Credit transfer in 10 seconds, EU Council approves regulation on instant payments

Brussels – The EU Council gave the green light for the proposed regulation for instant payments in the single market, allowing people to transfer money within 10 seconds at any time of day, including outside working hours, not only within the same country but also in another EU member state. The proposal is part of the broader context of completing the capital markets union.

Payment service providers such as banks, which provide standard euro transfers, will be required to offer the service of sending and receiving instant euro payments. The charges (if any) must not be higher than those for standard transfers. Under the new rules, instant payment service providers must verify that the IBAN and the beneficiary’s name match to alert the payer of any errors or fraud before carrying out the transaction. This requirement will also apply to regular transfers. The Council’s vote comes after the green light from the European Parliament. The new rules will become effective after a transition period, which will be faster in the euro area and longer in the non-euro area, which needs more time to adjust.