28 July 23
Payments in wartime: the story of the National Bank of Ukraine
The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and should not be attributed to the European Payments Council. Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022. Ever since, martial law has made ensuring the country’s economic and financial stability a challenge for the National Bank
08 September 22
Standardising European QR-code payments
The views expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and should not be attributed to the European Payments Council. In June this year, the European Payments Council (EPC) published the final version of the Standardisation of Quick-Response (QR) codes for mobile initiated SEPA (inst
19 April 24
Around the web – a compilation of some interesting reports about payments published last quarter
The views expressed in the below reports are solely those of the authors and should not be attributed to the European Payments Council.During the first quarter of 2024, we compiled a collection of payment-related reports. This selection not only delves into the future and evolution of payments but a
The schemes rely on global open standards
21 December 22
SEPA Payment Account Access scheme: going beyond open banking
The views expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and should not be attributed to the European Payments Council. Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) Payment Account Access (SPAA) is the newest European Payments Council (EPC) scheme. SPAA covers messaging functionalities allowing th
17 June 22
The final version of the “Standardisation of QR-codes for MSCTs”
The European Payments Council (EPC) publishes today the final version of the Standardisation of Quick-Response (QR)-codes for mobile initiated SEPA (instant) credit transfers (MSCTs). This document standardises a payee- and a payer-presented QR-code for all types of MSCTs, i.e. all payment contexts:
28 February 22
Empowering European account-based payments with standardised QR-codes
The world is going contactless. As smartphones spread and our economy goes digital, uptake of contactless payments has accelerated – including account-based mobile payments made using Quick-Response codes, or QR-codes for short. On 16 February 2022, we launched an eight-week public consultation on a
16 February 22
Public consultation on draft document “Standardisation of QR-codes for MSCTs”
The European Payments Council (EPC) launches today an eight-week public consultation on a new draft document on the Standardisation of Quick-Response (QR)-codes for mobile initiated SEPA (instant) credit transfers (MSCTs ). This document standardises a payee and a payer-presented QR-code for all typ
29 September 22
Specification of Quick-Response (QR)-codes for Mobile (Instant) Credit Transfers (MCTs) submitted to ISO
The multi-stakeholder group on Mobile Initiated (instant) SEPA Credit Transfers (MSG MSCT), which is facilitated by the European Payments Council, has developed a new document on the specification of Quick-Response (QR)-codes for Mobile (Instant) Credit Transfers (MCTs) for submission to ISO (
18 March 20
Implementation of PSD2: a viewpoint from the EBA, the European Banking Authority
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and should not be attributed to the European Payments Council. We close our series of interviews representing the views of various stakeholders on the implementation of the revised Payment Services Directive (PSD2) wit
26 March 24
Creating a sustainable pan-European payment method through SPAA
The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and should not be attributed to the European Payments Council.The building blocks of an open, pan-European payment method are in place: SEPA Instant Credit Transfers (SCT Inst) and open banking to turn them into a payment method. The
Mobile proximity payments
SEPA goes mobile
SEPA Credit Transfer rulebook and implementation guidelines
13 July 20
UK’s rollout of Confirmation of Payee
The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and should not be attributed to the European Payments Council. After a few years in development, a new Confirmation of Payee (CoP) system was rolled out last month by UK banks. In short, the CoP enables consumers to see whether th
Clearing and Settlement Mechanisms
Our organisation
03 November 20
Brexit reminder: how to get ready for the end of the transition period
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
SEPA Direct Debit
26 November 20
Publication of the 2021 EPC SEPA payment scheme rulebooks
Today the EPC published the 2021 EPC SEPA payment scheme rulebooks and the related Implementation guidelines (IGs). All 2021 EPC SEPA payment scheme rulebooks enter into force on 21 November 2021. To ensure planning security for all market participants, the publication of the new rulebook versions f
14 July 20
Brexit from 1 January 2021 onwards: get ready for the end of the transition period
On 7 March 2019, the EPC published its decision paper on Brexit and United Kingdom’s (UK) payment service providers’ (PSPs) participation in the EPC SEPA payment schemes, approving UK Finance's application for the continued participation of UK PSPs in the EPC SEPA payment schemes, even in the event
SEPA for cash