Oversight of card payment schemes
In the euro area, the sound and safe functioning of card payment schemes is monitored by central bank oversight. Card payment schemes that are overseen by the Bank are the domestic Bancontact and international Mastercard and Maestro schemes.
Objectives, scope and practical organisation of the oversight of card payment schemes
Oversight framework
The standards used for the oversight of card payment schemes (CPS) and their assessment guide are:
- Oversight framework for Card Payments Schemes - Standards
- Guide for the Assessment of Card Payments Schemes against the Oversight Standards
- Regulation (EU) 2015/751 of 29 April 2015 on interchange fees for card‑based payment transactions
- Belgian Law of 1 December 2016 transposing the EU Regulation 2015/751 of 29 April 2015, entitled “Interchange fees for card based payment transactions” (December 2016)
- Regulation (EU) 2018/72 of 4 October 2017 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2015/751 on interchange fees for card-based payment transactions with regard to regulatory technical standards establishing the requirements to be complied with by payment card schemes and processing entities to ensure the application of independence requirements in terms of accounting, organisation and decision-making process