EKPOIZO said that ‘National Bank, with negligence and carelessness, sent a new standardised electronic letter to consumers in which, after informing them that it had ceased the monthly charge of €0.80 as of 14 May 2026, it concludes by reinstating the charge if consumers do not react to it within the next two months. However, according to complaints we are still receiving today, it continues to charge its customers €0.80.’

It is recalled that, accepting a collective action brought by EKPOIZO, the Athens Multi-Member Court of First Instance ruled that the monthly charge of €0.80 imposed by National Bank on customers with ‘Simple Savings’ and ‘Simple Current’ accounts was illegal. In its decision, numbered 128/2026, the court ordered the bank to immediately stop imposing the charge. The decision was declared provisionally enforceable, meaning that it applies without waiting for a final judgment.

In a new announcement, EKPOIZO complained that ‘National Bank, with negligence and carelessness, sent a new standardised electronic letter to consumers in which, after informing them that it had ceased the monthly charge of €0.80 as of 14 May 2026, it concludes by reinstating the charge if consumers do not react to it within the next two months. However, according to complaints we are still receiving today, it continues to charge its customers €0.80.’

At the same time, the union pointed out that National Bank ‘does not inform consumers in its letter about the recent court decision, in the context of transparency, but refers to “recent developments”, distorting and essentially silencing them. It addresses consumers as holders of the Privilege Account (“for the Privilege Account you keep at the bank”), calling on them to object if they want to return to their old account.’

‘The terms under which National Bank seeks to reinstate the charge constitute a continuation of illegal and misleading behaviour and a violation of decision number 128/2026 of the Athens Multi-Member Court of First Instance,’ the union clarified. It reminded ‘National Bank that the term under which consumers were transferred to the “Privilege Account” was prohibited because it was deemed opaque, abusive and invalid and, consequently, consumers should not have been transferred to the “Privilege Account”. That is why the court decision categorically refers in its operative part to the holders of the “Simple Savings” and “Simple Current” deposit accounts.’

‘National Bank therefore violates the court decision because it does not start the procedure from scratch, as the decision requires,’ the union stated. ‘We also recall that the practice of imposing a charge of €0.80 on deposit accounts was prohibited because the bank presented or concealed transactions that were in any case free of charge, as benefits covered by the monthly charge,’ it continued.

‘Unfortunately, however, even the “new” information is still incomplete and, ultimately, misleading. National Bank is silent about the free possibility for consumers to make transfers of up to €1,000 through the IRIS system, continues to present as a service the free issuance of a copy of the account statement in any case, according to the court decision, and cultivates inaccuracies about card charges. The content of the information is unclear, difficult to understand and complex, resulting in consumers being confused and indignant,’ EKPOIZO emphasised.

‘Also, consumers are not informed which account the letter concerns. Nor are they given any warning about the fact that all relevant accounts they hold with the bank are being charged with this specific fee. For a number of reasons, consumer information cannot be provided by sending electronic messages, since it involves modifying the obligations of the contracting parties,’ it added.

EKPOIZO called on National Bank, ‘even belatedly, to show prudence and respect the rights of consumers, especially those who are not familiar with the methods and procedures it follows, and to respect the court decision. National Bank must, since it has confidence in the privileges of the packages it offers, explain why it does not require the explicit consent of consumers, as another systemic bank does on this point. Let us not overlook the fact that bypassing this procedure, according to the court decision, is justified when there are no significant changes, such as the €0.80 charge. Does National Bank or anyone else, after the huge public reactions, really believe that imposing a monthly charge of €0.80 for services that the consumer has not requested is an insignificant change in their relationship with the bank?’

‘Finally, we are still waiting for National Bank’s response as to whether it will finally return what it has collected to date, using misleading information and opaque terms. We inform consumers who have been charged the €0.80 to check their accounts for the reversal of the illegal charge, to react to the new letter they received from National Bank by sending the complaint form found on the EKPOIZO website, to request the maintenance of the “Simple Savings” and “Simple Current” deposit account or accounts and to contact us for more information and updates,’ the union concluded.

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