26 January 2015

EPC published the SDD core rulebook version 9.0 and SDD Business to Business rulebook version 7.0

The EPC has traditionally published updated versions of the rulebooks and associated implementation guidelines once annually in November to take effect in November of the next year. Exceptionally, the EPC resolved to publish the SDD Rulebook versions to take effect in November 2016 in January 2015.

This decision was made to give payment service providers (PSPs) participating in the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) payment schemes an extended lead-time to implement principal changes incorporated in the SDD Core Rulebook version 9.0 and SDD B2B Rulebook version 7.0 prior to them taking effect. The SDD Core Rulebook version 9.0 introduces a shorter standard time cycle. Both the SDD Core Rulebook version 9.0 and SDD B2B Rulebook version 7.0 have been amended to simplify the use of sequence types.

The public consultation on possible modifications to be incorporated into next generations rulebooks carried out by the EPC in 2014 identified broad support to amend the SDD Core Rulebook as regards the standard time cycle and both the SDD Core and SDD B2B Rulebooks as regards the use of sequence types. A majority of scheme participants advocated implementing related changes by November 2016 to allow for sufficient time to update processes and operations.

Main change included with the SDD Core Rulebook version 9.0: as of the effective date of November 2016 of the SDD Core Rulebook version 9.0, all collections presented for the first time, on a recurrent basis or as a one-off collection can be presented up to one interbank business day prior to the due date. This change does not impact the creditor as the creditor can continue to use the currently applicable SDD Core collection timelines after November 2016.

Main change included with the SDD Core Rulebook version 9.0 and SDD B2B Rulebook version 7.0: the SDD Rulebooks currently require that the payment message sent by the creditor’s bank to request a direct debit collection specifies whether the transaction is a first, one-off, recurrent or last collection. These specifications are also referred to as ‘sequence types’. The SDD Core Rulebook version 9.0 and SDD B2B Rulebook version 7.0 have been amended to simplify the use of sequence types by making the sequence type ‘first’ optional. This change does not impact creditors collecting SDD payments.

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