Summary:
The SEPA initiative faces regulatory changes requiring EU financial institutions to implement instant payment processing by 2027, challenging compliance and verification processes.
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The Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) initiative is undergoing regulatory changes that will transform transaction processing across Europe, with financial institutions required to implement instant payment processing within strict timeframes, according to a new report from Moody’s, the global risk assessment and financial analytics firm.
SEPA, which encompasses 38 European countries including nations outside the eurozone and European Union, enables customers to make digital euro payments to any account in the EU using a single bank account and standardised payment instruments.
The European Central Bank reports that SEPA has increased trade and economic activity throughout the region by standardising payment processes and reducing complexity in cross-border transactions.
Faster payments require real-time compliance checks
Faster payment systems allow near-instantaneous electronic transfer of funds, contrasting with traditional systems like the Clearing House Automated Payment System (CHAPS) which processes high-value transactions on a same-day basis.
While CHAPS focuses on larger transactions with higher fees, faster payment systems handle smaller amounts within seconds or minutes at reduced cost to consumers.
The introduction of EU regulations requiring 10-second payment processing creates compliance challenges for financial institutions, which must conduct real-time screening without delaying transactions.
Chor Teh, Industry Practice Lead at Moody’s, a financial analytics and risk assessment firm, states: “While digital KYC has been done quickly before, it’s going to need to be done at breakneck speed now and on a continual basis.
Ongoing digital transformation and introduction of further AI-enabled solutions are going to be the keys to managing this.”
Four key regulatory deadlines reshape payment landscape
Financial institutions face four implementation deadlines that will transform payment processing across Europe:
January 2025 marked the first milestone, requiring payment service providers (PSPs) in the EU to receive and process instant payments 24 hours daily within 10 seconds in the eurozone.
PSPs must also comply with anti-money laundering regulations through daily EU sanctions screening of customer accounts for instant payments.
By October 2025, PSPs must implement the capability to send instant euro payments within the EU.
The deadline also introduces Verification of Payee (VoP) requirements, obliging PSPs to verify payee details before processing transactions. Eurozone payment service providers must offer instant payments at competitive rates.
January 2027 extends the requirement to receive instant euro payments within the eurozone, with the additional stipulation that fees must align for credit transfer and instant credit transfer services across the EU.