SIX Group plans Sepa direct debit service
Swiss financial infrastructure firm SIX Group says it will begin offering a Sepa-compatible outsourced direct debit processing service when the SDD scheme launches in November.
EC consults on Sepa migration deadline
9 June 2009: The European Commission has launched a consultation on whether to set a deadline for the migration of credit transfers and direct debits to the Single euro payments area (Sepa) scheme.
EU exec launches consultation on SEPA deadlines
8 June 2009: The European Union's executive arm has launched a consultation on whether and how to set deadlines for moving the 27-nation bloc to the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) system.
Atos Origin launches new solution that eases direct debit migration to SEPA
8 June 2009: Significant reduction of SEPA Direct Debit adaptation costs and impacts on existing IT systems & processes / SEPA benefits reached quicker
Accuity upgrades Iban payment tool
26 May 2009: Accuity, the leading worldwide provider of payment routing data, AML screening software and services, has launched version 2.2 of Iban Payment Resource, its industry-leading online look-up tool for validating and converting international bank account numbers (Ibans).
France delays Sepa Direct Debit launch
1 May 2009: French banks have pushed back the date for implementation of the Sepa Direct Debit scheme by a year to November 2010, setting the stage for a confrontation with the European Central Bank and the European Commission.
ECB wants more competition in credit cards
21 April 2009: More competition is needed in credit cards in Europe to offer consumers a wider choice, although fees remain on a downward trend, a European Central Bank policymaker told Reuters.
Changing The Payments Landscape - SEPA And The Payment Services Directive: The Opportunities For Banks
2 April 2009: The European Payments Council (EPC) Plenary, the decision making and coordination body of EPC, is to launch the SEPA Core Direct Debit Scheme and the SEPA Business to Business Direct Debit Scheme.
The Expectations of the Eurosystem as Regards the Future of SEPA
30 March 2009: Further progress of SEPA remains a top priority for the Eurosystem, even in turbulent times. Hence a “mini-SEPA”, i.e. a SEPA for cross-border payments only, is not acceptable. The current financial turmoil is making more banks focus on their retail business again, with payment services standing at the core thereof. A full migration to SEPA is now even more important since SEPA is the foundation for the future European retail payments business.
EC and ECB Provide Further Clarification to Ensure Timely Launch of SEPA Direct Debit Scheme
26 March 2009: In particular, the Commission makes clear that a general per transaction multilateral interchange fee (MIF) for direct debit transactions does not seem justified for efficiency reasons and, therefore, does not appear compatible with EU antitrust rules.
EU seeks to end confusion over payments project
24 March 2009: Banks in the European Union can use a certain type of fee on direct debit transactions until November 2012 even though it breaks EU anti-trust rules, the bloc's executive said on Tuesday.
Migration date to SCT and SDD schemes must be set - ECB's Tumpel-Gugerell
17 March 2009: Over a year after its launch, the Sepa credit transfer (SCT) scheme still only accounts for less than two per cent of total CT volume in the euro area, prompting ECB executive board member Gertrude Tumpel-Gugerell to call for a definitive date for migration from national systems.
Banks must wake up to payments challenge - BCG
3 March 2009: Banks around the world must take forceful steps to protect their payments businesses or risk a further dent in their profits as the financial crisis continues, according to a new report by the Boston Consulting Group.