Dutch Payments Association established

The Dutch Payments Association has recently been established. Among other things, the Association organises and facilitates the transition to European electronic payment instruments for its members. It aims to further improve the societal efficiency and security of payments. The Dutch Payments Association is open to all parties that provide payment services in the Dutch market, such as banks, payment institutions and electronic money institutions. It will hold active, regular consultations with representatives of consumers and businesses to hear their priorities. The Association differs from the Dutch Banking Association, which is a trade association, and from Currence, which owns several Dutch payment products such as iDEAL and direct debit.

Broader national cooperation benefits everyone

The payments market is becoming increasingly European. The Netherlands is moving from national to European payment products and services. National cooperation between banks, payment institutions and electronic money institutions on infrastructure remains necessary. Payments in the Netherlands must continue to be societally efficient, secure and reliable. The Dutch Payments Association plays an important role in this. Piet Mallekoote, its director, says: “The Netherlands has a highly efficient, high-quality payments system. A high level of expertise is needed to improve it further within the European payments market. Our main aim now is to bring this expertise together at the Dutch Payments Association. This will enable us to serve our members better.”

The Dutch Banking Association is one of the initiators. Its director, Wim Mijs, says: “The Dutch Banking Association carried out a number of more operational tasks in payments that were not an ideal fit for a trade association. These tasks have therefore now been transferred to the Dutch Payments Association.” As payments take on an increasingly important role in society, the Dutch Payments Association will also actively involve representatives of end users in its work by regularly informing and consulting them. Bart Combee, director of the Dutch Consumers’ Association, says: “We regard payments as a public utility, so it is important that the Dutch Payments Association listens to users’ wishes.”

Because of this pivotal position, the Dutch Payments Association is the principal point of contact, including at European level, for matters concerning the Dutch payment infrastructure. Henk Kok, director of the Dutch Retail Council, clearly sees the benefits: “The payment chain is becoming more complex as increasing numbers of parties become involved. We are therefore pleased that the Dutch Payments Association will take greater control of areas such as the entire debit card payment chain. This will make payments even more efficient.”

Board of the Dutch Payments Association

The Board of the Dutch Payments Association has nine members, three of whom are independent. They include chair Henk Brouwer, a former Executive Director of De Nederlandsche Bank. The other two independent members are Henk van den Broek, a former board member of the Dutch Retail Council, and Mijntje Lückerath-Rovers, Professor of Corporate Governance at Nyenrode Business University. The remaining six Board members represent the Association’s members. The banks are represented by Bart Schlatmann, COO of ING Netherlands; Ineke Bussemaker, Director of Payments and Savings at Rabobank; Frans van der Horst, Senior Managing Director at ABN AMRO; Bart de Ruigh, COO of SNS Bank; and Gert van Wakeren, member of the Executive Board of Friesland Bank. The remaining seat will be held by a payment institution. De Nederlandsche Bank and the Dutch Banking Association attend Board meetings as observers. The director of the Dutch Payments Association is Piet Mallekoote, who is also director of Currence.

Headquarters

The Dutch Payments Association is based at Gustav Mahlerplein 33–35 in Amsterdam’s Zuidas business district.

The Dutch Payments Association organises collective tasks in the national payments system for its members. Its members are payment service providers in the Dutch market: banks, payment institutions and electronic money institutions. The Association is responsible for all its members’ shared tasks involving infrastructure, standards and common product features.