The European regulation that will change the way we withdraw cash from ATMs in Spain: when it comes into effect and what changes

The way people withdraw cash in Spain will change slightly in the coming weeks due to the transposition of a European Union directive . The aim of this regulation is to make some products and services, such as ATMs, more accessible to the general public.

This regulation was originally scheduled to come into force in 2022, but was ultimately delayed until the end of June 2025 to allow for more effective implementation.

According to payment statistics from the Bank of Spain , at the end of the first half of 2024, the number of ATMs in our country was 37,473 , a decrease of 1.9% compared to the same period in 2023.

ATMs have always been a source of "conflict" for some people, either due to their age or because they are not adapted to certain needs that allow for greater autonomy in operating the machine.

The new European regulation will come into force on June 28. As stated in the text, the purpose of the regulation is to "optimize its foreseeable autonomous use by all people , and in particular by people with disabilities."

Thus, the self-service equipment that will be affected will include payment terminals, ATMs , ticket vending machines, check-in machines, and interactive self-service terminals that provide information, among others. Furthermore, the text also establishes that manufacturers are required to ensure that they have designed and manufactured products in compliance with the established universal accessibility requirements.

The ultimate goal of changing machines like ATMs is to enable anyone, regardless of age, physical condition, or disability, to operate them independently and without hindrance.

For example, among the new features that can be implemented and that are included in the non-binding text are texts that are easy to understand, larger letters and simplified menus, incorporation of voice instructions, incorporation of signals on a keyboard, the possibility of enlarging the text or raising and lowering the contrast of the images or making the buttons larger and separated.

In short, actions to improve accessibility are divided into broad categories: availability of more than one sensory channel, ease of understanding, ease of perception, text formats that can be presented in different ways, and inclusion of functionalities or the interface.

Although this European directive comes into force on June 28, the regulation also establishes that self-service payment terminals may "continue to be used for the provision of similar services until the end of their useful life from an economic point of view, although not exceeding ten years after their entry into operation."