From June 19, the rules for interaction with banks will change in Belarus - the quality of payment services will improve

Most of the additions to the Rules are editorial and clarifying in nature, but there are provisions that will be of interest to users of payment instruments.

— Thus, the Rules specify the procedure for interaction between individuals and legal entities with banks on  transactions made using payment instruments that were not authorized by clients.  Now, there will be no need for clients to contact different payment service providers to resolve issues related to unauthorized transactions. A user's request to recognize a payment transaction as unauthorized is formalized in a written statement addressed to the issuer of the payment instrument with which the user has an agreement for the provision of payment services. In particular, if this is Internet banking, the client must contact the bank. In the case of a mobile payment application, the actions are as follows: when the client downloads it, he is provided with a corresponding agreement. The client reads the document, agrees, and puts a tick. If any transaction raises suspicion, the client contacts his partner with whom he entered into this agreement. As for the "Oplati" application, the issuer of electronic money is Belinvestbank, —  explained Olga Antonovich, Head of the Electronic Payment Instruments Department of the Main Directorate of the Payment System and Digital Technologies of the National Bank.

A rule is also being introduced that concerns confirmation of the completion of a transaction using a payment instrument.

— The rules stipulate that upon successful completion of a payment transaction, the user may be issued a paper check or provided a check in electronic form, including by sending it to the client's previously specified e-mail. An authorization notification may also be generated and sent. If the check is not reproduced on paper or is reproduced only by displaying it on the screen of peripheral equipment, the client may contact the bank where his account is opened to obtain the relevant information about the payment transaction. The bank provides this information, and it  must contain all the information that is usually recorded in the check, —  noted O. Antonovich.

Another innovation concerns the possibility of switching from a bank’s payment software application (Internet banking, mobile banking) to the software and hardware infrastructure of a financial institution’s partner (website, mobile application or other electronic resource) to select and/or purchase goods (works, services).

— For such  a transition, the bank may authenticate clients — partners of the financial institution, if an agreement is reached between the parties. In this case, clients should be notified that they are not in the bank's payment software application, so that there are no claims against the bank. Clients should understand that the contract for the sale of goods (works, services) is concluded with the bank's partner, and not with the bank. The bank is simply a conduit to the corresponding electronic resource of the partner, —  emphasized O. Antonovich.

According to a representative of the National Bank, the changes made to the Rules take into account proposals from citizens, legal entities and banks.

“We believe that these innovations will help improve the quality of payment services in the context of the accelerated development of digitalization of the financial market,”  O. Antonovich clarified.