Support for the role of cash in society was highlighted at an informal meeting of European Consumer Protection Ministers in April during a roundtable on sustainable e-commerce. The ministers acknowledged that cash plays an important part in ensuring financial inclusion of vulnerable groups and for building a resilient retail payment system.

“Efforts are needed to ensure that all consumers can enjoy their right to access useful and affordable financial services, especially in the context of increasing digitalisation of these services,” noted a report on the meeting from the Belgian presidency of the Council of the EU. It said promising proposals are under discussion, including mandatory acceptance of cash and improving access to cash.

Support for cash at the EU level was echoed in Germany at its 20th Conference of Consumer Protection Ministers in June, where they warned that consumer access to cash and the acceptance of cash in retail have been deteriorating, and underscored the problem of a decreasing number of ATMs, especially in rural areas.

Cash's role in creating a resilient financial system was highlighted in the resolution from the German Ministers’ conference. "In view of current dangers such as international conflicts, hacker attacks and cybercrime, [cash] represents a crisis-proof payment system that has a high level of resilience against digital manipulation. This system must be protected in order to be able to maintain a functioning payment system even in the event of a crisis."

Tanja Kulisch-Ziemens, Secretary General, Cash Chapter, at the International Security Ligue, applauded the support for cash recently expressed by consumer protection ministers. “I am glad that the consumer protection ministers have taken up this issue and adopted such a clear position. Maintaining the cash infrastructure is an issue of freedom of choice for consumers and also protects the real economy, public life and security, as well as financial stability. No legislator or politician acting in the public interest should carelessly restrict this pillar of stability that has been a source of strength in our society and economy for centuries. Additionally, physical money helps people learn how to deal with money and private finances, the importance of which should not be underestimated in the wake of a lack of financial education and increasing over-indebtedness, particularly among private households."