Polish Banks Association (ZBP) is the largest self-government association of banks in Poland and one of the best functioning self-government organization in European Union. ZBP has been established in January 1991 and operates under the Act on Chambers of Commerce of May 30, 1989. The mission of Polish Banks Association is to ‘contribute to conditions for sustainable development of the Polish banking system, help banks’ in their supportive activities for Poland’s economic growth and for the single European market for financial services, as well as to strengthen the role of Polish banks’ (a quote from Statute of The Polish Bank Association’).
The statutory tasks of the Association include representation and protection of member banks’ common interests, inter alia with respect to legal regulation related to banking sector, cooperation with authorities of the State, organization of the cooperation for the development of banks in the banking sector and interbank infrastructure, as well as actions for creation and development of institutions supporting the banking sector. The Polish Banks Association’s tasks are implemented by specially established assemblies, councils and committees.
Membership in ZBP is voluntary and comprises banks operating in Poland, incorporated under Polish legislation.
ZBP’s representatives take part in Payment System Board affiliated to National Bank of Poland and Banks Guarantee Fund, they conduct consultations with Ministry of Finance, commissions of the Parliament, Polish Financial Supervision Authority, as well as they actively participate in works of Coalition for Cashless Transactions and Micropayments and Association of Voivodships in Poland. The Association participates in Foundation of the ‘Teraz Polska’ Emblem and patrons Financial Forum ‘Twoje Pieniądze’. ZBP also organizes regular conferences: Forum Bankowe (Banking Forum), SEPA Forum Polska, Kongres Gospodarki Elektronicznej (Digital Economy Congres), Forum Korporacyjne (Corporate Forum), Kongres Finansowania Nieruchomości Mieszkaniowych (Housing Finance Congress) and meetings of the Club ‘Poland 2025+’.
Polish Banks Association represents the Polish banking sector outside Poland, by participating in the work of European Banking Federation, International Chamber of Commerce, European Committee for Banking Standards, International Association of Banking Security and European Payments Council. ZBP is the assigned EPC partner coordinating work aimed at launching Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) in Poland.
On the initiative and with participation of the Association, there were created such institutions of banking infrastructure as National Clearing House, Credit Information Bureau, Centre of Banking Law and Information Sp. z o.o., Economic Information Bureau InfoMonitor SA and Warsaw Institute of Banking. ZBP cooperates with Arbitration Court and Banking Consumer Arbitration, which were established to resolve disputes between consumers (bank customers) and banks for monetary claims due to non-performed or faulty performed services by banks for the consumer.
