EPC Verification of Payee Rulebook v1.1 Takes Effect September 20

Three EPC documents governing payee name verification become mandatory for all SEPA scheme participants on September 20, 2026. Updated API specifications prohibit empty fields, and a revised security framework applies to VoP, SRTP, and SPAA.

The European Payments Council will enforce Verification of Payee Scheme Rulebook v1.1 on September 20, 2026. This version addresses urgent change requests collected after a December 2025 public consultation. The changes fix inconsistencies discovered during VoP's first year of mandatory operation since October 5, 2025.

The Inter-PSP API Specifications v1.1.1 takes effect on the same date. It prohibits empty API fields in VoP messages. Character set usage and timestamp handling are also clarified. The API Security Framework v2.1 revises certificate usage requirements for participants in the VoP, SEPA Request-to-Pay, and SEPA Payment Account Access schemes.

The EPC has been updating the VoP Register of Participants on a near-daily basis as the deadline approaches. The most recent register publication was on August 28, 2026. A public consultation on VoP v2.0 change requests is currently open. Publication of the next rulebook version is expected in November 2026.