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The schilling coins and banknotes<br />
of the last series may be converted<br />
into euro indefinitely at the OeNB<br />
free of charge. In contrast, the exchange<br />
deadlines for banknotes of<br />
earlier series, all called in by the time<br />
the euro was launched, continue to<br />
apply (see box 6). Thus, conversion<br />
of the ATS 1,000 banknote featuring<br />
Bertha von Suttner will only be possible<br />
until the end of August 2005. To<br />
date, some 464,000 called-in banknotes<br />
of this motif have not yet been<br />
returned to the OeNB.<br />
Cash Services and Cashless<br />
Payment Solutions<br />
Provided by the OeNB<br />
through Its Associated<br />
Companies<br />
Over the past two decades the OeNB<br />
has developed a portfolio of subsidiaries<br />
and associated companies that<br />
support the central bank in providing<br />
cash services and cashless payment solutions.<br />
These associates are a key pillar<br />
of the overall framework put in place<br />
to ensure that Austria will be adequately<br />
supplied with cash and that<br />
payment systems work smoothly.<br />
Through its associated companies,<br />
the OeNB can pursue its security<br />
aims and take confidence-building<br />
measures at the operational level in<br />
the field of cash services and payment<br />
solutions. The network of associates<br />
supports the OeNB in meeting its responsibility<br />
to help maintain the<br />
stability of the financial system, creating<br />
a positive business and investment<br />
climate in Austria. Through the provision<br />
of effective and efficient services<br />
that ensure a smooth implementation<br />
of operations, the associated companies<br />
substantially support the OeNB<br />
in fulfilling its tasks.<br />
Integration of Payment Services in Europe and Consolidation<br />
of Cash Distribution Structures in Austria<br />
The core business of Mu‹nze<br />
O‹ sterreich Aktiengesellschaft and of<br />
Oesterreichische Banknoten- und<br />
Sicherheitsdruck GmbH is to produce<br />
coins and banknotes. In addition,<br />
a cash services company —<br />
GELDSERVICE AUSTRIA Logistik<br />
fu‹r Wertgestionierung und Transportkoordination<br />
G.m.b.H. — provides<br />
cash processing and cash logistics<br />
services for both banknotes and<br />
coins. The pooling of these services<br />
has made it possible to keep cash<br />
handling costs to a minimum.<br />
AUSTRIA CARD — Plastikkarten<br />
und Ausweissysteme Gesellschaft<br />
m.b.H. is a producer of highly secure<br />
chip cards. In the field of cashless payment<br />
solutions, theOeNBmoreover<br />
holds minority interests in Austrian<br />
Payment Systems Services (APSS)<br />
GmbH, in the certification services<br />
provider A-Trust Gesellschaft fu‹r<br />
Sicherheitssysteme im elektronischen<br />
Datenverkehr GmbH, and in Studiengesellschaft<br />
fu‹r Zusammenarbeit<br />
im Zahlungsverkehr (STUZZA)<br />
G.m.b.H. The strategic objective of<br />
these undertakings is to provide a<br />
secure payment systems infrastructure<br />
and ensure the provision of reliable<br />
financial services.<br />
The Payment<br />
Instruments Cluster<br />
The role of the<br />
OeNBÕs associated<br />
companies<br />
<strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> <strong>2004</strong> ×<br />
59