We are The Berlin Group
est.
2004
Nearly 2 decades of expertise
26
+
Major Players from EU
High level of competence
The Berlin Group Initiative
The early initiators of the Berlin Group initiative already shared the original ambition and vision of the European Central Bank (ECB), the European Commission (EC) and the European Payments Council (EPC) on SEPA payments. In their view, this vision would be best reached by capitalising on and preserving the high levels of efficiency, brand awareness, security, convenience and ease of use already achieved in already existing national schemes. In general, the majority of payment transactions already take place at a national level, where national efficiencies in payment schemes and infrastructures are proven and can be leveraged to migrate towards a truly 'domestic' acceptance system within SEPA. Throughout their work, the Berlin Group acknowledges the broad diversity of already existing and competing payment schemes and infrastructures, grown from different historical backgrounds, with different business models and stakeholders, and often diverging governance arrangements and functionality for payments throughout Europe already in place.
The Berlin Group Goal
The principle goal is to meet the aims of the ECB, the EC, the EPC and (more recently) the Euro Retail Payments Board (ERPB) with regard to a Single Payment Area, and in particular to help foster the development of an integrated, innovative and competitive market for retail payments in euro in the European Union. In its work, the Berlin Group aims to enable a true unbundling of payment schemes and processing activities, as required for providing efficient SEPA payment services to the market. Once established in the market, scheme-independent standards will also allow an easy entry of new payment schemes into the European market, thus contributing to competition in the field of payment systems.
No obligation to standards
The Berlin Group is not engaged in the implementation of standards within or between schemes. Participation to the Berlin Group does not imply either endorsement of any of the solutions identified, or a commitment to implement them. Decisions on the implementation of the standards delivered by the Berlin Group are left to individual market participants.