Brussels-based EAPS, the alliance of European debit card schemes that facilitates pan-European ATM and POS transactions, has opened ATM networks in Italy and Germany through two of its alliance participants.
According to a news release issued by EAPS, EAPS will now service domestic debit-cardholders of Consorzio Bancomat and Zentraler Kreditausschuss in both countries. Cardholders can withdraw cash from ATMs in Italy (Bancomat) and Germany (girocard), and cross-border POS acceptance between the two card schemes is expected to follow. EAPS was launched in 2007 to unite networks of independent domestic card schemes throughout Europe under a single European brand. EAPS says its united networks increase competition within the payments sector by enabling cross-border transactions.
Ugo Bechis, chairman of the EAPS board and head of SEPA-Payments at UBI Banca, says the cooperation between Consorzio Bancomat and Zentraler Kreditausschuss underscore's EAPS's growing respect and strength in the European Union:
EAPS is a viable and established European card brand which is gaining in strength and deployment volume. Payment schemes participating in EAPS were responsible for more than 7 billion ATM and POS transactions in 2008. EAPS is aligned to the expectations of the European Commission and the European Central Bank for a European card payment scheme to emerge within the Single Euro Payments Area.
EAPS is open to new partners. Card schemes, banks and payment institutions compliant with European requirements and the SEPA Cards Framework of the European Payments Council are encouraged to join, as EAPS offers an established European card alternative that leverages existing customer bases and relationships.
