They should be able to comply with the Rulebook from such time as branches intend to make or receive Scheme payments. 

Yes, branches of an adhering institution located in a SEPA country will be covered by the Adherence Agreement and be subject to Scheme rules in relation to Scheme payments made or received.

The date of signature is always the latest date.

The Adherence Agreement should be signed by an officer(s) with the necessary powers to sign such a binding contract.

No. The Register is not a routing table and does not hold operational routing information.  

SWIFT is the registration authority for BICs. Contact SWIFT and request a valid BIC. This process may take at least a month.

Yes, each organisation must have at least one valid BIC in order to become a Participant. Your organisation will not be able to adhere to the Scheme if it does not have a valid BIC.

A list of NASOs is provided on the EPC website.

The relevant NASO at the first instance and the EPC Secretariat.

There is an appeal process in the event that an application is declined. Please consult the EPC Payment Scheme Management Rules for further details on this process.