Brussels, 26 October 2022
Insight EU Monitoring has gathered reactions regarding the EU Commission’s proposal for an Instant Payments regulation:
EU-Abgeordneter Markus Ferber (EVP/CSU) zu Instant Payments: Ein neuer Standard für den Zahlungsverkehr – Hohe Verbraucherschutzstandards erforderlich
„Mit Instant Payments kommt der europäische Zahlungsverkehr im 21. Jahrhundert an“, so der CSU-Europaabgeordnete und wirtschaftspolitische Sprecher der EVP-Fraktion, Markus Ferber, anlässlich des heute von der Europäischen Kommission vorgestellten Verordnungsvorschlags für einen Rahmen für Sofort-Überweisungen. Dieser sieht vor, dass alle Anbieter von Zahlungsdienstleistungen künftig auch Instant Payments zu denselben Konditionen anbieten müssen wie den regulären Zahlungsverkehr. „Mit dieser Verordnung werden Instant Payments zum neuen Standard. Der Ausbau von Instant Payments verläuft bisher im Schneckentempo. Angesichts dessen hätte die Kommission eigentlich schon viel früher verpflichtende Maßnahmen auf den Weg bringen müssen“, so der CSU-Europaabgeordnete.
Innovationen im Zahlungsverkehr
„Es ist im 21. Jahrhundert schlichtweg nicht mehr zeitgemäß, wenn wir die Zahlungsabwicklung in Tagen und Stunden messen müssen. In einer komplett digitalen Welt kann es nicht sein, dass Banknoten und Münzen die einzigen Mittel zur unmittelbaren Zahlungsabwicklung sind“, so Ferber. „Instant Payments sind ein großer Sprung im Zahlungsverkehr und werden andere Innovationen ermöglichen“, erwartet der CSU-Finanzexperte.
Hohe Verbraucherschutzstandards notwendig
„Damit Instant Payments in der EU wirklich aufgenommen werden, müssen sich Verbraucher sicher sein können, dass sie bei Instant Payments dasselbe Schutzniveau genießen, wie bei normalen SEPA-Transfers“, erklärt der CSU-Europaabgeordnete.
Für Ferber hat ein gut funktionierendes Ökosystem für Instant Payments auch noch einen weiteren Vorteil: „Wenn Instant Payments funktionieren, gibt es im Bereich Zahlungsverkehr für Stable Coins keinen Anwendungsbereich mehr.“ Als einer der wesentlichen Vorzüge von privaten Stable Coin-Initiativen wie Facebooks Libra/Diem-Projekt, das inzwischen eingestellt wurde, gilt eine Echtzeit-Zahlungsabwicklung.
Quelle – EVP/CSU (via e-Mail)
EU-Abgeordneter René Repasi (S&D/SPD) zu Überweisungen in Echtzeit: Verbraucher schützen
Die EU-Kommission schlägt vor, dass Banken sekundenschnelle Überweisungen, sogenannte Instant Payments, in Euro ohne Zusatzkosten anbieten müssen. Diese Transfers können innerhalb von maximal zehn Sekunden an 365 Tagen im Jahr zu jeder Tages- und Nachtzeit abgewickelt werden, während reguläre SEPA-Transfers derzeit durchschnittlich einen Tag benötigen.
René Repasi, stellvertretendes Mitglied im Ausschuss für Wirtschaft und Währung:
„Nach 22 Jahren des Wartens stellt EU-Finanzkommissarin Mairead McGuiness heute endlich einen Entwurf vor, der Banken in der EU dazu zwingt, im 21. Jahrhundert anzukommen. Die Geldhäuser sollen dazu verpflichtet werden, Überweisungen in Echtzeit ohne Zusatzkosten anzubieten. Derartige Transfers sind etwa in den Niederlanden bereits seit 2019 die Praxis. Die meisten Großbanken bieten diese Dienstleistung bereits freiwillig an, jedoch gegen hohe Gebühren. Daher weichen Verbaucher*innen und Unternehmen in der EU größtenteils auf private Dienstleister aus Drittstatten aus, die diesen Service bereits seit Jahrzehnten kostengünstig anbieten, wie Mastercard, Visa oder PayPal.
Durch die Einbettung von Echtzeitüberweisungen in den europäischen Zahlungsverkehr erfolgt nicht nur ein überfälliger Schritt in Richtung einer zeitgemäßen EU, sondern unsere Zahlungslandschaft wird auch um eine verbraucher*innenfreundliche Option reicher. Deshalb muss sichergestellt werden, dass die Echtzeitüberweisung, wie sie jetzt eingeführt werden soll, denselben Verbaucher*innenschutz und denselben Sicherheitsstandards entsprechen wie die derzeit üblichen Überweisungsmethoden.“
ESBG welcomes the European Commission’s legislative proposal on instant payments
BRUSSELS, 26 OCTOBER 2022 – The European Savings and Retail Banking Group (ESBG) welcomes the European Commission’s legislative proposal on instant payments announced today. The ESBG hopes that the initiative will strengthen the efforts of savings and retail banks to make instant payments the new normal across the European Union.
Since its introduction, the ESBG has been supporting the development and roll out of instant payments, inter alia by encouraging its member banks to adhere on a voluntary basis to the European instant payments scheme (SCT Inst), one of the major building blocks of a future pan-European solution. Instant payments allow frictionless transfers within 10 seconds in all European countries and therefore support the ambition to strengthen the European sovereignty in the payments sector. However, the ESBG still considers that adherence should be measured in terms of number of accounts reached, rather than in terms of adhering banks and therefore stresses the importance of a more balanced approach in this respect. Nevertheless, we welcome that a differentiation has been made between banks within the euro area and banks within other EU member states when it comes to adhering to the scheme.
The ESBG especially welcomes the proposal’s attempt to streamline the approach to sanctions screening, for which it has been advocating as a key element to make instant payments effective while remaining safe.
“Relying on a daily client database screening, instead of forcing both the sending and the receiving bank to screen each and every cross-border transaction, will allow banks to offer pan-European innovative solutions while ensuring full compliance with AML/CTF rules and targeted financial sanctions regulations” said Fabrice Denèle, CEO BPCE Payment Services and Chair of the ESBG Payments Committee.
“I am very pleased to see that the suggestions put forward by the industry have been taken on board” he continued. “The ESBG was among the first associations to raise awareness on the topic to the political agenda and our regular talks with the European Central Bank have triggered the set-up of a Task Force on sanctions screening that in January 2022 delivered its report to policymakers. I am convinced that with this new approach the number of false positives will decrease drastically – hence increasing consumer trust”.
“ESBG member banks were already between the early adaptors of instant payments in euro”, said the association’s Head of Innovation and Payments, Diederik Bruggink.
“The first cross-border instant payment in euro took place between two ESBG member banks, notably between CaixaBank and Erste Bank, and also the first transaction in the European Central Bank’s instant settlement system TIPS was between to ESBG member banks, BPCE and CaixaBank”, he added.
The ESBG also welcomes the focus of the proposal on consumer protection, a long standing priority for all its member banks. It especially supports the decision to leave the concrete implementation of services known as Confirmation of Payee to the market, which demonstrates full trust in the ability of the industry to find the best solutions based on the specific needs of each Member State.
Finally, in taking note about the Commission’s position on the charging principles, the ESBG highlights that a long-term sustainable business model benefiting all stakeholders is key not only to ensure the success of instant payments, but also to foster their innovative potential in the ecosystem.
About the ESBG:
The European Savings and Retail Banking Group (ESBG) has 21 members in 17 countries. As some of its members are national organisations, ESBG represents the interests of over 800 banks working responsibly and closely with their communities and SMEs. Together, ESBG members manage assets worth 5,700 billion euros, serve 162 million Europeans and employ nearly 660,000 people. ESBG is the regional arm of the WSBI. Both organisations are headquartered in Brussels. Website: https://www.wsbi-esbg.org/
Eurocommerce: European retail and wholesale ready to support rapid take-up of instant payments
Welcoming the Commission’s proposal issued today aimed at accelerating the provision of instant payments across Europe, EuroCommerce Director General Christel Delberghe said:
“We strongly support the Commission proposal and ask co-legislators to proceed swiftly with adoption of the regulation. With the technology already in place to support a wide use of instant payments, the Commission initiative will help accelerate its acceptance in the Eurozone and beyond. This will increase competition in payment services and provide consumers and merchants an additional, efficient and lower-cost choice in paying for goods and services both in store and online.”
Instant payments offer a valuable addition to the mix of payment methods for consumers and for merchants providing their customers with the goods and services they need every day. Unfortunately, instant payments have been only rolled out slowly, with other payment methods predominating in the market: the Commission draft regulation is a valuable step forward in supporting and driving its wider adoption and availability.
A rapid and Europe-wide rollout of instant payments will provide a cheaper alternative to other payment methods, with savings for both consumers and merchants. EuroCommerce welcomes the provisions in the regulation to treat instant payments in the same way as other bank transfers and keep the cost for all involved within reasonable levels.
Retailers and wholesalers look forward to the rapid adoption of the regulation, and uptake by all parts of the payments community within the timelines set out in the measure. This will provide another way of efficiently making payments online, in store and cross-border. This is an important step in equipping Europe for the digital age, and supporting the steps our sector is already taking to digitalise its operations and further improve service to its customers.
Source – Eurocommerce – DOWNLOAD PDF VERSION