SEPA covers euro credit transfers, instant credit transfers and direct debits across its geographical area (Introducing the EPC). For a proposed payment, check the scheme’s transaction currency in its rulebook (European Payments Council, What is a payment scheme?).
Start with the groundwork in our earlier article: How to protect your business before processing a direct debit
Which countries use SEPA, and what payments does it cover?
The UK, Switzerland, Norway and Iceland are included alongside countries such as France, Germany and Spain in the European Payments Council’s EPC list of Countries in the SEPA Schemes’ Geographical Scope, published on 24 December 2025 (EPC list of Countries in the SEPA Schemes’ Geographical Scope). Its geographical scope also includes territories such as Jersey, Guernsey, the Isle of Man and Gibraltar.
The EPC says its payment schemes facilitate transactions in 41 countries (European Payments Council, Introducing the EPC). The EPC list states that the United Kingdom remains within SEPA’s geographical scope after Brexit (European Payments Council, EPC list of Countries). The list includes countries with non-euro currency codes, including the United Kingdom (GBP), Switzerland (CHF) and Norway (NOK) (European Payments Council, EPC list of Countries).
The payment schemes include SEPA Credit Transfer, SEPA Instant Credit Transfer, SEPA Direct Debit Core and SEPA Direct Debit Business-to-Business (European Payments Council, Introducing the EPC). The EPC says its payment schemes underpin euro credit transfers and direct debits within a SEPA country and between SEPA countries (European Payments Council, Introducing the EPC).
SEPA geographical scope in the EPC list dated 24 December 2025
Countries or territories | Included places |
|---|---|
Countries: Albania–France | Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France |
Countries: Germany–Malta | Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta |
Countries: Moldova–Serbia | Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Serbia |
Countries: Slovakia–Vatican City State | Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Vatican City State |
Other listed territories: Åland Islands–Madeira | Åland Islands, Azores, Canary Islands, French Guiana, Gibraltar, Guadeloupe, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Jersey, Madeira |
Other listed territories: Martinique–Saint Pierre and Miquelon | Martinique, Mayotte, Réunion, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Martin (French part), Saint Pierre and Miquelon |
Does that include instant transfers, recurring direct debits, cards and non-euro payments?
SEPA Instant Credit Transfer is a distinct scheme, separate from the SEPA Direct Debit Core and SEPA Direct Debit Business-to-Business schemes (European Payments Council, Introducing the EPC). Under the SEPA Direct Debit Core Scheme Rulebook, Core supports both recurring and one-off collections (SEPA Direct Debit Core Scheme Rulebook).
For recurring Core collections, the payer’s authorisation is used for regular direct debits initiated by the creditor (European Payments Council AISBL, SEPA Direct Debit Core Scheme Rulebook). For a one-off collection, the authorisation permits only that collection and cannot be reused for a subsequent transaction.
SEPA euro-payment schemes do not make sterling or other non-euro transactions SEPA euro payments (European Payments Council, What is a payment).
The EPC presents card standardisation separately from its credit-transfer and direct-debit scheme-management work, as an area for further payments harmonisation (European Payments Council, Introducing the EPC). The EPC also manages One-Leg Out Instant Credit Transfer, and its payment schemes support solutions involving non-SEPA countries.
Does being in SEPA mean every bank and account can accept my Core collections?
No: SEPA geographical inclusion does not guarantee that a particular bank participates in Core or that a particular account accepts collections (European Payments Council AISBL, SEPA Direct Debit Core Scheme Rulebook). Core requires both payer and creditor to hold accounts with participating payment service providers within SEPA, with collections taken from accounts designated to accept them.
Eligible local institutions in included countries may join the schemes through the EPC’s adherence procedure (European Payments Council, EPC list of Countries). Payment service providers must formally adhere to the schemes they use (European Payments Council, What is a payment).
The EPC describes SEPA Credit Transfer and SDD Core as mandatory for EEA payment service providers offering the corresponding euro credit-transfer and direct-debit services (European Payments Council, What is a payment). Before treating a customer as collectable through Core, ask your provider to confirm that the participating-provider and account requirements are met (European Payments Council AISBL, SEPA Direct Debit Core Scheme Rulebook).
Which countries joined recently, and when could their banks start processing SEPA payments?
Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Moldova and Serbia were admitted to SEPA’s geographical scope, with operational-readiness milestones specified separately by the EPC (European Payments Council, EPC list of Countries). Albania and Montenegro were admitted by the EPC Board on 21 November 2024, with an exceptional earliest possible Operational Readiness Date of 5 October 2025.
North Macedonia and Moldova were approved on 6 March 2025 with the same readiness milestone as Albania and Montenegro (European Payments Council, EPC list of Countries). As resolved by the EPC Board on the 22nd of May 2025, Serbia was admitted to the geographical scope of the SEPA Schemes, with an earliest Operational Readiness Date of May 2026.
Treat the EPC’s earliest operational-readiness dates as eligibility milestones, not confirmation that every bank began processing on those dates; confirm an individual bank’s actual launch status directly (European Payments Council, EPC list of Countries).
Sources
- Introducing the EPC, European Payments Council, accessed 19 October 2026
- What is a payment scheme?, European Payments Council, accessed 19 October 2026
- EPC list of Countries in the SEPA Schemes’ Geographical Scope, European Payments Council, 24 December 2025
- SEPA Direct Debit Core Scheme Rulebook, European Payments Council AISBL, 30 September 2026