New proposal by Germany to the EU to combat money laundering

The EU could soon introduce a regulation on payments in cash, by the Fourth Directive to combat money laundering by 2017. Brussels could impose at European level a ceiling for cash transactions of 5,000 euro. The proposal came from the German Finance Minister, Wolfgang Schaeuble, who believes that establishing a European threshold, beyond which it would be forbidden to pay cash, would be the best solution.

Germany has no limit for cash payments, but the government has long discussed to introduce a limit, in order to combat the underground economy and terrorism. A solution that the Bundesbank does not like, and that a few years ago called the cash "a human right".
Also just a few weeks ago, the German Central Bank had strongly opposed the ECB's decision to stop printing the € 50 banknote, which remains legal tender.