S.L. 376.8 Art. 13Comparison websites.

(1) The competent authority shall provide consumers with access, free of charge, to a website comparing fees charged by payment service providers for at least the services included in the list of the most representative services linked to a payment account established pursuant to regulation 3, as may be amended from time to time in accordance with regulation 6(1).

(2) The comparison website referred to in sub-regulation (1) shall:

(a) be operationally independent by ensuring that payment service providers are given equal treatment in search results;

(b) clearly disclose that it is compiled by the competent authority on the basis of information provided by payment service providers;

(c) set out clear, objective criteria on which the comparison will be based;

(d) use plain and unambiguous language and, where applicable, the standardised terms set out in the list of the most representative services linked to a payment account established pursuant to regulation 3, as may be amended from time to time in accordance with regulation 6(1);

(e) provide accurate and up to date information and state the time of the last update;

(f) include a broad range of payment accounts offered by payment service providers, covering a significant part of the market and, where the information presented is not a complete overview of the market, a clear statement to that effect should be made before displaying results; and

(g) provide an effective procedure to report incorrect information on published fees.

(2A) The competent authority may, in addition to the list of the most representative services linked to a payment account, compile and publish any other comparative information with respect to products and services offered by payment service providers.

(2B) For the purposes of establishing the comparison website referred to in sub-regulation (1), payment service providers shall:

(a) provide the competent authority with the fees charged for the services included in the list of the most representative services linked to a payment account established pursuant to regulation 3, as may be amended from time to time in accordance with regulation 6(1); provide to the competent authority any other (b) information which may be requested by the competent authority for the purposes of publishing additional comparative information in accordance with sub-regulation (2A);

(c) update the competent authority about any changes to the information provided to the competent authority in accordance with paragraphs (a) and (b).

(3) (a) Private operators or other public authorities may also establish and operate a website comparing fees charged by payment service providers for at least the services included in the list of the most representative services linked to a payment account established pursuant to regulation 3, as may be amended from time to time in accordance with regulation 6(1). Any comparison websites established in accordance (b) with paragraph (a) shall:

(i) Clearly disclose details of the owner, or owners, of the comparative website; and

(ii) Adhere to the minimum criteria laid out in sub-regulation (2)(a), (c), (d), (e), (f) and (g). Any entity wishing to operate and compile a (c) comparison website shall notify the competent authority in writing.

(d) The competent authority may require private operators or other public authorities providing a comparison website in accordance with this sub-regulation to include further comparative determinants relating to the level of service offered by payment service providers.

(4) The competent authority shall publish online a list of the websites which comply with this regulation.