French post office and Caisses d’Epargne in talks on banking services for disadvantaged
The French minister for social cohesion, Jean-Louis Borloo, has asked the French post office, La Poste, and the French mutual savings bank Caisses d’Epargne to take part in a government scheme to provide banking services to those who are currently denied them. The programme, whose details have yet to be decided, is intended to provide all French people with access to what the minister calls a minimum level of banking support. When unveiling the policy last week, he explained that five million people in France are either on a credit black list or simply do not have access to banking services.
The services which Mr Borloo would like to see made available to all include the right to open, manage and close a bank account, depositing and withdrawing funds over the counter, and payment via debit cards, direct debit or bank cheques.
