Five years right to an account Criticism of high basic account fees

Status: 06/18/2021 4:44 p.m.

Everyone has had the right to a basic account for five years. This should help poorer people to get a checking account. It hits hard when banks turn the fee screw in times of negative interest rates. Paying salaries, shopping online, electricity bills – hardly anything works without a checking account. In the past, for example, people without a permanent address or refugees often had a difficult time opening an account. With the Implementation of an EU directive from 2014 The legal situation in Germany changed five years ago: since then, every citizen has been entitled to a so-called basic account. It is intended to give everyone an inexpensive way to conduct banking transactions with a checking account. But the fees for these financial products are increasing – to the displeasure of those affected and the critics. The prerequisite for setting up a basic account is that you are legally resident in the European Union. The account holder receives a bank card and can transfer money. A bank may only reject the application to open a basic account in rare cases, for example if a customer already uses an account with another bank in Germany.

Hundreds of thousands of basic accounts already

According to the latest figures from the financial supervisory authority BaFin, just under 761,500 basic accounts had been opened in Germany by June 2020. However, many institutes are paying dearly for the “Jedermann Accounts”. According to a study by Stiftung Warentest from last December, the range extends from twelve euros to 250 euros per year.

“The success of the basic account is at stake,” warns Julian Merzbacher from the Association of Citizens’ Movement Finanzwende. “Access to an account shouldn’t be a question of the wallet, because it is essential. Other European countries, in which the fees are capped at a low level, show that there is another way.”

Deutsche Bank put in its place

If necessary, the courts have to take action. In the past year the Federal Court of Justice (BGH) ruled in proceedings against Deutsche Bank . A monthly basic price of 8.99 euros and 1.50 euros for a paper transfer as part of a basic account are too high and therefore ineffective, judged the Karlsruhe judges (Az .: XI ZR 119/19). Since then, the bank has had to offer its basic account cheaper.

Fee cap required

In the opinion of Merzbacher’s colleague Michael Findeisen, Germany has only inadequately implemented the EU’s requirements. “The fee regulation urgently needs to be improved,” said the expert to the Protestant press service. The 68-year-old played a key role in shaping the relevant law, as head of division in the Federal Ministry of Finance. Five years later, Findeisen is retired and volunteers for the citizens’ movement Finanzwende.

Findisen demands a binding fee cap from politicians. “It is clear: the banks cannot earn anything with the basic account. But they can cross-finance that with the income from other financial services and products.”

1. Soup with potatoes cooked with a bone Soup with potatoes cooked with bones There is a sweet taste from bone broth, aroma of cilantro and especially the refreshing taste of potato. Resources: Sweet potato: 1 bunch (About 500g – 600g) Ribs: 500g Tomatoes: 2 fruits. Cilantro, Dried Onions Spices: Salt, sugar, cooking oil, monosodium glutamate, seasoning seeds. How to prepare: Look at the peeled potato, cut it about 5cm, stir over boiling water. When stripping the potato, it should not be stripped with a knife but with a fingernail. Especially according to ancient conception in the process of preliminary boiling, it is not recommended to use chopsticks to stir, so it will itch. Should use lips or spoon. Cut bones tightly to taste seasoning for 30 minutes. Processing: Step 1: Pour the oil to heat the dry onion and then put the bones in. Continue to cook tomatoes together. Season with salt and seasoning seeds to make the bones bold. Simmer 20 minutes for the bones to simmer. Step 2: Pour about 1 liter of water to boil until boiling, then put the pre-cooked potato and boil again. Step 3: When the pot of soup looks like the potato is boiling, drop the cilantro into the seasoning again to taste. Turn off the heat and take it out. 2. Look at potatoes cooked with snails is a delicious soup, easy to cook and sisters must try it once. Resources: – 1kg of screw or screw. – 500g sweet potato. – 3 tomatoes. – Chopped purple onion. – Minced garlic. – Chopped guise leaves. – Shredded perilla leaves. – 1 batch spoon. – Shrimp sauce (depending on the taste of each family can use or not). – Seasoning seeds, fish sauce, sugar. – Scallion. Making: – Snail or screw soak the intestines (can be soaked with lemongrass, chili will quickly clean). – Wash tomatoes and cut areca zones. – Take the water well. – Marinate the snail with 1 teaspoon of fish sauce, batch water, sugar, and shrimp sauce (if used). – Non-aromatic garlic onion, stir fry tomatoes, add marinated snails to the island to absorb. – Add just enough water and seasoning. – When the water has drained, the snails absorb the seasoning, put the potatoes in the pot, then put the tomatoes on, cover with the lid and braise for about 15 minutes, then sprinkle green onions, purple purple, and guise leaves on top, turn off the heat. Scoop out the bowl to use hot. Invite readers to follow the video “4 Homemade Snacks From Sweet Potatoes”. Source: Youtube. 3. Look at the potato cooked with shrimp Raw materials include: – Looks potatoes: 500g. – Rice amaranth. – Dried shrimp: 100g. Tomatoes: 3 fruits. – Cheek. – Garlic. – Perilla, cilantro. – Spices: Salt, sugar, cooking oil, monosodium glutamate, seasoning seeds. Making: – Put the pre-processed potatoes, tomatoes, add areca zone, and dry shrimp in the pot. Pour an amount of water to taste, season with just enough seasoning and boil. – Put pre-filtered batch water into the pot and boil until potatoes are ripe. – Add rice amaranth, cilantro, perilla leaves and turn off the heat. – Take the bowl to use hot. Note: A tip when cooking strips of potatoes without worrying about itching: You should not use chopsticks, use a spoon and spoon during cooking to be safe, from getting itchy when eating.

Since the company’s energy management system (Energy Management) came into operation in 2014, information on equipment operation and energy consumption has been reviewed and evaluated comprehensively. In fact, the plant’s lines are invested in many stages, asynchronous, so it is necessary to research to have appropriate solutions, especially related to synchronous lines and energy consumption, positive pressure. to use new techniques and technologies to use energy economically and effectively, improve the life of equipment and reduce costs.

In addition to internal issues such as promulgating regulations and instructions related to operating and using equipment to save energy, raising the user’s awareness into a cultural feature, the Company has implementing many renovation projects. Typically the major improvements are as follows:

Water supply system improvementPreviously, using only one upstream station and mixing pumps with different characteristics, causing energy loss, often having problems in the pump system and not meeting production needs well.

The renovation project is divided into 2 independent stations and connected in series: the upstream station reduces the pressure and increases the flow to supply part of the transmission line and the booster pump station is used for the required equipment. higher pressure. Each of these pumping stations includes a number of pumps with the same output and ensures the characteristics of parallel-connected pumps are equivalent and each station has 01 inverter pump as the main driver to automatically control the remaining pumps according to the applied pressure.

Always maintain the desired pressure in each area and optimize power consumption when demand changes to reduce power consumption in this area. The equipment’s age has also been markedly improved.

Install the inverter that controls the fan motor speed: To replace the flue air pressure control system with the previous inlet throttle.

When the power consumption is in proportion to the rate of 3 with the change of speed: N1 / N2 = (n1 / n2) 3 should show that in addition to the ability to respond to the fast system, the power consumption is very saving. After replacement, it was verified that power consumption decreased by more than 20% compared to before.

Replaced Russian 20/8 Piston Air Compressor: By Ingersoll-Rand R160 inverter controlled air compressor from USA to help adjust pressure as desired and save energy consumption.

Installation of low voltage compensation system: In addition to 6KV compensation, automatic compensation cabinets are installed for low voltage distribution stations; directly install compensation cabinets for AC motors> 22 KW, right near where the engine works; help to improve quality Electrical Power for the gear and reduce losses, reduce current through the switch for direct compensation motors.

Install the LEDs: For use areas with different requirements 150 lux, 200 lux, 300 lux, 500 lux, and have separate switches that are clearly communicated and specifically assigned.

Replace the oven ceiling with new materials: Previously made of heat-resistant concrete, there was a large heat loss with the temperature measured above 100 degrees C, the Company replaced with a new material with ceramic fiber, the temperature dropped to around 70 degrees Celsius and ensured ensure better life during work

Installation of aeration systems for filter towers: Helps to dispel the debris that clumps up that previous backwash is ineffective. Helping the filter towers always in effective working conditions, reducing pump power consumption due to reduced filter pressure and increasing the time to change filter material after 3 years instead of yearly as before, reducing production costs.

Renovation of replacement materials for cooling towers: The previous material is PVC with a short working time that must be replaced every 3 years and has a lot of dirt, reducing the heat exchange process is replaced by a Composite material (FRP) with better heat resistance. , no fouling and Splash Bar design to create turbulent and splashing flow for better exchange and cooling (the previous temperature through the Tower only decreased from 5-7 degrees, raised to 10-12 degrees C), reduce the power consumption for the cooling fan and the service life of the material is more than 10 years.

With a series of technical solutions above, energy audit results in 2018 show that energy management activities in Vietnam – Singapore Steel have achieved quite good indicators, power consumption and FO oil have both decreased. Specifically for electricity, from 2015 to 2020, auxiliary power will decrease from 21.70 Kwh / ton to 20.48 Kwh / ton of product; Electricity for production decreased from 97.97 KWh / ton product to below 86.79 KWh / ton of product. FO oil for billet baking in 2015 to 2020 will decrease from 32.50 liters / ton of products to 31.29 liters / ton of product.

Sharing experiences in energy saving activities at the Conference of the Ministry of Industry and Trade

Energy management activities, research and application of science, technology and new technology in the production process help reduce consumption and optimize expenditure. From there, it will contribute to improving productivity, product quality, reducing costs and increasing product competitiveness in the market.

Moreover, this also shows the sense of responsibility, increases creativity and professionalism in the work of the technical team of the Company. Using energy economically and efficiently is a very unique culture of NatSteelVina and this activity has been shared at a number of specialized conferences of the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

The company will continue to uphold its existing results and traditions to grow and prosper.