All consumers legally residing in the European Union are entitled to hold a basic payment account under the German Payment Accounts Act (Zahlungskontengesetz – ZKG). This includes persons without a permanent place of residence and asylum seekers. Persons without a residence permit who cannot be deported due to legal or factual reasons (persons with a suspension of deportation) are also entitled to hold such an account.
The German law is based on the European Commission Recommendation 2011/442/EU of 18 July 2011 on access to a basic payment account. All EU members followed this recommendation, meaning that all individuals in the EU have a legal right to a basic bank account, even if unemployed or homeless.
Source: BaFin - German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority
The German law is based on the European Commission Recommendation 2011/442/EU of 18 July 2011 on access to a basic payment account. All EU members followed this recommendation, meaning that all individuals in the EU have a legal right to a basic bank account, even if unemployed or homeless.
In many cases the reality is different. They just never get back to you.
Is a political party a “consumer” in the context of this law?