The Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) framework – developed in collaboration with the European Central Bank (ECB) and the European Commission (EC) – makes cashless euro payments via credit transfer and direct debit in the European Union (EU) and several non-EU countries as easy as national payments.
Based on the Cross-Border Payment Regulation (CBPR2), the Payment Services Directive (PSD/PSD2), the SEPA migration end-date Regulation, and the Interchange Fee Regulation, SEPA was introduced for credit transfers in 2008, followed by direct debits in 2009, and fully implemented by 2014 in the euro area (elsewhere by 2016).
Essentially, SEPA completed the introduction of the euro as the single currency, and boosted the European economy’s efficiency and competitiveness by harmonising standards in all participating countries and thereby eliminating differences between national and cross-border payments.
Now let’s take a closer look at how SEPA payments help businesses.
Increased efficiency of SEPA payments
As we’ve already hinted at, SEPA harmonises electronic payment standards across participating countries. Effectively, this eliminates the necessity for international companies to hold separate bank accounts in each relevant jurisdiction.
With SEPA, funds can be easily shuttled across the region from a single account. In addition to scaling down administrative complexity, the framework also simplifies account reconciliation. Most financial services providers can provide a unified, comprehensible view of all SEPA transactions, which facilitates easier tracking and accounting.
In effect, SEPA represents a major stride in streamlining international payments within, and to some extent outside, the euro zone, as well as in bolstering financial transparency and reducing onerous administrative burdens – all of which supports growth within the European landscape.
Lower costs of cross-border transactions
Before SEPA came on the scene, cross-border transactions within Europe were often subject to high costs, largely due to disparities between the banking systems of different countries. Each transaction required the use of intermediary banks, leading to hefty fees that were especially detrimental to smaller businesses.
Now, on the other hand, multiple charges levied by local banks are largely a thing of the past. The unified framework also lowers indirect expenses, such as currency conversion fees and those associated with administrative and reconciliation procedures.
Faster settlement with SEPA
The framework has also introduced two vital payment schemes, namely – SEPA Instant, and SEPA Credit Transfers.
SEPA Instant payments take no more than 20 seconds to complete (normally, less than 5), providing businesses with immediate access to funds – a significant advancement over traditional payment methods that often take days to settle. The resulting increased liquidity allows for easier cash flow management and swifter responses to market changes.
SEPA Credit Transfers are processed in batches at fixed clearing times every day (conversely, Instant payments are processed at the level of each individual transaction), which, although not quite as instantaneous, is still much better than the non-SEPA cross-border payments. This shortened timeline reduces the so-called “float” period, where funds are in transit, but inaccessible, further improving cash flow management.
Faster and more predictable payments also enable more accurate financial planning and budgeting – critical elements for growth and stability in the competitive European market.
Market reach and standardisation
By eliminating the divergences between national transaction protocols, which often led to complications, delays, and extra costs, SEPA has empowered SMEs across Europe to expand beyond their domestic markets. With fewer hoops to jump through when it comes to sending and receiving payments, businesses can now expand their customer bases across the EU without a hitch.
Furthermore, the pan-European standardisation driven by the new framework has massively enhanced interoperability. Under SEPA, all euro transactions follow the same scheme, regardless of the country. This allows businesses to interact seamlessly with their counterparts who “speak” the same financial language.
SEPA has also increased transparency by providing companies with a clearer view of how transactions are handled, which boosts trust, promotes collaboration, and encourages businesses to engage in more extensive joint activities.
Conclusions
Upon the announcement of SEPA, European companies sighed a big collective sigh of relief – a key step was finally taken in consolidating the single currency and market, as well as further strengthening economic integration.
Here are the key takeaways:
- Efficiency. With SEPA, businesses no longer need to hold accounts in different banks – one for each jurisdiction they operate in. All transactions can be carried faster than ever before, and from a single region.
- Costs. Holding multiple bank accounts is costly, not to mention the endless variety of fees and charges levelled on interbank transfers, currency conversion, and more. Thanks to SEPA, all of this is now history.
- Settlement. You currently have two options. SEPA Credit Transfers always take under 24 hours to complete (depending on how close to the clearing time the transfer was executed), while SEPA Instant transfers are processed within seconds. This increases the speed of business operations and allows companies to better plan their finances and budgets.
- Market and standards. Access to a pan-European payment framework makes it easy for companies to reach foreign markets and secure new customer bases. Having a clear view of how transactions are handled, coupled with enhanced interoperability, is especially helpful to SMEs seeking collaboration and joint action.
As you can see, there’s a lot to gain, and pretty much nothing to lose by implementing this payment method for your business. Join the SEPA family and unlock your full potential!
