NBS in the SEPA register of the European Payments Council, starting March 13

The National Bank of Serbia has received a positive assessment from the European Payments Council in the process of applying to participate in the SEPA Credit Transfer (CT) payment scheme and for the operational execution of transactions for budget users, the NBS announced. From March 13, 2026, it will be entered into the register of this institution.

The SEPA system will enable non-cash payments in EUR under the jurisdiction of the NBS to be carried out under favorable and standardized conditions in all member states of this payment area, which includes a total of 41 countries. These include all 27 members of the European Union, countries of the European Economic Area (Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein), Switzerland, Great Britain, as well as Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, the Vatican, Albania, Montenegro, Moldova, North Macedonia and the Republic of Serbia.

Accession to the SEPA system represents an important part of Serbia’s broader process of European integration and further harmonization of the domestic financial system with the legal and institutional framework of the European Union.

- The National Bank of Serbia has a key role in this process – both as a participant in SEPA payment schemes and as a supervisory authority that monitors and coordinates the accession of commercial banks in the Republic of Serbia to the SEPA system, while taking into account the fulfillment of all regulatory, technical and operational standards - the NBS notes.

The NBS adds that this will enable direct and indirect budget users to carry out payments in euros more efficiently and economically, as well as facilitate easier integration into European financial flows.

- Joining the SEPA system represents a significant step in the further modernization of payment services and in aligning them with the best European standards and practices. Payments within the SEPA CT payment scheme will become operational from May 5, 2026, when the technical and operational phase of implementation will be fully completed, creating the conditions for payments within the SEPA area to be available in full capacity - according to the NBS.

Narodna banka Srbije Beograd

European Payments Council

SEPA