The European Commission has welcomed the official entry of 18 banks in Serbia into the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) schemes, a move that will make euro transactions between those banks and the European Union more reliable, faster and cheaper. The Commission said this could save individuals and businesses up to EUR 400 million and should also simplify international transactions for small and medium-sized enterprises, supporting more cross-border trade. The decision was taken by the European Payments Council after Serbia entered SEPA's geographical scope in May 2025. Serbia is the fifth EU enlargement partner to join the SEPA schemes, following Albania, Moldova, Montenegro and North Macedonia. The Commission said it will continue to support this work through the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, including gradual access to certain parts of the EU single market in line with EU standards and regulations.
European Commission 2026-05-05
European Commission welcomes 18 banks in Serbia joining SEPA schemes to make euro transfers faster and cheaper
The European Commission welcomed the entry of 18 Serbian banks into the Single Euro Payments Area schemes, which is expected to make euro transactions with the European Union more reliable, faster and cheaper, and could save individuals and businesses up to EUR 400 million. The move, decided by the European Payments Council after Serbia entered SEPA’s geographical scope in May 2025, is intended to simplify international transactions for small and medium-sized enterprises and support cross-border trade under the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans.