Central bank advises Dutch citizens: Keep cash reserves for emergencies

(Patria) - The Dutch Central Bank on Tuesday recommended that citizens have cash ready for basic needs in case of electronic payment system failures.

According to the bank's advice, each family should secure 70 euros per adult and 30 euros per child, in cash, to cover basic expenses for at least three days, writes Politico.

The warning comes in light of increasingly frequent cyber attacks, which, given the increasingly tense geopolitical situation, are considered a growing threat.

The bank also recalls the example from April, when a power outage in Spain and Portugal caused serious, albeit short-lived, problems in the operation of payment systems.

The recommended cash should be sufficient for expenses such as water, food, medicine, and transportation, the bank adds.

In addition to citizens, the bank also addressed merchants, advising them to ensure alternative payment methods, such as QR codes, in case cash registers and POS terminals fail.

This recommendation is part of a broader European framework. In March, the European Commission published a preparedness plan, in which EU citizens are advised to have food supplies for three days, to be prepared for possible crises, including war conflicts or natural disasters.