2019-02-11
Added · Updated
The Central Bank of Jordan mandates banks operating in the Kingdom to open basic bank accounts for financially excluded individuals using simplified due diligence procedures. The instructions prohibit credit facilities, cheque books, and interest on these accounts, while cashing the account balance at 700 JD and limiting branch transactions to two per month with minimal fees. Banks must report annually on account statistics and convert accounts to normal status if balances exceed the ceiling or if holders maintain other banking relationships.
1 No. 27/3/1897 Date: 29/05/1440 04/02/2019 Instructions of the Basic Bank Account No. (1/ 2019) Issued pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (b) of Article (99) of the Banking Law No. (28) of the year 2000 and its amendments, and the provisions of paragraph (b/ 13) of Article (4) and paragraph (b) of Article (65) of the Central Bank of Jordan Law No. (23) of the year 1971 and its amendments Driven by the Central Bank of Jordan’s (CBJ) keenness on facilitating the access of all society strata, particularly financially excluded persons, to the financial and banking services, in addition to strengthening the financial inclusion and contributing to achieve financial, economic, and social stability, the following principles shall be adopted to lay the ground for the use of the basic bank account product. Article (1): The Name of the Instructions and the Scope of Application These Instructions shall be called "The Instructions of the Basic Bank Account " and their provisions shall apply to banks operating in the Kingdom. Article (2): Definitions a. The terms and phrases stipulated in these Instructions shall have the meanings assigned to them thereto in Article (2) of the Banking Law No. 28 of the year 2000 and its amendments, and Article (2) of the CBJ Law No. (23) of the year 1971 and its amendments. b. The following terms and phrases shall have the meanings assigned to them hereunder wherever they appear in these Instructions unless the context indicated otherwise: Basic Bank Account A banking account in Jordanian Dinar designed for Jordanian resident customers, which is featured with special terms and traits and targeting financially excluded individuals who do not have any banking accounts in accordance with the provisions of these Instructions.
2 Financially Excluded Persons Persons who are legally qualified to deal with banks yet they do not have any kind of banking accounts at any operating bank in the Kingdom, and they are willing to deal with banks within the limits and costs commensurate with their income and circumstances. Article (3): Requirements of Opening a Basic Bank Account Banks are obliged to open basic bank accounts for financially excluded individuals, taking into account the following considerations: a. Ensure that the applicant for a basic bank account does not have a banking account at the bank providing the service, and shall obtain a customer’s confirmation that currently he/ she has no banking accounts or banking transactions with other operating banks in the Kingdom. b. Obtain the minimum data required for customer identification, in accordance with simplified due diligence procedures, including:
3 Article (4): Basic Services Provided by the Account The basic banking services provided by the basic bank account include the following: a. Cash withdrawal and deposit. b. Cheques deposits to the account. c. Inward and outward banking transfers. d. ATM card. e. Electronic banking services. Article (5): Prohibited Services The bank shall deprive any of the following practices regarding the basic bank accounts unless the financial solvency of the account holder is well examined, and transforming the basic bank account to any other type of banking accounts according to the banks’ adopted procedures: a. Extending credit facilities. b. Providing a cheque book. c. Providing a credit card. d. Providing interests or prizes on the account. Article (6): Closing the Basic Bank Account
4 2. The bank shall notify the client that the account is being closed. 3. Wherever the client appeared to have any other banking accounts or transactions with other banks, the bank is entitled to claim all the commissions and fees that the client was previously exempted from, providing that the bank shall notify the client with this procedure. Article (7): The basic bank account shall be subjugated to dormant accounts provisions wherever it has an outstanding balance but no withdrawal and deposit transactions were executed, and the account holder cannot be reached within a period exceeding six months. Article (8): The Services, Commissions, and Fees Banks shall strict to providing the services and to comply with the ceilings, commissions and fees demonstrated in Annex (2). General Provisions Article (9): a. No minimum balance shall be assigned to the basic account. b. The bank shall notify the applicant whom application for opening a basic bank account was rejected within (5) working days at maximum from the date of receipt of the application, providing that refusal shall be clearly justified to the client. c. Banks shall adhere to the provisions of the Instructions of the Internal Procedures for Handling Consumers’ Complaints of Financial and Banking Services Providers No. (1/2017) dated 28/8/2017. d. Banks shall raise the awareness of financially excluded strata about their right to access the basic bank account as well as their duties and responsibilities towards the use of the basic account. e. Banks are obliged to provide the CBJ with an annual report, no later than 15th January of each year, and shall include, at least the following information:
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6 Annex (1) Simplified Due Diligence Procedures of the Basic Bank Account
7 Annex (2) The Services Provided and the Limits, ceilings, and Commissions The Service Limits and Ceilings Commissions Issuance of the ATM card