Online training course: how to detect euro banknotes that are counterfeits or unfit for circulation
De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) is offering an online training course for retail staff. The e-learning teaches them how to detect banknotes that are counterfeits or unfit for circulation. It is compulsory for certain services.
Cashback
Retailers are already allowed to issue euro banknotes to debit card holders who pay for their purchases. This payment service is exempt, and retailers do not qualify as cash handlers. This payment service is known cashback. Although there is no legal obligation to check the authenticity of banknotes received, it is strongly recommended to do so. This can be done, for example, using a counterfeit detector.
Cash-in-shop
When a retailer allows customers to withdraw cash from a payment account without making any purchases, this is known as a cash-in-shop service. This service qualifies as a payment service. If retail staff issue cash to the public, they are obliged to check euro banknotes for authenticity and fitness. This is how we ensure that only genuine and clean banknotes are in circulation. Retailers must deposit suspicious, soiled and torn notes with their bank.
Authenticity and fitness checks can be carried out by a certified banknote handling machine or by trained staff who have completed this training course, taken an exam and obtained a certificate.
The training course is available online for retail staff via this link. After completing the training course, the exam can be taken immediately and a certificate obtained.
Once the third Payment Services Directive (PSD3) has been introduced in 2027, the scope for providing cash-in-shop services will be expanded. Retailers may choose to offer these services to all cardholders without agreements with any banks. This makes the retailer the payment service provider, rather than the bank.
DNB may submit such retailers to checks, and retail staff must be able to show the certificate obtained for the online training course. If necessary, they must also provide proof of identity.
Protecting euro banknotes
Euro banknotes withdrawn from a bank account must first be checked for authenticity and fitness by the cash handler issuing them to the public. For example, this applies to cash withdrawn from an ATM, but also to cash-in-shop withdrawals.
Council Regulation (EC) No 1338/2001 (as amended by Regulation No 44/2009) laying down measures necessary for the protection of the euro against counterfeiting defines cash handlers and prescribes how the checks must be carried out.
For more background information on detection devices and banknote handling machines, see the ECB web page for cash professionals.