Homepage > CB and innovation > CB and standardisation > European working groups
Information or disinformation

CB decrypts for you

European working groups

Towards a European payment system

A huge standardisation movement was begun at the European level within the framework of SEPA (Single Euro Payments Area). CB plays a driving role in this context, alongside other card-payment players, particularly German, Belgian and British.

This European standards process covers the various elements in the card-payment value chain, namely:

  • The payment terminals with SEPA-FAST
  • The protocols for communication between banks and terminals with EPAS standards
  • The harmonisation of security requirements with the CAS group and the OSeC project

    The OSCAR project, carried out in partnership with the main European manufacturers, aims to test the implementation of these specifications.

SEPA-FAST (Single Euro Payments Area – Financial Application Specifications for Terminals) is one of the CIR group’s projects, which aims to write specifications that are common at the European level for payment terminals, ATMs and automated systems. The first version of SEPA-FAST was published in March 2010 for face-to-face payment terminals, and the specifications for automated payment terminals are in the process of publication. Contactless payment terminals and ATMs will follow.

EPASOrg is the association founded on the initiative of CB to define, develop, promote and maintain EPAS standards; a set of specifications relative to three protocols: an Acquirer protocol (interface between an Acceptor and an Acquirer), a Merchant protocol (interface between a cash register and a payment module) and a TMS protocol (interface for the remote management of terminals). The Acquirer and TMS protocols were ratified under ISO 20022 (standard defining a universal messaging protocol for the financial industry). Beyond this European framework, EPASOrg establishes partnerships with international organisations, such as the Association for Retail Technology Standards (ARTS). Electronic versions of the "EPAS for Dummies" book outlining the main aspects of the EPAS portfolio of protocol specifications can be downloaded in a .pdf format here. Paper copies can be requested by e-mail at the EPASOrg Secretariat.

The last press release... OSeC (Open Standards for Security and Certification) is an organisation covering some 15 members (including CB and some of its European counterparts such as ZKA for Germany, the UK Cards Association, etc.) to carry out pilot projects decided by the European CAS (Common Approval Scheme) initiative. Its objective is to harmonise the security processes for the certification of cards and equipment, so that manufacturers only have to make a single application to have the compliance of their material assessed. The compliance certificate would then be valid for obtaining certification throughout Europe.

OSCar (Open Standard for Cards) is a consortium that groups players in the e-cash sector to implement pilot projects and demonstrate the validity of work carried out in the context of EPAS and SEPA-FAST. This project was begun at the end of 2010 and should implement its first pilot project at the end of 2011. For more information on OSCAR

Begun in 2008 on the initiative of the large French and German banks, and subsequently extended to other players in Europe, the Monnet project aims to offer a credible alternative to international card payment systems within the single euro payments area (SEPA). This project would constitute the very first card system able to provide a solution to the current fragmentation of the bank card market in Europe, while providing a set of payment services harmonised at the European level.