Skopje, 15 February 2023 

The National Bank is actively involved in the activities of the working groups for the preparation of the bargaining positions for accession of our country to the European Union. Within the second cluster “Internal Market”, but for the fourth chapter “Free Capital Movement”, presentations were made by representatives from the Banking Regulations and Resolution Department in relation to the area “Free Capital and Payment Movement”, from the Payment Systems Department in relation to the area “Payment Systems” and from the On-Site Supervision Department in relation to the area “Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism”.  

In the area “Free Capital and Payment Movement”, the representatives explained the enforcement of the legislation on the individual capital transactions that are within the competence of the National Bank, such as credit and deposit operations, payments and transfers based on current and capital transactions, as well as on the special protective measures regulated in the Law on Foreign Exchange Operations. At the same time, the emphasis was placed on the future activities with respect to the harmonization of the regulation in the field of foreign exchange operations with the new Law on Payment Services and Payment Systems.

In the area “Payment Systems”, the representatives presented the progress in the domain of the bylaws arising from the Law on Payment Services and Payment Systems, which were adopted by the National Bank Council at the end of 2022 and the beginning of 2023. In this context, it was emphasized that the legal framework of the Republic of North Macedonia that regulates payment services and payment systems is largely harmonized with the EU acquis from this area.

In the area “Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism”, the representatives presented the activities and measures currently carried out by the National Bank in the combat against money laundering and financing of terrorism with the entities it supervises, as well as the harmonization with the European legislation and the activities to be undertaken during 2023 and 2024.