Bank of Slovenia authorisations

Payment systems

In the area of payment systems, the Bank of Slovenia is responsible for issuing three types of authorisations: the authorisation for the establishement of a payment system, the authorisation for the amendment of a payment system and the authorisation for the operation of a payment system.


Authorisation for the establishement of a payment system

Under the Payment Services, Services of Issuing Electronic Money and Payment Systems Act (in Slovene), payment system participants establish a payment system by adopting the payment system rules and obtaining an authorisation from the Bank of Slovenia for the establishement of a payment system. The Bank of Slovenia issues the authorisation for the establishement of a payment system if the payment system meets the conditions set out by the Payment Services, Services of Issuing Electronic Money and Payment Systems Act and the Decision on payment systems (in Slovene). The Decision on the amounts of annual fees for supervision and fees for decisions regarding requests for the granting of Bank of Slovenia authorisations pursuant to the Payment Services, Services of Issuing Electronic Money and Payment Systems Act sets out the fees for deciding on requests for the granting of the authorisation in question.

 

Authorisation for the amendment of a payment system

In the event of an amendment in the rules of a payment system, in accordance with the Payment Services, Services of Issuing Electronic Money and Payment Systems Act participants are required to obtain an authorisation from the Bank of Slovenia for the amendment of a payment system, whereby the procedure applying to the granting of an authorisation for the establishement of a payment system applies mutatis mutandis to the Bank of Slovenia’s decision to grant the authorisation for the amendment of a payment system. The fees for deciding on requests for the granting of the authorisation in question are set out by the Decision on the amounts of annual fees for supervision and fees for decisions regarding requests for the granting of Bank of Slovenia authorisations pursuant to the Payment Services, Services of Issuing Electronic Money and Payment Systems Act.


Authorisation for the operation of a payment system

The payment system operation services may only be provided in Slovenia by:

  • The Bank of Slovenia;
  • A bank that has obtained an authorisation from the Bank of Slovenia to provide the payment system operation services under the law governing banking;
  • A bank of a Member State of the European Union or of the European Economic Area or a bank established in a third country that has obtained an authorisation from the Bank of Slovenia to provide the payment system operation services in accordance with the Payment Services, Services of Issuing Electronic Money and Payment Systems Act;
  • A clearing house established in Slovenia, i.e. some other legal person that is not a bank and has obtained an authorisation from the Bank of Slovenia to provide the payment system operation services as a clearing house on the basis of the Payment Services, Services of Issuing Electronic Money and Payment Systems Act;
  • A clearing house established in another Member State of the European Union or a Member State of the European Economic Area or in a third country that has obtained an authorisation from the Bank of Slovenia to provide the payment system operation services as a clearing house of a Member State or a clearing house of a third country on the basis of the Payment Services, Services of Issuing Electronic Money and Payment Systems Act.

 

When the request for granting an authorisation to provide the payment system operation services is being submitted by a clearing house, the Bank of Slovenia grants the authorisation if the applicant meets the conditions set out by the Payment Services, Services of Issuing Electronic Money and Payment Systems Act and the Decision on payment systems (requirements for payment system operators).

The content of the request and the supporting documentation and evidence that the applicant must enclose with the request are defined in greater detail in the Decision on the content of the request for an authorisation to provide the payment system operation services as a clearing house (in Slovene). The fees for deciding on requests for the granting of the authorisation in question are set out by the Decision on the amounts of annual fees for supervision and fees for decisions regarding requests for the granting of Bank of Slovenia authorisations pursuant to the Payment Services, Services of Issuing Electronic Money and Payment Systems Act.

When the request for the granting of an authorisation to provide the payment system operation services is being submitted by a bank or savings bank, the request is processed in accordance with the Banking Act. Under the Banking Act, the operation of payment systems is included among the ancillary financial services whose provision requires a bank or savings bank to obtain an authorisation from the Bank of Slovenia to provide financial services. The conditions relating to the acquisition of an authorisation to provide financial services are set out in the Banking Act and regulations issued on its basis.