The European Payments Council (EPC) is the decision-making and coordination body of the European banking industry in relation to payments. Our declared purpose is to support and promote the creation of the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA). The vision for the SEPA was formulated in 2002 at the time of the launch of EPC, when some 42 banks, the three European Credit Sector Associations (ECSAs) and the Euro Banking Association (EBA) came together and, after an intensive workshop, released the White Paper in which the following declaration was made and subsequently incorporated into the EPC Charter:

"We, the European banks and European Credit Sector Associations:

• share the common vision that Euroland payments are domestic payments,
• join forces to implement this vision for the benefit of European customers, industry and banks and accordingly,
• launch our Single Payments Area."

The EPC’s intention is to create a Single Euro Payments Area, working as a single domestic payments market in which citizens and economic actors will be able to make payments as easily and inexpensively as in their hometown.

We define common positions for core payment services within a competitive market place, provide strategic guidance for standardisation, formulate best practices and support and monitor implementation of decisions taken. This is done in such a way that banks can maintain self-regulation and meet regulators' and stakeholders' expectations as efficiently as possible.