The Enforcement of Restrictive Measures on Transactions in case of Emergency Tenth Decree, of 2013

The Ministry of Finance announced the below restrictive measures which are implemented on all banks operating in Cyprus. These measures apply to all accounts regardless of the currency of denomination for a period of sixteen days, according to the relevant decree. The introduction of these measures aims to safeguard the stability of the Cyprus banking system. These measures include the following:

  • The maximum amount of cash withdrawal shall not exceed €300 daily, per natural person or €500 daily per legal person, in each credit institution or the equivalent of these amounts in foreign currency. All cash withdrawals (namely withdrawals via debit and or credit and or prepaid cards, as well as withdrawals from the credit institution’s tellers) are computed per person consolidating all accounts held by the said person in each credit institution: Provided that any part of the maximum cash withdrawal allowed daily which is not withdrawn by the beneficiary during the day in which the limit applies, starting on the 27th of March 2013 the date of entry into force of the Enforcement of Temporary Restrictive Measures on Transactions in case of Emergency First Decree, of 2013, may be withdrawn at any time afterwards.
  • The cashing of cheques is prohibited.
  • The following are permitted:
    • cashless payment or transfer of deposits/funds to accounts held in other credit institutions within the Republic up to €10.000 per month per natural person in each credit institution regardless of the purpose·
    • cashless payment or transfer of deposits/funds to accounts held in other credit institutions within the Republic up to €50.000 per month per legal person in each credit institution regardless of the purpose·
    •   cashless payment or transfer of deposits/funds to accounts held in other credit institutions within the Republic for the purchase of goods and or services up to €300.000, per transaction:
      Provided further that the cashless payment from one credit institution to another, for a person’s own account is not permited:
      Provided that the credit institution may request justifying documents if it is deemed necessary.
    •  cashless payment or transfer of deposits/funds to an account held in another credit institution within the Republic for the purchase of goods and or services for an amount over €300.000 per transaction, upon presentation of justifying documents.
      Provided that each credit institution shall ensure that the justifying documents presented in each case, justify the execution of the transfer of deposits/funds.
  • Cashless payment and or transfer of deposits/funds to accounts held abroad are prohibited, with the exception of-
    • transaction that falls within the normal business activity of the customer upon presentation of justifying documents as follows-
      1. payment and or transfer of deposits/funds of up to €500.000 per transaction, is not subject to the Committee’s approval: Provided that each credit institution shall ensure that the justifying documents presented in each case, justify the execution of the payment and or of the transfer of deposits/funds.
      2. payment and or transfer of deposits/funds from €500.001 to €1.000.000 per transaction, is subject to the approval of the Committee. A list of the requests for payments falling within this category shall be submitted to the Committee in a standardised electronic file in a format specified by the Committee. A request may be included in the list only if the credit institution is satisfied that the file content is consistent with the provisions of this Decree. The Committee in its decision, which shall be taken within 24 hours, shall take into account the liquidity buffer situation of the credit institution.
      3. payment and or transfer of deposits/funds above €1.000.000 per transaction, is subject to the Commission’s approval. The credit institution shall submit to the Committee a request for each such payment and or transfer of deposits/funds as well as the necessary justifying documents. The Committee in taking its decision takes into account the justifying documents and the liquidity buffer situation of the credit institution. Provided that the Committee may request information for payments falling within the categories of sections (bb) and (cc).
    •  payments for salaries of employees upon presentation of supporting documents.
    •  living expenses up to €5.000 per quarter as well as tuition fees, of a person who is studying abroad and is a first degree relative of a Cyprus resident, on the basis of supporting documents: Provided that payment and or transfer for living expenses shall be allowed only upon submission to the relevant credit institution of documents establishing that the person receiving the payment and or transfer of deposits/funds is studying abroad and is a first degree relative of a Cyprus resident: Provided further that tuition fees shall be paid only to the beneficiary educational institution, upon submission of the relevant justifying documents: Provided still further that the credit institution maintains a catalogue in which it records and monitors all payments:
      Provided still still further that the Committee may require the submission, to its attention, of the catalogue mentioned in the above proviso and or information on any payment which falls under case (iii)
    • transfers of deposits/funds outside the Republic up to €5.000 per month, per person for each credit institution and or payment institution regardless of the purpose.
  • It is prohibited to terminate fixed term deposits prior to their maturity unless the funds are used:
    • to repay a loan within the same credit institution provided the loan was granted prior to the entry into force of the Enforcement of Temporary Restrictive Measures on Transactions in case of Emergency First Decree, of 2013;
    • to create one or more fixed term deposits, within the same credit institution, the total amount of which is equal to the initial deposit and for a term at least equal to the initial term of the terminated deposit: Provided that new beneficiaries can be added on the new deposit.
    •  The transfer of up to €5.000 monthly, from the fixed term deposit in a sight/current account within the same credit institution, in duly substantiated cases where the credit institution is satisfied that the transfer is done for humanitarian reasons:
      Provided that the credit institution maintains a catalogue, in which it lists in detail all the cases:
      Provided further that the remaining amount of the fixed term deposit remains for the remaining maturity period under the same conditions.
  • On the maturity of fixed term deposits, the higher amount between €5.000 or 20% of the total amount of the deposit in question, shall, according to the choice of the depositor, either be transferred to a sight/current account or be deposited in a new fixed term deposit in the same credit institution. For the remaining amount the maturity shall be extended for one month. Provided that, in relation to a notice account of a natural person the transfer of €300 daily per person to a sight/current account within the same credit institution is permitted.
  • Sums transferred from a fixed term deposit to a sight/current account shall be subject to the restrictive measures applicable to sight/current accounts.
  • Exports of euro notes and/or foreign currency notes are prohibited in excess of €3.000, or the equivalent in foreign currency, per natural person per journey abroad. The Director of Customs and Excise Department shall ensure the implementation of this measure. Provided that the amount of €3.000 can not be withdrawn from credit institution in addition to the daily amount of €300, the withdrawal of which is permitted under the above paragraph 3(a).
  • Every financial transaction, payment and or transfer which has not been completed prior to the entry into force of the Enforcement of Temporary Restrictive Measures on Transactions in case of Emergency First Decree, of 2013 shall be subject to the restrictive measures provided in this Decree: Provided that any financial transaction, payment and or transfer, which has not been processed by the credit institution prior to the entry into force of the Enforcement of Temporary Restrictive Measures on Transactions in case of Emergency First Decree, of 2013 shall be cancelled and will have to be submitted anew.
    • Credit institutions shall not facilitate the circumvention of the restrictive measures.
  • The restrictive measures apply to all accounts, payments and transfers regardless of the currency denomination.
  • It is prohibited to transfer euro notes and/or foreign currency notes, in areas of the Republic where the Republic does not exercise effective control, in excess of the amount of –
    • €300 daily or its equivalent in foreign currency, per natural person who has its permanent residence in the Republic,
    • €500 daily or its equivalent in foreign currency, per natural person who has its permanent residence abroad.
    • The Director of Customs and Excise Department shall ensure the implementation of this measure.

  • The opening of a new account for any customer who is not an existing customer of a credit institution on the date of entry into force of the Enforcement of Termporary Restrictive Measures on Transactions in case of Emergency Sixth Decree of 2013, is prohibited unless-
    • the account will only be credited with funds transferred from abroad to the Republic, or
    • the prior approval of the Committee is obtained:
  • It is prohibited to add new beneficiaries in a current/sight account unless the prior approval of the Committee is obtained.
  • Exempted from the restrictive measures are:

    • All new funds transferred to the Republic from abroad·
    • Withdrawal of cash using credit and or debit and or prepaid card issued by foreign institutions on accounts abroad·
    • The cashing of cheques issued on accounts held with foreign institutions abroad·
    • Cash withdrawals from accounts of credit institutions with the Central Bank·
    • Payments and receipts of the Republic·
    • Payments and receipts of the Central Bank·
    • The foreign diplomatic missions and UN missions in the Republic based on the exemptions specified in the Vienna Convention for Diplomatic Relations and the Agreements between the Republic and the United Nations and other international Agreements which have precedence over national legislations.
    • The payments via a debit and or credit and or prepaid card.
    • Transactions or payments that have been authorised by the Committee.

Source: Ministry of Finance, The Enforcement of Restrictive Measures on Transactions in case of Emergency Tenth Decree, of 2013

Please find the official announcements below:
http://www.mof.gov.cy/mof/mof.nsf/index_en/index_en?OpenDocument

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