Section 4: Dormant accounts

I. - As part of the consultation of the data contained in the national register for the identification of natural persons, provided for in the ninth paragraph of I of article L. 312-19, the institutions mentioned in the first paragraph of I of article L. 312-19 may in particular obtain, directly or through the intermediary of a person mandated for this purpose, the file of deceased persons extracted from the national register for the identification of natural persons.

To search for deceased account holders holding deposits and assets in respect of the savings products mentioned in Chapter II of Title II of Book II, the file may be consulted on the basis of the registration number in the national personal identification register when it appears on individual account statements in accordance with the third paragraph of Article L. 3341-7 of the Labour Code.

The conditions for obtaining the file are laid down in an agreement between INSEE and each recipient of the data or any person authorised to do so.

II. - The fact that a person has not made an expression of interest or carried out a transaction on an account relating to the savings products mentioned in Chapter II of Title II of Book II may not, on its own, be taken into consideration to characterise the inactivity of another account falling within the scope of I of Article L. 312-19, and vice versa.

III. - Without prejudice to the information provided for in the last paragraph of I of article L. 312-20, the information provided for in the last paragraph of I of article L. 312-19 is renewed annually until the year preceding the deposit with the Caisse des dépôts et consignations of the deposits and assets pursuant to I of article L. 312-20. Where the institution does not have a valid postal address to which to send this information, it shall contact the account holder, his legal representative, the person authorised by him or, where applicable, his known successors by any other means at its disposal. Establishments shall keep a permanent record of the information used to justify the dates and procedures for providing this information.

IV. - Charges and commissions of any kind levied on dormant accounts include all charges and commissions levied by institutions on transactions relating to the management and closure of these accounts and banking products and services linked to these accounts.

They are debited up to the limit of the credit balance or, where applicable, the regulatory ceiling.

These fees and charges are capped annually per account for each of the following account categories:

1° Savings products mentioned in sections 1 to 5 of Chapter I of Title II of Book II;

2° The savings accounts mentioned in sections 6 and 6a of the same chapter and the savings products mentioned in chapter II of the same title;

3° Accounts in which financial securities are held;

4° The other accounts mentioned in I of article L. 312-19 ;

These ceilings are set by order of the Minister for the Economy.