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Economy and Finance

Euro cash in transit

Regulation (EU) No 1214/2011 ensures that euro banknotes and coins can be easily and safely transported by road across national borders between Member States that have adopted the euro or are about to do so.

Common EU rules for professional cross-border transportation of euro cash by road

Due to the nature of the business, cash transportation is exposed to serious security threats. In order to ensure the security of the staff and of the general public, the Regulation provides that a company that wants to carry out cross-border transport of euro cash must ask for a specific cross-border CIT-license from its Member State of origin. The CIT license is granted for a period of 5 years provided that the company fulfils the eligibility criteria laid down in the Regulation.

The Regulation defines the cross-border transport of cash by road as a professional transport of euro banknotes and coins by a CIT vehicle between euro-area Member States for delivery or pick-up during one day (except point-to-point). The majority of deliveries or pick-ups must be done on the territory of the host Member State. A maximum of 20% non-euro cash is allowed in the vehicle.

As a pre-condition for cross-border transport of euro cash, the company must be allowed by its national authorities to carry out domestic cash transports. Strict rules are foreseen for, amongst others, the minimum number of staff, armouring of vehicles, training of staff, 'intelligent' neutralization systems for banknotes (which neutralise the banknotes, for example by staining them with indelible ink, in case of unauthorized opening of the banknote container) and penalties in case of infringement of the rules.

The CIT Regulation does not provide for a full harmonization of CIT rules. The host-country rules on the role of national police forces, on the behavior of CIT security staff outside the vehicle as well as on the security of locations where euro cash is delivered or picked up apply to the company carrying out the cross-border transport of cash.
The framework provided by the CIT Regulation also applies to countries preparing to join the euro-area. Regulation 55/2013 extends the scope of the CIT Regulation to those countries under euro preparation as from the date the Council has decided that the Member State concerned changes over to the euro.

The transport of euro banknotes and coins between NCBs and between printing works or mints and NCBs, provided the transport is escorted by the police, does not fall within the scope of the CIT Regulation.

Related documents

23 DECEMBER 2016
National rules on the role of national police forces and the security of the cash delivery/pick-up locations as wells as information on homologated IBNS - Article 11(1)
English
(108.12 KB - PDF)
Download
10 JULY 2019
National authorities granting CIT licences in the euro-area Member States - Article 11(2)
English
(291.27 KB - PDF)
Download
23 DECEMBER 2016
Specific training requirements for CIT security staff - Article 11(4)
English
(100.28 KB - PDF)
Download
10 JULY 2019
Single central national CIT contact points - Article 11(5)
English
(207.42 KB - PDF)
Download
10 JULY 2019
Host authorities to be notified on national transport arrangements - Article 11(7)
English
(216.23 KB - PDF)
Download
23 DECEMBER 2016
Applicable Transport Arrangements in the euro-area Member States Article 13(5) and countries having signed Monetary Agreements with the EU (Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and the Vatican)
English
(38.58 KB - PDF)
Download
23 DECEMBER 2016
National weapons legislation
English
(22.94 KB - PDF)
Download

In line with the CIT Regulation, Member States apply different rules on fire arms when carrying out cross-border CIT transport.