Annual Report 2004

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