EPC Sets New Standards with Early Release of 2025 Payment Rulebooks

Dec 5, 2024

The European Payments Council (EPC) has announced the publication of its five payment scheme rulebooks for 2025, alongside detailed Implementation Guidelines. These rulebooks, which will come into effect on 5 October 2025, mark a significant shift from the traditional late November start dates. The early release aims to align with the requirements of the Instant Payments Regulation (IPR), Regulation (EU) 2024/886, which is set to amend the established SEPA Regulation.

This strategic decision by the EPC allows Payment Service Providers (PSPs), Clearing and Settlement Mechanisms (CSMs), and technical service providers sufficient time to prepare for the upcoming changes. Some of the IPR mandates will take effect as early as January and October 2025, impacting PSPs within the euro area.

A notable update in the 2025 rulebooks is the introduction of a hybrid format for the submission of payer and payee addresses. This new option will join the existing structured and unstructured formats. Starting from 22 November 2026, the EPC will mandate the use of only structured and hybrid formats, phasing out the unstructured format. This adjustment aims to improve the clarity and efficiency of payment processing throughout Europe, ensuring smoother transactions and better data handling across the financial system.