Following the introduction of euro notes and coins in 2002, attention has now turned to harmonising the diverse national and cross-border retail payment systems for the euro. Integrating these systems is a natural step towards making the euro a truly single and fully functioning currency.

This will be the central theme of a national conference being organised jointly by the Central Bank of Malta, the Malta Bankers’ Association, and the Financial Services Economic Group of the Malta Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise to be hosted on Friday 26 October at the Hilton Malta.

The half-day conference, which is bound to attract a wide section of the business community as well as operators in the financial services industry, accountants, public sector officials and people from the payments industry, will launch the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) in Malta.

“SEPA will create a single euro payments area where people will be able to make payments in Euro all over Europe as easily as if they were making a payment in their home town,” explains James Bonello, Secretary General of the Malta Bankers’ Association. “SEPA is really and truly about harmonising millions of everyday ‘retail’ payments. This major harmonisation programme is supported by Europe’s banks and will deliver new benefits to consumers and businesses who make euro payments. This should lead to the strengthening of the internal market, the enhancement of competition, improved efficiency and more economic prosperity”, added Mr Bonello.

This half-day national conference will explain the changes which SEPA will bring about and, more particularly, how SEPA will be affecting credit transfers, direct debits and card payments. Mr Stewart Mackinnon, Secretary General of the European Payments Council, and Mr Norbert Bielefeld, Deputy Director, Payment Systems, European Savings Banks Group, will be coming over to Malta to address the conference together with other local speakers who are expert in this field.

The participation fee is Lm15 (EUR 34.94). Bookings can be made by calling the Malta Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise on Telephone: 2123-3 873 or via email: info@chamber. org.mt