Using Your Card in Europe
Most Continental European countries have already converted to chip cards, and the United Kingdom was largely converted to chip and PIN in 2006. Acceptance of international magnetic stripe credit cards has not changed and your MasterCard® card will still be accepted at merchants that normally accept MasterCard payments.
In major metropolitan areas, you should encounter no trouble with acceptance of your MasterCard. However, once you are out of major tourist centres, some merchants are unfamiliar with the rules regarding acceptance of international magnetic stripe cards and you may encounter some resistance to your magnetic stripe credit card. Part of the confusion is due to implementation of new rules regarding responsibility for fraudulent transactions: In the United Kingdom, any merchant that has a chip and PIN device installed will be protected from fraudulent transactions, regardless of card technology – provided they follow appropriate acceptance procedures. Some merchants (or their staff) incorrectly believe they will bear responsibility for any fraud if they accept a magnetic stripe card. This is not the case.
With the conversion in 2006, it is important to note that a very limited number of unattended kiosks (such as train or parking kiosks) may only be programmed to accept chip cards.
What to Do
Both MasterCard and the banking industry are actively working with merchants to ensure that there is no confusion. However, in the rare instance you encounter a problem in Europe, you should ask the merchant to swipe the card through the terminal and follow the prompts. If the clerk is not willing to, request to speak with a store manager. If they need further assistance, advise the merchant to call their card processor (terminal provider). You can also call your MasterCard cardholder assistance service and the problem will be investigated. This number is printed on the back of your MasterCard card.
If you will encounter unattended kiosks, it is advisable to withdraw cash from an ATM.
