Girocard is an interbank network and debit card service connecting virtually all German ATMs and banks. It is based on standards and agreements developed by Central Credit Committee.

German Girocards are usually co-branded with MasterCard's Maestro/Cirrus or VISA's V PAY logo, allowing cardholders to use them in other European countries.^{[1][2][3][4][5]} As another co-badging option, combined Girocard/JCB cards will be introduced in 2012.^[6]

History [link]

Originally, German banks formed an interbank network connecting virtually all German ATMs. The network used Eurocheque guarantee cards as ATM cards and did not have a name or trademark of its own. In 1991, the electronic cash debit card service was introduced using the same cards. The cards used for all three payment methods were simply known as Eurocheque card (German Euroscheck-Karte).

When the Eurocheque system was disbanded at the end of 2001, the cards could no longer use the Eurocheque brand. However, German banks continued to use the EC logo, which was simply re-interpreted as "electronic cash". Consequently, the cards were colloquially known as EC card (German EC-Karte). However, the ATM network still did not have a trade name.

In 2007, Zentraler Kreditausschuss introduced "Girocard" as a common name for electronic cash and the German ATM network.

Services [link]

ATM network [link]

The German ATM network connects virtually all German ATMs. However, German banks charge high ATM usage fees (up to 10 €) from customers using other banks' ATMs.

There are several cooperations reducing or waiving these fees:

• EUFISERV is a European compact which includes the Sparkasse saving banks in Germany as to waive the fees for customers of other local branches
• Bankcard-Servicenetz is a cooperation of most co-operative banks to waive or reduce the fees for other co-operative banks.
• Cash Group is a cooperation of major private banks, which mutually waive the fees.
• CashPool is a cooperation of smaller private banks (including many virtual banks), which mutually waive the fees.

External links [link]

• Official website

References [link]

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