Procedure in the event of incidents affecting cash transactions with the Bundesbank

Ensuring the supply of cash – even in crisis situations – forms part of the Bundesbank’s statutory mandate. The Bundesbank has therefore taken steps to ensure that it remains able to make outpayments even in emergency and crisis situations. It has put in place a business continuity strategy comprising plans to safeguard central support processes (e.g. IT) as well as provisions to ensure that individual branches remain operational to the greatest possible degree.

The Bundesbank endeavours to inform its customers of relevant incidents as appropriate. In such cases, it will get in touch with the contact persons specified on the customer data reporting form. We therefore recommend updating these contact details immediately whenever changes occur. In the event of an incident, the Bundesbank offers the following alternative procedures to ensure that business operations continue.

Disruption to or unavailability of CashEDI

The “Specifications for electronic access to cash payment transactions with the Deutsche Bundesbank” (Spezifikationen für die elektronische Öffnung im baren Zahlungsverkehr der Deutschen Bundesbank) (point V, Incident management) set out the incident management provisions outlining the conventional back-up procedure. This can also be applied in cases where our customers experience an incident. The specifications can be accessed (in German) via the link below; contact details for CashEDI can be found in the right-hand column.

Disruption to or failure of operations at one of the Bundesbank’s branches

If, despite the precautionary measures taken, events occur that disrupt or halt the business operations of a Bundesbank branch on a lasting basis, it can be arranged, in consultation with the Bundesbank, for cash transactions to be taken over by neighbouring branches. For a list of all Bundesbank branches, see the link at the bottom of the page.

Disruptions to the supply of change (cash exchange)

The Bundesbank provides business clients without a Bundesbank giro account with the option of exchanging cash (Niko cash exchange procedure for retail customers). Customers wishing to use this procedure must register for it, with sufficient advance notice, using a separate customer data reporting form, as a separate customer master record is required for the exchange of cash. To obtain this customer data reporting form, please contact our customer data management team (for contact details, see the right-hand column). Outpayments are processed in standard packaging units (standard coin containers).

The “Specifications for electronic access to cash payment transactions with the Deutsche Bundesbank” (Spezifikationen für die elektronische Öffnung im baren Zahlungsverkehr der Deutschen Bundesbank) (point V, Incident management) set out the incident management provisions outlining the conventional back-up procedure. This can also be applied in cases where our customers experience an incident. The specifications can be accessed (in German) via the link below; contact details for CashEDI can be found in the right-hand column.

Forms

We recommend that you keep your own supply of these forms (either by printing them out or by downloading the files).

Incidents experienced by the Bundesbank’s customers

Should the Bundesbank’s counterparties experience incidents that affect the settlement of cash transactions, we recommend informing the relevant persons at the Bundesbank without delay. The contact details for CashEDI can be found in the right-hand column and an overview of the Bundesbank’s branches can be accessed via the following link.