As of October 9, 2025, new EU rules make instant SEPA transfers mandatory and cost-equal to standard ones—key updates for European healthcare professionals
On October 9, 2025, the European Union officially implemented Regulation (EU) 2024/886, a landmark reform that reshapes how SEPA credit transfers—both instant and standard—are processed across the eurozone. For European medical professionals, who increasingly rely on fast, secure digital payments for patient reimbursements, supplier transactions, and cross-border collaborations, these changes bring significant operational benefits.
- What’s new: Instant payments become mandatory and cost-neutral
Under the new regulation, all banks and payment service providers in the EU must offer SEPA Instant Credit Transfers (SCT Inst). This means euro-denominated transfers between SEPA accounts must be executed within seconds, 24/7—including weekends and holidays.
Crucially, instant transfers must now cost the same as standard SEPA transfers. This eliminates the previous surcharge often applied to faster transactions, making real-time payments more accessible for professionals managing urgent financial flows, such as medical equipment orders or insurance reimbursements.
More details are available in the official regulation text on EUR-Lex.
- Enhanced fraud protection: IBAN-name verification now required
To combat fraud and misdirected payments, the regulation introduces mandatory Verification of Payee (VoP). Before executing a transfer, banks must confirm that the recipient’s name matches the IBAN provided. This measure is especially relevant for healthcare professionals who regularly receive payments from patients, insurers, and institutions—reducing the risk of impersonation and administrative errors.
As explained by Pagamenti Digitali, this verification step is now a legal obligation for all euro-area payment providers.
- Why this matters for European doctors
For physicians, clinics, and medical researchers operating across borders or managing complex billing systems, these updates offer:
Faster access to funds, improving cash flow for private practices and hospital departments.
Cost savings, especially for frequent transactions with suppliers or collaborators.
Greater security, reducing the risk of fraud in high-volume payment environments.
Improved patient experience, as reimbursements and co-payments can be processed in real time.
The European Payments Council also updated its SCT Inst rulebook to align with the regulation, effective October 5, 2025. You can find the rulebook here