OREANDA-NEWS. June 23, 2010. Technical tests carried out at the start of June have shown that SEB ATMs will also be able to issue 5 euro notes should the currency enter circulation as planned on 1 January 2011, reported the press-centre of SEB.        

Meelis Nurk, Deputy Director of SEB’s e-Technology Division, says that SEB is looking to offer its clients the most convenient banking service it can. “The smallest bank note you can withdraw from our ATMs at present is 25 kroons, so we can understand why our clients want to be able to get 5 euro notes when the single currency arrives,” he said. “The results of our testing have shown that issuing 5 euro notes is technically possible, although only time – and people using our ATMs – will tell whether it all goes as smoothly as we hope it will.”

In order for 5 euro notes to be able to be withdrawn from ATMs during the period of parallel currency, the government will have to amend its existing transition plan. During the transition, the single currency will enter circulation via three main channels: ATMs, bank branches and retail trade.

SEB has 309 ATMs around Estonia.