On 21 November 2011, the banking sector took over the central processing of bills of exchange (CPBE), a dematerialised debt collection system which presented bills of exchange and promissory notes for payment by the drawee’s bank. Prior to that date, this task was carried out by the National Bank of Belgium. Legal responsibility for the central depositary for protests is still in the Bank's hands for the time being. This involves a number of tasks regulated by law with regard to the preparation, publication and dissemination of protests lodged in case of non-payment of commercial paper.