Schemes/Banks

What exactly will the EAPS deliver?

The EAPS delivers the capability that allows a national scheme to extend its reach across the SEPA region, benefiting from the presence of other EAPS members in those regions.

The EAPS developed a framework, which allows schemes to join, provided they are SEPA compliant and their scheme rules comply with the principles of EAPS and security requirements.

EAPS is currently working on a set of rules that will allow individual banks and acquirers to join EAPS where no national scheme exists. This project will be finalised in 2009. If you are interested in being consulted in the development process, please contact the EAPS.

Is there certainty about the commercial arrangements and the business model?

The commercial model and business arrangement of the EAPS comply with EU legislation and competition requirements.  The commercial arrangements of any payment scheme – national, regional or international – are under permanent regulatory supervision. Regulatory decisions on commercial arrangements are made on a case by case-basis and as such any commercial arrangement of any scheme may be deemed to be “uncertain”.

However, the objective of the EAPS is to add stability to the business model by basing its co-operation in line with the competent competition authorities. Rather than establish a new set on interchange fees, the principle of the EAPS is to support participating schemes in their negotiations on bilateral inter-scheme fees, which can be integrated into their individual fee arrangements.

Does the EAPS result in interdependence between the participants?

The EAPS does not result in a interdependence between participants. Any scheme is free to join the EAPS as an issuing or acquiring scheme  for POS and/or ATM. This adds to the flexibility and allows schemes to benefit from the EAPS where it contributes to their individual business model.

The principle of limiting the EAPS to the inter-scheme sphere helps to separate issues within individual schemes from the EAPS. If the implementation of the EAPS within a specific scheme should face regulatory issues, this will not automatically impact all the other participating schemes. Through the EAPS, the participating schemes may co-operate, but they do not automatically become dependent on each other with the requirement to align their business models.

How can I join?

All schemes participating in the EAPS are committed to the SEPA Cards Framework which is the principle requirement for a scheme to join the EAPS.

At present, individual banks may only join the EAPS through one of the participating schemes which are open to any interested bank in Europe.  The EAPS is currently finalising a set of Business Rules which will allow individual banks to participate in EAPS individually. For more information, please contact EAPS.