Skip to main content

LUP Student Papers

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Mellanbanksavgifter i systemet för kortbetalningar En undersökning av gränsöverskridande handel för kortbetalningar och dess konkurrensbegränsande effekt

Boman Blomgren, Ida LU (2013) HARH10 20122
Department of Business Law
Abstract (Swedish)
Bakom den transaktion som sker när en konsument köper något av en näringsidkare, och betalar med kort, finns ett omfattande system. Detta system utgörs oftast av fyra parter och en systemägare. De fyra parterna är kortinnehavaren, den utgivande banken, näringsidkaren och den inlösande banken. Mellan de två nämnda bankerna uppstår en så kallad mellanbanksavgift varje gång kortinnehavaren drar sitt kort i näringsidkarens kortläsare. Denna avgift har enligt kommissionen verkat konkurrensbegränsande medan samarbetet mellan bankerna har påståtts utgöra en priskartell.

I den här rättsvetenskapliga uppsatsen kommer läsaren i kontakt med EU:s konkurrensregler. Två stora systemägare, på området för gränsöverskridande handel med kortbetalning, är... (More)
Bakom den transaktion som sker när en konsument köper något av en näringsidkare, och betalar med kort, finns ett omfattande system. Detta system utgörs oftast av fyra parter och en systemägare. De fyra parterna är kortinnehavaren, den utgivande banken, näringsidkaren och den inlösande banken. Mellan de två nämnda bankerna uppstår en så kallad mellanbanksavgift varje gång kortinnehavaren drar sitt kort i näringsidkarens kortläsare. Denna avgift har enligt kommissionen verkat konkurrensbegränsande medan samarbetet mellan bankerna har påståtts utgöra en priskartell.

I den här rättsvetenskapliga uppsatsen kommer läsaren i kontakt med EU:s konkurrensregler. Två stora systemägare, på området för gränsöverskridande handel med kortbetalning, är MasterCard och Visa. Båda dessa världsomspännande företag har varit objekt för EU-kommissionens beslut om konkurrensbegränsande förfarande. I det förra fallet överklagades ärendet till tribunalen medan det senare fick ett undantag från huvudregeln beviljat av kommissionen. Uppsatsen är avgränsad till att enbart undersöka marknaden för gränsöverskridande handel inom Europa.

Bankernas intresse av mellanbanksavgiften är stor, eftersom den genererar vinst, och de hävdar att kortsystemet inte kan fungera utan avgiften. Enligt EU-kommissionen kan systemet fungera bra utan mellanbanksavgifter och det finns exempel som också bevisar detta. Problemen som kan uppstå, i samband med tillämpningen av mellanbanksavgifterna, är ett relativt nytt och oreglerat område och har under en längre tid varit en kontroversiell fråga. Enligt uppgifter arbetar kommissionen med en rättsakt som förväntas publiceras under våren 2013.

Den europeiska centralbanken har dock gjort ett försök till vägledning genom en skrivelse som syftar till att hjälpa de inblandade aktörerna vid tillämpning av de regler som idag finns på området. I denna uppsats kommer författaren själv, att ge förslag till en rättsakt som i framtiden kan tillämpas vid prissättning av bankernas mellanbanksavgifter. (Less)
Abstract
There is a comprehensive system behind the transaction that occurs when a consumer buys something of a trader and pays by card. This system usually consists of four parties and one system owner. The four parties are the cardholder, the issuing bank, the trader and the acquiring bank. It occurs an interchange fee between the two banks each time the cardholder swiping their cards in the trader's card reader. This fee has according to the EU Commission acted competitive and at the same time the cooperation between the banks has been suggested as a price cartel.

In this essay the reader will be introduced to the rules of competition law. Two large system owners in the area of cross-border trading card payment are MasterCard and Visa. Both... (More)
There is a comprehensive system behind the transaction that occurs when a consumer buys something of a trader and pays by card. This system usually consists of four parties and one system owner. The four parties are the cardholder, the issuing bank, the trader and the acquiring bank. It occurs an interchange fee between the two banks each time the cardholder swiping their cards in the trader's card reader. This fee has according to the EU Commission acted competitive and at the same time the cooperation between the banks has been suggested as a price cartel.

In this essay the reader will be introduced to the rules of competition law. Two large system owners in the area of cross-border trading card payment are MasterCard and Visa. Both of these global companies have been objects of the EU Commission decision on anti-competitive practice. The former case went to the Tribunal, while the latter was given an exception by the Commission. The essay is limited to only explore the market for cross-border trade in Europe.

The banks’ interest in the interchange fees is large, because it generates profits. The banks’ argue that the system cannot function without interchange fees. However, according to the Commission the system can work well without interchange fees and there is also an example that proves it. The problems that may arise concerning the application of interchange fees is a relatively new and unregulated area and has for some time been a controversial issue. The Commission is currently working on an act expecting to be published in spring 2013.

The European Central Bank has made an attempt to guidance by letter that aims to help the Commission and the parties in the interpretation of the current rules. This essay aims to, through a lege ferenda perspective give a suggestion on an act, which can be applied to the pricing of banks' interchange fee. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Boman Blomgren, Ida LU
supervisor
organization
course
HARH10 20122
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
Konkurrensrätt, mellanbanksavgifter, kortbetalning, gränsöverskridande handel, avtal mellan företag
language
Swedish
id
3405898
date added to LUP
2013-01-24 13:22:34
date last changed
2013-01-24 13:22:34
@misc{3405898,
  abstract     = {{There is a comprehensive system behind the transaction that occurs when a consumer buys something of a trader and pays by card. This system usually consists of four parties and one system owner. The four parties are the cardholder, the issuing bank, the trader and the acquiring bank. It occurs an interchange fee between the two banks each time the cardholder swiping their cards in the trader's card reader. This fee has according to the EU Commission acted competitive and at the same time the cooperation between the banks has been suggested as a price cartel.

In this essay the reader will be introduced to the rules of competition law. Two large system owners in the area of cross-border trading card payment are MasterCard and Visa. Both of these global companies have been objects of the EU Commission decision on anti-competitive practice. The former case went to the Tribunal, while the latter was given an exception by the Commission. The essay is limited to only explore the market for cross-border trade in Europe.

The banks’ interest in the interchange fees is large, because it generates profits. The banks’ argue that the system cannot function without interchange fees. However, according to the Commission the system can work well without interchange fees and there is also an example that proves it. The problems that may arise concerning the application of interchange fees is a relatively new and unregulated area and has for some time been a controversial issue. The Commission is currently working on an act expecting to be published in spring 2013.

The European Central Bank has made an attempt to guidance by letter that aims to help the Commission and the parties in the interpretation of the current rules. This essay aims to, through a lege ferenda perspective give a suggestion on an act, which can be applied to the pricing of banks' interchange fee.}},
  author       = {{Boman Blomgren, Ida}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Mellanbanksavgifter i systemet för kortbetalningar En undersökning av gränsöverskridande handel för kortbetalningar och dess konkurrensbegränsande effekt}},
  year         = {{2013}},
}