Brexit reminder: how to get ready for the end of the transition period

Brexit reminder: how to get ready for the end of the transition period

03 November 20

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As of 1 January 2021 the United Kingdom (UK) is set to leave the single market and customs union, either with an European Union (EU) - UK deal, negotiated during the transition period, or without it (i.e. "no-deal" Brexit). The UK will at that point maintain participation in the Single Euro payments area (SEPA) geographic scope, however, this important change will make the SEPA Credit Transfer (SCT)/ SEPA Direct Debit (SDD) rules applicable to transactions from/to non-European Economic Area (EEA) jurisdictions also applicable to SCT/SDD transactions with the UK. The EPC therefore wishes to remind all PSPs of the need to implement without delay the measures described below, to ensure a continued smooth processing of cross-border SEPA payments involving a UK-based SEPA payment scheme participant after 31 December 2020. 

SEPA transactions to be executed or settled as of 1 January 2021 involving a UK-based SEPA payment scheme participant must contain: 

For SCT and SEPA Instant Credit Transfer (SCT Inst) instructions from the Originator: 

•    The full address details of the Originator. 

•    The BIC code of the Beneficiary Bank when the Originator Bank explicitly requests this data element from the Originator.

For SDD Core and SDD Business-to-Business (B2B) collection files from the Creditor: 

•    The full address details of the Debtor.

•    The BIC code of the Debtor Bank when the Creditor Bank explicitly requests this data element from the Creditor. 

The EPC strongly recommends each SEPA payment scheme participant to identify as soon as possible its customers with incoming and outgoing cross-border SEPA transactions involving both a UK and an EEA payment account, and to inform all customers concerned about the need to provide these extra SEPA transaction data as from 1 January 2021 (as execution or settlement date).

SEPA payment scheme participants with questions on the above are invited to contact the relevant National Adherence Support Organisation (NASO) or the EPC directly.



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