IBAN Discrimination in the EU: Legal Rights & How to File Complaints (2026)

When using European digital banks like Revolut (Lithuanian LT IBAN), N26 (German DE IBAN), or bunq (Dutch NL IBAN), you might occasionally encounter an employer or utility provider claiming: "We only accept local bank account numbers".

This practice is known as IBAN Discrimination and has been strictly illegal across the entire European Union since 2014.

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⚖️ 1. The Legal Basis: SEPA Regulation (EU) No 260/2012

Article 9 of Regulation (EU) No 260/2012 of the European Parliament explicitly rules that:

"A payee accepting a credit transfer or using a direct debit to collect funds from a payer shall not specify the Member State in which that payment account is to be situated."

Any business or public authority operating within the SEPA zone accepting credit transfers or direct debits is legally bound to accept any valid IBAN from all 36 SEPA member countries.

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📋 2. Step-by-Step Resolution Protocol

1. Send Formal Notice: Reply in writing citing Article 9 of EU Regulation 260/2012.
2. Report to National Authorities: File an official complaint with national financial regulators (such as Banco de España, BaFin, or ACPR).
3. Log via Accept My IBAN: Submit the incident to the EU-wide consumer initiative tracking compliance.