SEPA

SEPA (Single Euro Payments Area)

On 5 March 2019, the credit institutions of the Principality of Andorra, Andbank, MoraBanc, Crèdit Andorrà, BancSabadell d’Andorra and Vall Banc, adhered to SEPA following accession by Andorra on 1 March 2019.

The Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) was created within the European Community to facilitate payments in euros across a supranational geographical area. It is an area in which citizens, businesses and other economic agents can make and receive payments in euros within Europe, inside and outside national borders, under the same conditions and with the same rights and obligations, regardless of where they are located.

SEPA is the European payment system based on common instruments, standards, procedures and infrastructure. In this harmonised scenario, no technical distinctions are made between domestic and international payments, all of which are processed with the same ease, speed, security and efficiency.

Three instruments fall within its most immediate scope: transfers, Direct Debits and instant payments.

From that moment onwards, Andorran banks were able to send and receive transfers under SEPA schemes (SEPA Credit Transfer – SCT).

Pursuant to the Andorran legal framework, Andorran banks adhered to the SEPA direct debit scheme in the second quarter of 2021, allowing direct debits between Andorran companies or individuals and Andorran or EU banks, and direct debits between EU companies and individuals and Andorran banks.

With the inclusion of Andorra, the geographical scope of SEPA schemes now extends to 36 countries; the 27 Member States of the European Union plus Great Britain, Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Monaco, San Marino, Vatican City and the Principality of Andorra.

Download the presentation concerning the operational changes of direct debits:

SEPA-Domiciliacions bancaries Febrer 2021

Watch webinar: https://youtu.be/ejDCCHhPp8E

INFORMATION NOTICE ON THE UPDATE OF THE 2025 SEPA RULEBOOKS (VERSION 1.1)

The European Payments Council (EPC) published version 1.1 of the updated 2025 SEPA Rulebooks in October 2025.

This version mainly affects the SEPA SCT (Credit Transfer) and SDD Core (Direct Debit) payment schemes and applies to both banks and the customers using these schemes.

The most significant change is that, from 15 November 2026, the use of unstructured addresses in SEPA payment files will no longer be permitted. From that date, addresses must be provided in either a structured or hybrid address format, with the country and town/city as mandatory fields, in accordance with the EPC SEPA standard.

For further information on the different types of SEPA addresses (structured, hybrid and unstructured) and the applicable information requirements, please refer to the following reference document: EPC Document.

The updated SEPA and ABA formats are available at the links below:

• SEPA: SEPA_ – ABA
• ABA: Electronic payments – ABA

ABA recommends adopting the new address format (structured or hybrid), bearing in mind that, from 15 November 2026, the use of unstructured addresses will no longer be permitted.