Print

Central Information Register for the Issuers of Dishonoured Cheques (CIR)

The Directive of the Central Bank of Cyprus regarding the operation of the Central Information Register for the Issuers of Dishonoured Cheques, the Consequences of  their recording to the Register and Related Matters (Κ.Δ.Π. 67/2024) (hereinafter the “Directive”) came into force on the 1st March, 2024, replacing the Joint Directive of the Central Bank of Cyprus and the Commissioner of the Co-operative Societies Supervision and Development Authority regarding the Opening and Operation of Current Accounts, the creation of a Central Information Register for Issuers of Dishonoured Cheques and Other Related Matters that came into force on the 1st February, 2003.

The Directive is issued in accordance with the provisions of the paragraphs (1) to (5)  of article 41 of The Business of Credit Institutions  Laws and regulates the maintenance and operation of the Central Information Register (hereinafter the “CIR”), including instructions for imposing measures excluding issuers of dishonoured cheques of the right to possess, acquire or use cheque books or current accounts, with the aim of preventing and reducing the problem of dishonoured cheques.

The Directive is applicable to the Authorised Credit Institutions (hereinafter the “ACIs”), as these are defined in the Directive, in relation to cheques drawn on current accounts held in the Republic, which are responsible for the accuracy of the information they submit to the CIR.  

The responsibility of the operation, maintenance and updating the CIR, is assigned by the Central Bank of Cyprus (hereinafter the “CBC”) to a Management Committee (hereinafter the “MC CIR”), which convenes once (1) a month.

 

Enter on the CIR

In accordance with the provisions of the Directive, a person is recorded on the CIR when one of the following conditions is met:

(a) (i) If at any time within twelve (12) months a natural or legal person issued at least three (3) dishonoured cheques, or

      (ii) the total amount of any dishonoured cheque or cheques issued by that person within a period of twelve (12) months exceeds the amount of 2.000,

(b) the person, in the opinion of the ACIs, is in a position to exercise control over the account on which a dishonoured cheque was drawn.

For information on their recording, persons entered in CIR may contact the ACI with which they hold accounts with the right to issue cheques.

 

Deletion from the CIR

In accordance with the provisions of the Directive, no person shall be deleted from the CIR except:

(a)  evidence is provided that all dishonoured cheques issued by the person have been settled within one (1) month from the date of their return as dishonoured, or

(b) evidence is provided that all dishonoured cheques issued by the person have been settled and a period of at least twelve (12) months has elapsed from their settlement, or

(c) after six (6) years have elapsed since the last recording of dishonoured cheque in relation to that person and after submitting to the MC CIR an affidavit declaring that there is no ongoing legal proceeding against that person regarding the cheques recorded in the CIR.

A recorded person who believes that the criteria for deletion are satisfied, shall submit an application, directly or through an authorised representative, addressed to the MC CIR and accompanied by the necessary documentary evidence of settlement or of the correction of the reasons and/or causes of recording in CIR. The application for deletion can be submitted to the electronic address kap@centralbank.cy. Additionally, the application including the original accompanied documents/evidence should be sent to the MC CIR, to the postal address indicated in the application.

 

Access to the CIR information in accordance with Section VIII of the Directive

The information included in the CIR is accessible to ACIs and credit reference agencies and/or legal entities providing credit rating services.

Any legal entity wishing to obtain approval for access to the CIR information for the purposes of assessing the creditworthiness of counterparties and/or for providing the information to interested parties, must submit an application to the CBC based on a template, together with the information that must accompany the application. The applications for access and use of CIR information and/or for obtaining further information in relation to the application procedure, the evaluation and the requirements, should be submitted to the CBC via email at the following electronic address: kap@centralbank.cy.  The submission of the application shall be followed by the submission to the CBC of the original application and accompanied documentation.

 

Access to the CIR information to interested persons

Interested persons assessing the possibility of establishing financial relations with other parties may access CIR information through First Cyprus Credit Bureau Ltd (FCCB).  For further information and for requests for access, interested persons can contact the FCCB (www.fccb.com.cy, tel.22023597,  e-mail: info@fccb.com.cy).

CIR information is also communicated to Artemis Credit Bureau Ltd in accordance with the authorisation given by the Commissioner for Personal Data Protection.  The contact details of ARTEMIS are: www.artemis.com.cy, tel.22454777, fax.22420135, e-mail:  info@artemis.com.cy.

If a consumer’s loan/credit application is rejected on the basis of the database search, the creditor is legally obliged to immediately and without charge inform the consumer of all the particulars of the database consulted (unless prohibited by the European Community law or is contrary to public policy or security).

 

The page was last updated on the 04th March 2024.

Date Published: 14/02/2024

CIR STATISTICS FEBRUARY 2024

Date Published: 11/01/2022

CIR STATISTICS DECEMBER 2021