In Europe there is some debate as to user mobility and the ease with which one can change banks. The EU has even set an expert group for this purpose. But interestingly that work may not be necessary anymore, given that the Commissions' enquiry into competition in banking outlines:
It is likely that a large proportion of banking customers, probably the majority in most Member States would describe themselves as satisfied with their current bank. For these customers the question of switching bank (and its related costs) does not arise.
For the Netherlands, the whole debate is in itself quite unnecessary; despite all easy shots from the hip (mostly by disgruntled representatives of consumer organisations rather than by the real consumers) there is quite some competition here and we also have a proper interbank switching service. The service works quite well and banks are effectively and actively using this service to lure customers away.
Most banks have integrated the switching service application form into their opening process. And now, playing on the ABN AMRO take-over sentiments, local bank SNS (savings banks) has even made quite a hilarious you-tube commercial and put it on a dedicated website with the name: switching to SNS-dot.nl. This commercial shows an ABN AMRO manager teaching the ABN AMRO consumers how to ask for a quick replacement of a lost debit-card (pinpas).
Now, anyone still claiming that banks do not properly compete ?
