fees in a single file. Annex (3).


Third: Check Data Modification File for Checks Deposited for Collection Fees

This file contains data regarding checks deposited for collection fees for individuals and legal entities, and discloses changes made to the number and value of checks deposited for collection fees reported. Annex (4).


Fourth: Customer Data Update File

This file contains customer data that must be updated based on developments and updates to the account(s) of a single customer or a group of customers in the bank's database. Their data is extracted from the banking accounts database and the file is sent according to Annex (5).


Fifth: General Provisions

  1. The process of disclosing customers' banking accounts to banks is based solely on aggregating demographic data, without including customers' account balances. The only exception to this rule is checks deposited for collection fees, which are disclosed by number and value at the level of the same account currency.
  2. Demographic data for founders and shareholders of legal entities, regardless of their types and legal forms, shall be declared through the Individual Demographic File. Disclosure of shareholders in public joint-stock companies is limited only to the company's founders.

Sixth: System Development Timeline

All banks must take the necessary measures to ensure their systems are prepared to generate these files according to the timeline below:

Time PeriodAction
2019/04/01Preliminary review of file structure and notes
2019/06/01Preliminary system review with a sample of banks
2019/08Official system launch

Please accept our highest regards,

Market Supervision Department
Palestine Monetary Authority


Annex (1)

Demographic Data for Individual Accounts

CriterionInformation
MandatoryCustomer: Resident - Non-resident
MandatoryID/Passport Number
MandatoryAnnex (6) (Resident S, Non-resident F) Type of Personal Identity Document
MandatoryNationality (Customer nationality declared according to ISO codes)
MandatoryAnnex (7) Full Four-Part Name according to Personal Identity Document
MandatorySurname (Customer's surname, and if unavailable, marked as (N/A))
MandatoryPlace of Issue
MandatoryDate of Issue (DD/MM/YYYY)
MandatoryExpiry Date of Stay (DD/MM/YYYY) for Non-residents
MandatoryPlace of Birth (as stated in Personal Identity Document) (DD/MM/YYYY)
MandatoryDate of Birth (as stated in Personal Identity Document) (DD/MM/YYYY)
MandatoryOccupation
MandatoryOccupation
MandatoryClassification of Customer's Legal Status according to Annex (8)
MandatoryMonthly Income Value, if income value is unavailable, place value (0)
MandatoryIncome Currency (Annex (9))
Non-MandatoryOther sources of non-monthly or irregular income
MandatoryGender (Male "1", Female "2")
MandatoryMarital Status (Single "1", Married "2", Divorced "3", Widowed "4")
MandatoryMother's Name (as stated in Personal Identity Document)
MandatorySpouse's Name (as stated in Personal Identity Document)
Non-MandatoryNature of Spouse's Occupation or if no occupation (N/A)
MandatoryResidential Address (Current Residence)
MandatoryCustomer's Work Address
Non-MandatoryCustomer's Email Address
MandatoryGovernorate to which the Customer belongs (Annex (11))
MandatoryCity to which the Customer belongs (Annex (12))
MandatoryEducational Level (Vocational Diploma, Higher Diploma, Master's, Doctorate, Tawjihi)
MandatoryCountry of Residence for the Customer (without Annex (14))
MandatoryP.O. Box Number, if unavailable (N/A)
Non-MandatoryCustomer's Postal Code
Non-MandatoryPermanent Address according to ID
Non-MandatoryCustomer's Fax Number, if unavailable (N/A)
MandatoryCustomer's Mobile Phone Number

Annex (2)

Demographic Data for Company / Institution / Legal Entity Accounts

CriterionInformation
MandatoryRegistration Number / SPADY Code (as stated in Registration Certificate or issued by PMA)
MandatoryType of Personal Identity Document (Company/Entity/Institution Annex (6))
MandatoryEntity Name (as stated in Registration Certificate)
MandatoryTrade Name (as stated in Registration Certificate)
MandatoryChairman of the Board / Company / Institution Name (as stated in Registration Certificate)
MandatoryRegistration Date (DD/MM/YYYY) (as stated in Registration Certificate)
Non-MandatoryEstablishment Date (DD/MM/YYYY) (as stated in Registration Certificate)
MandatoryCompany Establishment Location Governorate
MandatoryTax Number
MandatoryAnnual Profit
MandatoryAnnual Income
MandatoryCurrency (Income Currency according to Annex (9))
MandatoryDeclaration of Entity Status according to Entity Legal Status Classification Annex (8)
MandatoryDeclaration of Economic Sector in which the Company operates Annex (10)
MandatoryLegal Form (as stated in Registration Certificate Annex (13))
MandatoryCapital (as stated in Registration Certificate)
MandatoryCapital Currency (as stated in Registration Certificate Annex (9))
MandatoryHeadquarters Address for Company / Institution / Entity (as stated in Registration Certificate)
Non-MandatoryEntity Email Address
MandatoryEntity Postal Code
MandatoryLicensing Country for Operations
Non-MandatoryEntity Phone Number
Non-MandatoryEntity Fax Number
Non-MandatoryEntity P.O. Box
MandatoryGovernorate where the Entity Headquarters is located (Annex (11))
MandatoryCity where the Entity Headquarters is located (Annex (12))

Annex (3)

Banking Accounts File

NumberCriterionInformation
.1Customer ID/ Registration NumberCustomer ID/ Passport Number/ Company Registration/ SPADY Code
.2Customer ID TypeCustomer Document Type (Primary - Guardian ID Number in case of minor's account)
.3NationalityNationality (Specify customer document type according to classifications in Annex (6))
.4Bank CodeBank Code (Customer Nationality, for Companies (PS) Non-resident Nationality according to Annex (7))

Annex (4)

Check Modification File for Collection Fees

NumberCriterionInformation
.1Customer ID/ Registration NumberCustomer ID/ Passport Number/ Company Registration/ SPADY Code
.2Customer ID TypeCustomer Document Type (Specify customer document type according to classifications in Annex (6))
.3NationalityNationality (Customer Nationality, for Companies (PS) Non-resident Nationality according to Annex (7))
.4Account codeAccount Number
.5Number of outstanding checks under collectionCurrent number of checks deposited for collection fees
.6Amount of outstanding checks under collectionCurrent balance of checks deposited for collection fees according to account currency

Annex (5)

Customer Data Update File

NumberCriterionInformation
.1Customer ID/ Registration NumberCustomer ID/ Passport Number/ Company Registration/ SPADY Code
.2Customer ID TypeCustomer Document Type (Specify customer document type according to classifications in Annex (6))
.3NationalityNationality (Customer Nationality, for Companies (PS) Non-resident Nationality according to Annex (7))

Annex (6)

Document Type

CodeDescription
SResident - ID
FNon-resident - Passport
CCompany

Annex (3) (Continued)

NumberCriterionInformation
.5Branch CodeBranch Code
.6Basic Account NumberBasic Account Number
.7Account NumberAccount Number
.8Account typeAccount Type
.7.1Current account (CA)Current Account
.7.2Saving account (SA)Savings Account
.7.3Deposit account (DA)Time Deposit Account
.7.4Basic account (BA)Financial Inclusion Account (Account for every citizen)
.9Account StatusAccount Status
.8.1Active (AC)Active
.8.2Dormant (DO)Dormant
.8.3Closed (CL)Closed
.8.4Suspended (SC)Suspended
.10Account open dateAccount Opening Date
.11Account statusAccount Status
.12Account CurrencyAccount Currency (Annex (9))
.13Economic SectorEconomic Sector
.14Closing date/ dormant date/ Suspended dateAccount Status Modification Date
.15Date of last updateDate of Last Data Update
.16Minor ID NumberMinor ID Number (If the account is for a minor's benefit, the minor's ID number will be added)
.17Number of Checks under collectionNumber of Checks Deposited for Collection Fees (Number of checks changes continuously according to modifications we will make)
.18Amount of Checks under collectionValue of Checks Deposited for Collection Fees according to Account Currency

Note:

Data for both partners shall be declared, but the account status will be (JO) and the same account number.