Recital 163

There might be cases where reasons of force majeure, such as those caused by natural catastrophes, result in a widespread loss of access to payment mechanisms other than cash. In such cases, Member States should be able to suspend the application of the limit on large cash payments. Such a suspension is an extraordinary measure and should only be applied where necessary as a response to exceptional, duly justified, situations. An impossibility to access financial services does not constitute a valid ground for the suspension of the limit where it is attributable to a Member State’s failure to guarantee that consumers have access to financial infrastructure across the entirety of its territory.