1. The development of the payment system in Bulgaria and SEPA preparation
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The development of the payment system in Bulgaria and SEPA preparation
Dimitar Kostov Deputy Governor Bulgarian National Bank

2. Legal framework:
- Law on the Bulgarian National Bank;
- Law on Fund Transfers, Electronic Payment Instruments and Payment systems;
- Regulations of the Bulgarian National Bank
- Other related legislation (securities, bankruptcy, etc.)

3. Law on the Bulgarian National Bank
Art.2(4) The Bulgarian National Bank shall assist in establishing and functioning of efficient payment systems and shall oversee them.
Art.40(1) For the purpose of facilitating non-cash payments, the Bulgarian National Bank may organize and operate payment systems and clearing offices, as well as issue ordinances providing for the establishment and operation of such systems and offices.

4. LFTEPIPS (Law on payments) stipulates:
- rights and obligations of providers and users of payment services and electronic payment instruments;
- information requirements related to payments;
- requirement for establishing and functioning of payment systems
- payments oversight
- payments related out-of-court dispute settlement

5. General overview of payment and securities settlement systems in Bulgaria:
Large value (RTGS) payment system – RINGS;
Low value (net settlement) system – BISERA;
Card system – BORICA;
Government securities settlement system – GSSS
Corporate securities settlement system - CDAD

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Architecture

7. Large value (RTGS) payment system – RINGS
In operation since 2 June 2003
Settles systemically important payments in BGN on gross basis in real time
payments between CBs and between BNB and CBs
payments on settlement requests received from the system operators
payments on government securities transactions
all clients' and budget payments equal or exceeding BGN
Provides settlement finality for:
money transfers
payments on securities transactions

8. RINGS Functional Characteristics
RINGS accepts for settlement payment orders (credit transfers) and settlement requests by the ancillary systems’ operators
All CBs (head quarters) are direct participants - payments executed in RINGS are processed by CBs within one hour
No restriction imposed on the value of payment orders
Queuing facilities (queue control, re-prioritization)
Automatic gridlock resolution
Pricing policy - full cost recovery principle and incentives to submit payments early in the day
Communication platform - SWIFT (FIN Y-copy)
SWIFT network is used for message transfer between CBs and RINGS
ancillary systems settlement requests are in SWIFT format
RINGS operating hours 08:00 – 17:30

9. Characteristics and Performance
RINGS is a modern, safe and efficient payment system
Adequate architecture & efficient organization
Modern means of security & common technological standards
Systemic risk reduction
Real time monitoring & efficient pricing policy
Effective risk management by the BNB
Optimal liquidity management by CBs
Adopted international payment systems standards
Processing time: <10 sec. for 99% of payments, <15 min. for 1%
Capacity: services up to 100 participants & up to payments daily
RINGS Availability Coefficient for 2006: 99.85%
Since its launch, RINGS has been operating smoothly without any problems
Emergency situations were managed in compliance with the adopted contingency rules and procedures

10. Statistics Processed payments in 2006: Total volume – 983 273
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Statistics
Processed payments in 2006:
Total volume –
Customer payments volume –
Maximum daily volume – 8 747
Total value – million BGN
Maximum daily value – million BGN
The total value of processed payments in 2006 exceeds 4.7 times the GDP.
The daily average value increases from 420 mln in 2003 to BGN 913 mln in 2006, or 117 % increase.
The daily average volume increases from in 2003 to in 2006, or 193 % increase.
No cancelled payment at the end of the day because of insufficient funds on the account of a participant.
RINGS statistical data is a good reason to consider that an efficient and reliable payment system is in place
I shall narrow the focus a bit from the “new economy” to the contribution of information and communications technology (ICT)
ICT contributes as an output and also as an input
Countries may differ in the size of their ICT producing sector. But it is likely that all will find ICT making a larger and larger contribution on the input side
The output share is easy to calculate since there is no need to measure prices. But the input share requires the estimation of asset stocks and hence price indices are required.

11. Low value payment system -BISERA
Processes: Credit transfers and Direct debits
All CBs participate
Calculates the positions of the CBs, resulting from retail payments, using multilateral netting
Sends 2 times per day settlement requests in RINGS
No payment queues
Statistics of processed payments in 2006:
Volume:
Value: mln. BGN

12. Card payment system BORICA
Calculates the positions of the CBs, resulting from transactions with bank cards, using multilateral netting
Sends 2 times per day settlement requests in RINGS
No payment queues
Statistics for 2006:
Cards issued:
ATMs: 2 360
POS:
Volume of transactions:
Value of transactions: mln. BGN

13. Government securities settlement
BNB operates Government Securities Depository (GSD) and the settlement system – BNBGSSS
On the primary market – settlement on the day of issue.
On the secondary market – on the day of trade.
Settlement executed on a trade by trade processing.
Statistics for 2006:
Volume: 6 355
Value: mln. BGN

14. Central Depository
Calculates the positions of the CBs, resulting from deals with corporate securities, using multilateral netting
Uses DVP Model 2 /money on net basis, securities on gross basis/
Settlement cycle T + 2
Sends once a day settlement request in RINGS
Statistics for 2006:
Volume:
Value: mln. BGN

15. Key developments in the payment system over the last several years
national RTGS system for large value payments – 2003,
Introduction of the Law on payments as a legal framework – – 2005,
creation of a National Council on Payment Systems with the participation of the BNB, ACB as a representative of the banking community and the payment system operators ,
IBAN standard for all bank accounts – 2006,
SWIFT standards for messages within the national retail payment system – BISERA – 2006,
migration of card system to EMV standards

16. Challenges ahead
Payment services directive – unified rules, more competition, consumer protection, transparency.
TARGET 2, and T2S – further integration, enhanced services, liquidity management improvement.
SEPA – integration, standardization, interoperability, new business opportunities.

17. Approach
National Council on Payment Systems – overall responsibility for payment system development, incl. for national SEPA plan.
Consultative groups in key topics (7) – instruments, infrastructures, legal framework, card payments, TARGET 2, securities settlement systems, budget payments.