CBCG Limits Fees for SEPA Payments: Citizens and the Economy to Save Millions
09/07/2025
The first daily transfer of up to 200 euros will cost a maximum of 2 euro cents
Today, the Council of the Central Bank of Montenegro adopted an ambitious and comprehensive set of reforms that bring concrete benefits to citizens and the economy - three acts that free the movement of money, speed up domestic and international transactions, and bring European prices and standards:
- Decision on the limiting the fee for executing credit transfers effected in the Single Euro Payment Area (SEPA)
- Rules Amending Operating Rules of the Central Bank of Montenegro Payment System
- Decision Amending the Decision on Determining Tariff for Calculating Fees Charged for the Central Bank of Montenegro Services
Pursuant to the first decision, from 6 October 2025, banks cannot charge a fee to citizens and businesses for executing SEPA credit transfers that exceeds:
- a maximum of 0.02 euros, for the first daily transfer of a natural person up to 200 euros;
- a maximum of 1.99 euros, for electronic transactions up to 20,000 euros;
- a maximum of 25 euros, for electronic transactions over 20,000 euros;
- a maximum of 3.99 euros, for payments in a branch of up to 20,000 euros;
- a maximum of 50 euros, for payments in a branch over €20,000;
- a maximum of 1.99 euros for receiving a SEPA transfer of up to €20,000 and up to 25 euros for larger amounts.
The annual savings for citizens and the economy, i.e. the reduction of banks’ income from fees will amount to 13.9 million euros - or over 50 million euros of direct savings by the expected date of EU membership. This represents new capital that remains in the domestic economy and contributes to lower prices, greater liquidity and competitiveness.
This means that, from 6 October 2025, Montenegro’s citizens and the economy will have favourable, fast and safe access to the common European payment market - the SEPA area, which includes 41 countries, including all EU members states, Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Monaco, San Marino, Andorra, the Vatican and the United Kingdom, Montenegro, Albania, Moldova and North Macedonia, while Serbia, according to the European Council for Payments’ plan, will operationally join this system in May 2026.
According to the second decision, the working hours of the domestic payment system will be extended from 18 August 2025. The RTGS system for transactions exceeding 1,000 euros will work until 20:00 hours, and the DNS system for transactions below 1,000 euros will work until 19:30 hours, with six clearing cycles during the day. From mid-October 2025, the systems will also work on weekends, while the introduction of the TIPS Clone platform in July 2026 will bring payments available 24/7.
The third decision has abolished the 30% increased CBCG fee for executing payment transactions after 14:00 hours and a introduced a single lower tariff valid for the entire operating day (08:00–20:00 hours), thus enabling fair and transparent conditions for users, without additional costs for afternoon payments.
“We are not waiting for the moment of entry into the EU, we are already integrating European practices into the CBCG’s operations, the Montenegrin financial sector, the economy and the daily life of citizens. With these decisions, we are freeing up the money flow and opening up space for developing our economy,” said the CBCG Governor Irena Radović.
Just before adopting these acts at the session of the CBCG Council, the CBCG management team held a meeting with the chairpersons of the banks’ management boards to ensure the timely and efficient implementation of the foreseen measures.
The reform package which the CBCG Council adopted today confirms a strong commitment to building a modern, transparent and inclusive payment system, adapted to the needs of citizens and the economy, in accordance with the best European practices.
Statement of Irena Radović, Governor of the Central bank of Montenegro
Statement of Miloš Miketić, Chairman of the Management Board of Lovćen banka AD Podgorica
Statement of Aleksa Lukić, Chairman of the Management Board of Erste banka AD Podgorica
Statement of Esad Zaimović, Chairman of the Management Board of Hipotekarna banka
Statement of Martin Leberle, Chairman of the Management Board of NLB bank
Statement of Tamás Kamarási, Chairman of the Management Board of CKB bank