Annual report
OTHER COLLABORATION AGREEMENTS
Agreement for the Development of Financial Aid Programmes for Investment
BBK, Kutxa and Caja Vital Kutxa have collaborated with other financial institutions on this agreement to improve AFI teleprocessing and the agreement remained in force during 2009.
Gazte Txartela Programme
The Order of 21st February regulates which institutions are legally permitted to issue Gazte Txartela cards during the 2007-2010 period, and five financial institutions (including the Basque Savings Banks) are authorized to do so.
In 2009, the age limit for the card was extended and the card is now available to young people between the ages of 14 and 29 years (previously 25). The issuing institutions are responsible for providing necessary information, receiving card fees paid by the young cardholders, providing technical card support and issuing the Gazte Txartela cards, in addition to providing accident insurance for cardholders.
Basque Housing Service - Etxebide
Etxebide is the Basque Social Housing Allocation Service and part of the Basque Public Housing Service Network in conjunction with Bizilagun, state-owned housing companies, councils' housing services, and the Basque Government's Department of Housing, Transport and Public Works.
There have been various changes to Etxebide since it was set up in 1997 and in 2001 permanent application submission became possible. By the end of 2009, more than 92,000 applications had been received (15.2% for Alava, 50.2% for Bizkaia and 34.6% for Gipuzkoa).
The Basque Savings Banks have collaborated with Etxebide since the start by offering advice to interested parties and by processing applications.
Konekta Zaitez Gunea
This programme was set up by the Basque Government in 2001 to help narrow the digital divide by providing training for Basque citizens at branches open to the public.
The programme, which is part of the "Euskadi in the Information Society" Plan, has evolved as its initial objectives have been reached and its public network of centres are attached to the Basque Government's General Directorate of Informatics and Telecommunications and have been supported since the beginning by Eudel.
By the end of 2009, more than 315,000 users had registered on the Konekta Zaitez Gunea programme, with 120,000 having received Internet training for the first time. To date, 25,000 citizens have received training.
Since the start of the initiative, the Basque Savings Banks have been involved by giving electronic banking courses, and so far the 3,014 courses have been attended by 20,232 participants.
Bono Cultura Programme
During 2009, the Basque Administration decided to support the cultural sector by subsidising cultural products such as the “Bonos Cultura” voucher. A total of 76,666 vouchers were made available to the public in the ACBC at the three Basque Savings Banks (BBK, Kutxa and Caja Vital Kutxa) from their network of multiservice cashpoints and/or other specific means.
Each voucher costs 40€, with the purchaser paying 25€ and the remainder subsidized by the Basque Administration.
A total of 55,625 vouchers have been sold in the three historic territories, approximately 73% of those available, during a three-week advertising campaign which began in mid-December.
Basque Language Promotion Agreement
During 2009, the agreement for the promotion of the Basque language remained in force and this is an integral part of the Basque Government's Lan-Hitz programme. In line with this initiative for managing quality and improving service, the Basque Savings Banks have undertaken to value Basque as an integral part of their customer service by offering their products and services bilingually in both Spanish and Basque so that the user can choose a language for their dealings with their bank.
