PayPal has joined the European Payments Council, gaining a seat in discussions shaping payment standards and infrastructure across Europe.
The EPC manages the rulebooks for payment schemes used within the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), which covers 41 countries and is designed to ensure that payments function consistently across the region. Through its membership, PayPal gains access to discussions that influence areas including interoperability, instant payments, fraud prevention, resilience, and the consumer payment experience.
PayPal's position in the European market
Sean Byrne, CEO of PayPal Europe, discussed the membership in an interview published by the European Payments Council, describing Europe as an active and evolving payments market. He said PayPal views itself as part of the ongoing conversation on how European payment infrastructure develops, and that the company intends to work with stakeholders across the ecosystem in shaping its future direction.
PayPal operates in Europe as a regulated bank and reports more than 430 million active accounts worldwide. Its membership in the EPC follows a pattern of payment providers and financial institutions engaging directly with the organisations that set technical and operational standards for the region's payment systems. Following this initiative, the company is expected to continue to focus on meeting the needs, preferences, and demands of clients and users, while prioritising the process of remaining complaint with the regulatory requirements and laws of the industry as well.
Context for the EPC membership
The EPC's remit covers the governance of SEPA-based payment instruments, including credit transfers, direct debits, and instant payment schemes used by banks, payment institutions, and other providers throughout the SEPA area. Membership allows organisations to take part in the technical committees and working groups that define scheme rulebooks and interoperability standards.
PayPal has said its membership reflects a broader focus on how commerce is evolving, noting that consumers increasingly expect consistent payment experiences regardless of the payment rail used, while artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies are changing how people discover products, make decisions, and pay for them. At the same time, it also intends to collaborate with industry partners, regulators, and other stakeholders across Europe in support of a more interoperable and trusted payments ecosystem.
