Banknote serial numbers are being tracked from ATMs as an unwarranted mass surveillance scheme, which bypasses the GDPR.
At the same time, Dutch and French ATMs have unilaterally nationwide quit dispensing banknotes larger than €50. I’ve heard lots of unconvincing reasons for forced-small denominations. Does anyone have a more convincing theory than the fact that each banknote is a tracking opportunity?
The only time I ever got a note bigger than €50 from an ATM was in Montenegro. I pretty much never see them.
From my point of view, a good reason would be that €50 bank notes are annoying :P A lot of the transactions I make are far less than that, and shopkeepers get annoyed at needing a lot of change for me and then not being able to use my €50 note as change for other customers.
Another reason might just be to make it less practical to rob them, i.e. the same amount of money taking up more space? There have been quite a few plofkraken (explosive robberies?) in recent years.
I thought the Netherlands recently started giving out 100 euro bills?
Also, I’ve had trouble in general getting anything smaller then a 20 out of an ATM here, that has improved too lately though.