Commission’s role in SEPA

The Payment Services Directive provides the necessary legal framework for SEPA. The European Commission is also involved in SEPA in the following ways:

• SEPA migration
• SEPA next steps
• SEPA and EU competition policy
• Conferences
• Press releases & speeches

SEPA migration

Proposal for a Regulation on end-date(s)

Hearing: Towards Full SEPA migration

The Commission services held a public hearing in Brussels on 17 November 2010 to assist the Commission in the finalisation of its proposal for an EU Regulation establishing end-dates for migration to SEPA credit transfers and direct debits.

• Webstreaming of the hearing, Panel 1 & Panel 2 (in English)
• Presentations (in the order of the programme)
  Jean-Yves Muylle / Michael Thom
  Gerard Hartsink
  Günther Gall
  Rita Wezenbeek
  Jacqueline Minor
  Marie Cheval
  Wolfgang Adamiok
  Jonathan Maltman
• Programme
• Registration (closed)

Consultation

Annual progress reports

The reports have been prepared in response to the mandate provided in the ECOFIN Council Conclusions of 22 January 2008 (Press release 5372/08, p. 14–15).

17.5.2011	Progress Report 2010
2.12.2009	Progress Report 2009
11.3.2009	Progress Report 2008

Public administrations’ migration to SEPA

To measure progress with SEPA by public administrations, the Commission launched a survey on their preparedness and migration in June 2008 covering the period from the launch of SEPA (28.1.2008) to August 2008. The Commission plans to repeat the survey in the further progress to encourage best practice by public authorities.

11.11.2011	Results of the 5th survey
4.2.2011	Results of the 4th survey
19.10.2010	Results of the 3rd survey
22.7.2009	Results of the 2nd survey
12.5.2009	Results of the 1st survey

EU Forum of national SEPA Coordination Committees

The EU Forum provides an opportunity for national SEPA Coordination Committees to familiarize themselves with the activities of their European counterparts, debate issues of common interest with the EU institutions and exchange information and good practices about SEPA migration. The forum is chaired by the Commission and it is intended to hold meetings twice a year.

9.11.2011	7th meeting of the Forum
18.5.2011	6th meeting of the Forum
22.10.2010	5th meeting of the Forum
5.5.2010	4th meeting of the Forum
20.10.2009	3rd meeting of the Forum
30.3.2009	2nd meeting of the Forum
21.10.2008	1st meeting of the Forum

SEPA next steps

The major benefits expected for all payments users and for the EU economy as a whole would be put at risk if the SEPA program were to fall short of reaching its full objectives. The European Commission is therefore investigating which issues could potentially derail the SEPA project, and which measures could help to guarantee its success.

Roadmap

Study on the benefits, opportunities and costs of SEPA

Consultation

30.11.2007	Feedback statement on Commission consultation on SEPA
13.2.2006	Commission consultative paper on SEPA Next Steps (formerly: SEPA incentives paper 2006)

SEPA and EU competition policy

Given that indicators such as market fragmentation, price rigidity and customer immobility suggest that competition in the EU retail banking market does not function effectively, the Commission has decided to open an inquiry into the retail banking sector, in particular in relation to cross-border competition. This will shed light on the operation of the market, highlight possible market failures and identify where market failures can be tackled through competition law and other measures.

Conferences

Press releases & speeches

7.6.2010	SEPA Council meets for the first time; discusses migration end-date and future of SEPA project for cards
2.12.2009	ECOFIN Council Conclusions on SEPA
3.11.2009	SEPA: Cross-border direct debits now a reality, IP/09/1665 SEPA Direct Debit Launch – FAQ, MEMO/09/489
13.10.2009	Speech of Commissioner McCreevy: SEPA Direct Debit launch, SPEECH/09/466
29.9.2009	Commission consultation shows general support for end-date for SEPA migration, IP/09/1372
10.9.2009	Commission presents actions to make SEPA a success, IP/09/1296
2.9.2009	Speech of Elemér Terták on SEPA (EPC off-site)
8.6.2009	Commission launches consultation on possible end-date for Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) migration, IP/09/884
24.3.2009	Commission and ECB provide further clarification to ensure timely launch of Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) Direct Debit scheme, IP/09/468
10.2.2009	ECOFIN Council Conclusions on SEPA
4.9.2008	Commission and ECB support launch of pan-European SEPA Direct Debit; provide guidance to industry, IP/08/1290
3.9.2008	Speech of David Wright / Elemér Terták on SEPA (EPC off-site)
21.8.2008	Commission and ECB welcome clarifications on a SEPA-wide payment cards market, IP/08/1268
30.6.2008	Joint statement by Commissioner Reding and Commissioner McCreevy on the cooperation agreement between the European Payments Council (EPC) and the GSMA on mobile payments, SPEECH/08/365
28.1.2008	Commission publishes major cost-benefit study, MEMO/08/52
28.1.2008	European Commission and European Central Bank joint statement: Commission and ECB welcoming the formal launch of SEPA payment instruments by EU banks, IP/08/98
22.1.2008	ECOFIN Council Conclusions on SEPA, 5372/08
21.1.2008	Press Release: 'SEPA Goes Live' – Official Launch of the Single Euro Payments Area, IP/08/66
8.5.2007	Speech of Commissioner McCreevy: SEPA an opportunity for Europe, SPEECH/07/291
24.4.2007	European Commission & European Central Bank joint statement on the Payment Services Directive (PSD)
28.11.2006	ECOFIN resolution, Press Release of the 2766th Council meeting, p.30, 15502/06
13.11.2006	Speech of Commissioner McCreevy: Time to deliver on SEPA, SPEECH/06/679
4.5.2006	European Commission & European Central Bank joint statement: Vision for SEPA
21.2.2006	Midday Express: Commission consults industry on incentives for Single Euro Payments Area, MEX/06/0221
9.11.2000	Speech of Commissioner Bolkestein: Establishing a Single Payment area, SPEECH/00/424