90. Stresses the importance for the EU to take proactive action (reaction and support to HRDs under threat; observation of trials brought against HRDs; prompt, vocal and visible reaction to restrictions to the freedoms of expression, association and assembly) and systematically to provide HRDs and/or their families with information on actions undertaken on their behalf, as prescribed in the EU Guidelines on HRDs; calls, in this context, for a reinforcement of the EIDHR mechanism aimed at providing urgent protection measures with hu ...[+++]man rights defenders in danger or at risk;

26. Underlines the fact that, whilst the EU has a balanced current account and does not contribute to global imbalances, it would be strongly affected by a disorderly correction of imbalances through a depreciation of the US dollar; notes that the EU must coordinate its polices on trade and currency imbalances closely with the USA with a view to avoiding a rapid depreciation of the dollar; urges the USA, as well as major world actors, to ensure that currency management becomes a multilateral endeavour involving all major world currencies; welcomes the fact that indicators for global imbalances have been announced, and calls for such i ...[+++]ndicators to be taken fully into account in the formulation of macro-economic policies;

26. Underlines the fact that, whilst the EU has a balanced current account and does not contribute to global imbalances, it would be strongly affected by a disorderly correction of imbalances through a depreciation of the US dollar; notes that the EU must coordinate its polices on trade and currency imbalances closely with the USA with a view to avoiding a rapid depreciation of the dollar; urges the USA, as well as major world actors, to ensure that currency management becomes a multilateral endeavour involving all major world currencies; welcomes the fact that indicators for global imbalances have been announced, and calls for such i ...[+++]ndicators to be taken fully into account in the formulation of macro-economic policies;

Before 2001, the retail postal current account could not be considered a substitute for bank current accounts, because of the lack of adequate associated services (such as debit and credit cards), and was used mainly by public administration and companies writing large numbers of invoices (national utilities).

Undue barriers associated with all types of bank accounts (current, savings, securities accounts) must be removed[40], consumer choice widened and competition between service providers improved.

It is the option chosen by the British Bankers' Association which stipulates in its code: "7.2 If you decide to move your current account to another financial institution, we will provide them with information on your standing orders and direct debits within five working days (Reducing to three working days from 1 August 2003) of receiving their request to do so".