Serbia becomes part of SEPA

The adherence represents an example of the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans agenda, an EU initiative aimed to boost socio-economic integration of the Western Balkan area and its citizens into the structures of the European Union.

What does it mean for Serbia?

The positive decision of the European Payments Council allows payment service providers in Serbia to adhere to various SEPA schemes that are managed by the EPC. This will facilitate financial transfers in EUR and will also significantly reduce the cost and processing time of these transactions between citizens, businesses, and other SEPA members. Ultimately, the decision for Serbia to join SEPA will contribute to a sustainable economic growth and will directly benefit Serbian citizens.

The European Commissions is set to continue supporting the preparation of Serbia’s payment service providers as well as the country’s further alignment with the EU regulations for a future accession to the European Union.

The background of Serbia’s accession to the EU

Serbia applied to join the European Union back in 2009 and has been a candidate for membership since 2012, along with other nine countries. Negotiations began in 2014. Joining SEPA is an important milestone for Serbia as it will facilitate international transactions and reduce the cost and their processing time, potentially leading to more foreign direct investments (FDIs), which are crucial for the country’s development.

In one report published by the European Parliament in May 2025 it is stated that although there is progress in the negotiations, Serbia must overcome certain hurdles to continue its accession to the EU. Thus, Belgrade must improve the internal political dialogue, protect the rule of law, and continue making reforms to fight corruption. Additionally, the country must also work to reach a comprehensive normalisation agreement with Kosovo and fully align with the EU’s external policy. In light of recent mass protests that started in November 2024 and continued to expand across the country by March 2025, Serba must continue making visible progress in fighting corruption and maintaining media freedom and the rule of law.

More information about the European Payments Council

EPC represents an independent international not-for-profit association with 83 members consisting of PSPs and associations of PSPs. Currently, around 4,000 banks and other payment service providers participate in SEPA schemes which facilitate capital transfers and provide transparent processes. The schemes facilitated more than 50 billion cross-border euro transactions in 36 countries in 2024 alone.