Press release - Published analysis of fees of banks and savings banks – 2015

Since 2009 the Bank of Slovenia has drawn up annual analyses relating to changes in fees for payment services and calculated the costs of payment service baskets.

The analysis* of fees charged by banks and savings banks for payment services and the calculation of the costs of payment service baskets for 2015 included 18 banks** and three savings banks that provided payment services in Slovenia in 2015. 
Similar to previous years, the document includes two key topics: (i) an analysis of fees, which illustrates the average amount of fees for payment services in 21 categories as at 31 December 2007, 31 December 2014 and 31 December 2015, and a calculation of intertemporal changes, as well as (ii) a calculation of the costs of payment service baskets in 2015 by payment service provider.

Average fees were higher as at 31 December 2015 relative to the previous year in 13 out of 21 analysed payment service categories and lower in the other eight categories.
The largest increase was in the average fee for cash withdrawals using a debit card at the ATM of another bank (+10.76%), which is the result of the introduction of such a fee by one payment service provider (previously free-of-charge) and an increase in the average fee by three other providers. The largest reduction in the average fee was recorded for payments via direct debits received by legal entities (-7.18%), as four payment service providers significantly reduced their average fees.

In terms of the costs of payment service baskets (annual cost incurred by a ‘typical’ user), the calculation indicates that a natural person can save as much as EUR 222.24 (Slovenian Consumers' Association - SCA basket) or EUR 118.64 (the Bank of Slovenia - BS basket) annually as a ‘traditional client’ by changing payment service providers, and as much as EUR 53.40 (SCA basket) or EUR 27.99 (BS basket) as an ‘e-client’. The most affordable bank for both client categories is Delavska hranilnica d.d., where the annual cost of the basket for a ‘traditional client’ is EUR 27.94 (BS basket) or EUR 39.96 (SCA basket), while the annual cost for the basket is EUR 24.44 (BS basket) or EUR 32.76 (SCA basket) for an ‘e-client’. The most expensive bank for a ‘traditional client’ is Sberbank banka d.d., where the annual cost of the basket is EUR 146.58 (BS basket) or EUR 262.20 (SCA basket). The most expensive bank for an ‘e-client’ is likewise Sberbank banka d.d., where the annual cost of the basket is EUR 52.43 (BS basket), and Nova KBM d.d., where the annual cost of the basket is EUR 86.16 (SCA basket). 
The differences are even greater for legal entities due to a significantly higher number of transactions and higher fees. A legal entity can thus save as much as EUR 794.80 annually as a ‘traditional client’ and as much as EUR 319.77 annually as an ‘e-client’. The most affordable bank for a ‘traditional client’ is Hranilnica in posojilnica Vipava d.d., where the annual cost of the basket is EUR 336.00, while the most expensive bank is Banka Sparkasse d.d., where the annual cost of the basket is EUR 1,130.80. The most affordable bank for an ‘e-client’ is Delavska hranilnica d.d., where the annual cost of the basket is EUR 174.90, while the most expensive bank is SKB banka d.d., where the annual cost of the basket is EUR 494.67. 

The Bank of Slovenia cannot and may not exercise direct influence over the level of fees, as it would infringe on the principles of free economic initiative and on (the protection of) competition in the provision of payment services. Nevertheless, it does exert pressure on payment service providers by ensuring the transparency of fees through the publication of valid fees on its website and by drawing up such analyses.

 

* only in slovene lang. (Analiza nadomestil bank)

** Factor banka d. d. stopped providing payment services at the end of the first half of 2014, but is included in the analysis of fees in order to state a consistent average for previous years.