Banknotes

1. Identification and treatment of banknotes expressed in Euro and suspected to be counterfeited

The cash handlers withdraw from circulation and transmit to the Central Bank, for the purposes of their checking, any banknotes classified as not genuine following the automatic checking carried out pursuant to annexes IIa e IIb of the Law no. 101 of 29 July 2013, or following a manual control carried out by trained staff pursuant to annex III of the aforementioned Law.

In the cases referred to in the previous paragraph, the cash handlers must comply with the following procedure:

a) unconditionally hold the banknotes;

b) prepare the BS report referred to in Annex 2 of the Regulation no. 2013-04, in three counterparts;

c) previously transmit e-mail to the Central Bank and to the Anti-counterfeiting Central Office, not later than on the second business day after the identification of the banknote suspected of being counterfeited, the aforementioned BS report, together with a photocopy of the banknote withdrawn;

d) deliver a copy of the BS report to the client-presenting person, except where the banknote was found absent any such person;

e) keep a copy of the BS report with attached a photocopy of the banknote withdrawn;

f) transmit to the Central Bank, by hand or by means of a registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt, not later than on the fifth business day following the receipt of the banknote, a copy of the BS report together with the banknote withdrawn.

The banks are the only entities entitled to take the actions provided for in letter f) above, also by means of transmission through the Exchange of Domestic Contact Details (Scambio Recapiti Domestici) services.

2. Instructions for the preparation of the report for the banknotes suspected of being counterfeited

The cash handlers are required to fill in fields from 1 to 26, as regards to B1 report, in accordance with the following instructions:

1) specify a unique and progressive number or alphanumeric identification code;

2) specify the date of reporting (day, month, year);

3) specify the name of the reporting cash handler, the full address of the withdrawing branch/agency/office (if any), telephone number and fax;

4 and 5) specify any Abi and Cab codes;

6) specify the economic operator code (E.O.C.);

7) specify the date when the banknote was identified (day, month, year);

8) specify the denomination of the banknotes withdrawn;

9) specify the series of the banknotes withdrawn (the letter "A" identifies the first series issued in 2002, the other series is identified with the letters "B";

10) specify the alphanumeric combination - the second column (2nd combination) must be filed in only in case of two different alphanumeric combinations on the same banknote withdrawn -;

11) specify the "plate number", i.e. the 6 digit alphanumeric code (one letter, three numbers, one letter and one number) present on the front of the banknote, in a predetermined position for each denomination;

12) this point must always be filled with 1 for each lined filled out, except in case of several banknotes of the same denomination and series, all bearing the same alphanumeric combination (or both series if the two combinations on one and the same note are different) and the same plate number;

13) specify the arithmetic sum of the column "number of items";

14) specify the number of the enclosed forms, to be used if the four printed lines in section B) are not sufficient; these attached forms shall bear the protocol reference number 1) of the report BS of which they form part;

15) cross the box "In the presence of the presenting person" if the banknotes are withdrawn in the presence of the latter. Otherwise, for instance, in case of banknotes found in a automatic device used by the customers, cross the box "Absent the presenting person". The box "Other useful information" must include other circumstances about the finding or presentation of the banknote (such as, but not limited to, the voluntary by the presenter who requests that it be assessed whether the banknote is genuine or counterfeited);

16, 17, 18 and 19) specify the identification details of the presenting person, taken from an identity document or provided orally (purported), by crossing the corresponding box;

20) specify the address, even if different from the residence, where the presenting person may be found;

21) specify a telephone number where the presenting person may be reached;

22) specify the circumstances in which the presenting person came into possession of the banknotes;

23 and 24) specify surname and name of the operator who withdraws the banknote;

25) affix the stamp of the person liable and the signature of the reporting operator;

26) if present, have the person presenting the banknote withdrawn sign the form.

3. Identification and treatment of banknotes expressed in Euro unsuited for circulation

The cash handlers withdraw from circulation and transmit to the Central Bank, for the purposes of their replacement or refund, any banknotes classified as unsuited for circulation following the automatic checking carried out pursuant to annexes IIa e IIb of the Law no. 101 of 29 July 2013, or following a manual control carried out by trained staff pursuant to annex III of the aforementioned Law.

In the cases referred to in the previous paragraph, the cash handlers must comply with the following procedure:

a) unconditionally hold the banknotes;

b) deliver to the Central Bank the banknotes withdrawn as unsuited, in compliance with the provisions of article 10 of the aforementioned Law and keep the Central Bank harmless for the non-payment of the banknotes that, after the checking made by the Central Bank itself, are found to be suspected of being counterfeited.