ECR Index 2007
ACQUIRING
(1) Cross-border Acquiring – OMV in Multi-country Deal
with Euronet, Mar/Apr, p6 (CN).
(2) Portugal – Acquiring Deal Central to BCP-BPI
Merger Clearance, Mar/Apr, p10 (CN).
(3) SEPA: Eastward Ho? Sept/Oct, p10. As the SEPA process
opens up the EU’s national markets, the small scale of card operations
in eastern and central Europe means that their attractions need to be kept in
perspective.
(4) EuroConex Rebrands as Elavon, Nov/Dec, p8 (CN).
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CARD MARKETS
(5) Germany – ec Goes Extra-Terrestrial, Jan/Feb,
p5 (CN).
(6) Link and Voca to Merge, Mar/Apr, p5 (CN).
(7) Interchange – Approaching the Dénouement,
May/June, p4 (CN). Plus: PSD Opens up
European Payments to Non-banks (SB).
(8) Visa to Process Domestic Authorizations in Sweden,
May/June, p5 (CN).
(9) Alternative Payments – PayPal Takes up Banking
Licence in Luxembourg, May/June, p6 (CN).
(10) UK Debit Card Payments Set to Double, July/August,
p4 (CN).
(11) Analysis of Costs of Payment from Visa UK, July/August,
p5 (CN).
(12) Money Transfers – Citi Offers
Fee-free service to UK Poles, Sept/Oct, p4 (CN).
(13) Transforming Europe’s Payments, Nov/Dec,
p29. As globalization, regulation and M&A activity impact
on European payments, there will be drastic restructuring of
the market over the next five years – but the growth potential
of non-cash payments is an incentive for banks to adapt and stay
in the game.
(14) More Spin from DG Competition’s ‘Spokesman,’ Nov/Dec,
p4 (CN).
(15) EMV Migration – Not Yet Half-way, Nov/Dec,
p6 (CN).
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CONTACTLESS PAYMENTS
(16) UK Roll-out in London, Jan/Feb, p24.
(17) March/April: Gemalto cards for MBTA initiative • ViVOtech
deploys NFC with Taipei Fubon • HSBC in contactless payments
pilot • G&D’s next generation • Netherlands
NFC trial.
(18) May/June: National roll-out will follow London
contactless launch • New contactless programmes rolled out
in Turkey • Swiss PayPass pilot • US vending companies
push contactless • First PayPass watch in Turkey.
(19) Barclaycard Unveils OnePulse, July/August,
p5 (CN).
(20) July/August: UK contactless – new
projections • Pilot flies as ‘Pegasus Project’ • Visa
payWave trial in France • Visa contactless cards in Taiwan • Via’s
NFC licensing programme.
(21) Sept/Oct: German NFC ticketing trial expands • Poland
set to roll-out m-payments • Ticket Text launches SMS ticketing
with Ryanair • Citibank delivers m-payment service • SmartParking
in Oulu.
(22) Nov/Dec: Mobilkom austria launches comprehensive
NFC roll-out • Telstra, NAB and Visa to trial mobile NFC • Gemalto
and Far EasTone in Asia’s first ‘Pay-Buy Mobile’ trial • TeliaSonera
and Västtrafik test NFC in Gothenburg • Barclays in
US contactless roll-out.
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COUNTRY REPORT
(23) Wonder of the World, Jan/Feb, p16. Even
without resorting to e-purse or contactless cards, Icelanders
use their cards on average almost once a day, by far the highest
level in the world. Is this a one-off achievement in a unique
country – or are there lessons for the rest of the world?
(24) Must Try Harder, Nov/Dec, p18. Though the
payment cards business in Italy has made great strides in recent
years, the rest of Europe has moved on as well. Narrowing the
gap in payments per capita is proving elusive.
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COVER STORY
(25) Decisions for Issuers, Jan/Feb, p24. As
EMV rolls out across Europe, issuers face a choice between static
data authentication and dynamic data authentication, or DDA and
SDA. While many banks migrate initially to SDA smart cards, most
are likely to end up with DDA or its even more advanced alternative,
CDA – combined date authentication.
(26) A Birthday to Forget, Mar/Apr p12. After
years of easy growth, the UK credit card market has turned sharply – and
card issuers are learning in a hurry how to manage through an
industry downturn. Plus: The Regulators Move in (SB).
(27) The Big Question, May/June, p10. The merger
and break-up proposals aimed at ABN Amro may signal a new phase
in the long-awaited acceleration of cross-border banking in Europe.
But there are few candidates to play the role of consolidator
in the eurozone. Plus: Crédit Agricole: a pan-European
player (SB) and UniCredit and SocGen, the Dream
Team? (SB).
(28) The Way Ahead for Europe’s Third Scheme, July/August,
p10. Initial expectations that banks would achieve SEPA compliance
by migrating to MasterCard or Visa brands have been upset by
the Belgian banks’ decision to shelve their planned Maestro
migration. With the ECB beating the drum for a European debit
scheme, what’s the way forward?
Shadow over the banks
(29) Shadow Over the Banks, Sept/Oct, p14. The
Payment Services Directive is aimed at challenging the banks
and shaking up the payments across Europe. So who wants to be
the Ryanair of the payments industry?
(30) Tap and Gone, Nov/Dec, p10. Contactless
cards are today’s potential success story, with the UK
alone predicting 80 million contactless-enabled payment cards
by 2011. But are they anything more than a sideshow on the high
road to mobile phone payments?
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CREDIT CARDS
(31) French Ban on Co-branding to End, Mar/Apr,
p5 (CN).
(32) Turkey’s Credit Card Issuers Respond to Legislation,
May/June, p6 (CN).
(33) New Ryanair Partnership with GE Money, Sept/Oct,
p6 (CN).
(34) Store Cards – the End is Nigh? Sept/Oct,
p6 (CN).
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DEBIT CARDS
(35) Visa Europe – Accent on Debit Cards, Jan/Feb,
p4 (CN).
(36) Sparda-Banks Migrate to Maestro, Jan/Feb,
p4 (CN).
(37) EAPS Sets up New Company, May/June, p8 (CN).
(38) SEPA Potential for Decoupled Debit Cards, July/August,
p6 (CN).
(39) Maestro Shelves SEPA Interchange Rate, July/August,
p6 (CN).
(40) AIB Picks Maestro, July/August, p8 (CN).
(41) Austria Adapts to SEPA, Sept/Oct, p12.
Though debit card payments per capita in Austria have almost
trebled in the past 10 years, no end to the trend is currently
in sight as new opportunities open up in low value payments.
(42) Debit Cards – Pressure Continues for Third
Scheme in Europe, Nov/Dec, p4 (CN).
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E- and M-COMMERCE
(43) Jan/Feb: Firethorn for US m-banking and
m-payments • Rabo Mobile in Holland • Visa
Launches m-payments platform • Alliance & Leicester
m-banking • Caisse d’Epargne’s ‘movo’.
(44) Peace Breaks Out, Mar/Apr, p20. Banks and
telcos have called a truce in the long-running battle over ‘who
owns the customer’ – and the way forward for developing
mobile banking and payments is consequently clearer. Plus: PINs
on Mobile Phones (SB).
(45) Mar/Apr: GSMA and MasterCard in global
money transfer pilot • Vodafone and Citigroup in remittance
venture • GSMA aims for global POS purchases via mobile • Visa
and SK Telecom launch commercial m-payments service • Discover
and Motorola in m-payments trial • Bank of America rolls
out m-banking • First Data partnership with NCS.
(46) May/June: Collaboration is key to m-payments – Visa
USA CEO • Mobile VPT sues Monitise • New US m-banking
moves • Telefonica Moviles brings m-barcodes to Spain • Belgium
launches m-payments • Citibank rolls out Citi Mobile.
(47) July/August: BofA completes m-banking roll-out • M-banking:
beyond the buzz • Verizon rolls out m-payments • Wells
Fargo, Visa in m-payment pilot • ViVOtech m-payments with
mFoundry.
(48) Sept/Oct: German NFC ticketing trial expands • Poland
set to roll-out m-payments • Ticket Text launches SMS ticketing
with Ryanair • Citibank delivers m-payment service • SmartParking
in Oulu.
(49) Nov/Dec: UK telcos resurrect Simpay with
launch of ‘PayForIt’ • Turkish banks launch
m-banking services • Belgium introduces SMS ticketing • Serbian
national m-commerce standard • Monilink extends service
to RBS • GSMA in money transfer agreement with Western Union.
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FRAUD AND LEGAL AFFAIRS
(50) Card-not-present the Main Headache for UK Issuers, Mar/Apr,
p4. Plus: Debit Card Fraud Alerts from Lloyds TSB (SB).
(51) Cartes Bancaires Action Dismissed, Sept/Oct,
p4 (CN).
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PAYMENTS PROCESSING
(52) M&A Activity Continues, Jan/Feb,
p6. Deals between SSB and Giro Bankcard, and between BBS and
Teller.
(53) New Agreements in Europe for First Data and TSYS, Jan/Feb,
p8.
(54) Nordic Processing – Latest Merger Moves Create
Regional Duopoly. BBS and PBS merge, while Cekab is
sold to EDB, Mar/Apr, p6 (CN).
(55) Swinging Singles, May/June, p16. All banks,
without exception, are trying to cut costs – but the decision
on whether or not to move to a single processing platform choice
additionally involves some tough choices over outsourcing.
(56) Convergence Between Card Processors and ACHs,
May/June, p5 (CN).
(57) Merging ACHs and Card Processors, July/August,
p16. A single payment protocol for debit card
payments and direct debits throughout Europe is increasingly
a potential outcome of the SEPA process – but not everyone
is convinced it’s a worthwhile goal.
(58) Card Processing M&A A – You Ain’t
Seen Nothing Yet, Sept/Oct, p5 (CN).
(59) A SEPA Good News Story, Nov/Dec, p24. Most
banks view SEPA as a politically-driven process which increases
their costs and cuts their revenues. But detailed modelling suggests
that potential cost savings through to 2016 could justify the
investments required.
(60) VocaLink Deal with BGC – Swedish
banks continue their drive for economies of scale, Nov/Dec, p6 (CN).
(61) Equens Links with ICBPI, Nov/Dec, p8 (CN).
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POS TERMINALS
(62) Jan/Feb: Ingenico deals with Europcar and
BBS • Eurobank goes with Hypercom • Certification for
Kobil’s Kaan • Sagem’s French contracts • VeriFone
contract with Polish post offices • Mobile transaction processing
from Global Payments.
(63) Mar/Apr: Argos instals VeriFone’s
Payware merchant system • Ingenico introduces ViewSafe for
UK chip and PIN entry • Sagem Monétel success in
Turkey with Banksoft • Russian Post selects VeriFone for
national roll-out • Gaming terminals contract for Sagem
Défense Sécurité • Payment in taxis
from Thales e-Transactions • Hypercom wins Euro 6000 certification
in Spain • Mobile terminals for Swiss Federal Railways.
(64) May/June: Ingenico deals in Russia and
Latin America • Hypercom contracts • Sagem Monetel
contract with Caja Madrid • Sagem Denmark to provide PINpads • Copenhagen
rolls out Thales UPTs for parking • New VeriFone emerging
market deals • First Data takes strategic stake in ViVOtech.
(65) July/August: VeriFone wins key approval
as NYC taxis roll out card acceptance • Hypercom’s
outsourcing plans • China POS terminal deals • VeriFone
wins Canadian order.
(66) Nov/Dec: MasterCard tests GSM POS system • Ingram
partnership with Samport • Taxis Bleus take Paris travel
mobile • BBVA Bancomer selects Hypercom • Gemalto Linux
certifications • Encore selects Way Systems • Bluetooth
solution from VeriFone.
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PREPAID CARDS
(67) Prepaid Cards Spreading into Europe, May/June,
p32.
(68) July/August: Alliance & Leicester in
prepaid card initiatives • TSYS processing deal with Norwich
Union • Prepaid cards in Europe • Virgin Money’s ‘Pay
As You Go’ card.
(69) Partnering to Make Prepaid Pay, Sept/Oct,
p21.
(70) Sept/Oct: Italy, Europe’s leading
prepaid card market • Expenses card from Alliance & Leicester • APS
cashplus reaches £100 million turnover • Barclays
launches prepaid card programme • Capital One buys NetSpend • TSYS
works with Lloyds TSB on money transfer card • Habib Bank’s
e-money card.
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PRODUCTS & CONTRACTS
(71) Jan/Feb: IDT launches instant issue prepaid
cards • Belgians go for personalized cards • ACI’s
Base24 for Wincor Nixdorf • Handelsbanken launches BankID • Printec
alliance with Datawire • Euroline to acquire for Air France • Tieto
e-banking suite for Entercard • AIB goes for Vasco • Visa
requirements for powered cards.
(72) Mar/Apr: Visa’s recurring payments
initiative • Alaric solution for Ukash • Atos processing
for IHG • Crédit Agricole using Duet in Egypt • Bilesim
certified for PCI • Compass Plus extends to UK • Cryptomathic
certified for CAP • CUP in new European moves • First
Data opens offices in Croatia and Poland • Fin-Force in
Bratislava • Global Payments top-ups with Globus • OpenWay
deal with KKB • TNS-Easynet in France • New Datacard
printer • Vodafone Egypt launches top-ups • Sapphire
SMS banking for US market • Mobile Financial Services survey
results from Edgar, Dunn and MPW • West LB in SEPA project
with ClickandBuy.
(73) May/June: Barclays and RBS offer chip and
PIN card readers in the UK • First Data pays top price for
Polcard • EPCA/ECR awards winners • Success for new
Istanbul card exhibition • PBS signs acquiring agreement
with CUP • Serverside links with PAYjr • V Pay contracts
with Italian issuers • BPC solution for PKO BP in Ukraine • Avis
Europe chooses CyberSource • Self-checkout on the rise • AC
Milan credit cards for fans • MagTek-ID Data • MasterCard
in credit cards deal with Lloyds TSB.
(74) July/August: Support from eurozone banks
for VocaLink’s clearing service • Seceti allies with
Equens and VocaLink • Thales HSM for UK faster payments • Dresdner
renews First Data contract • Atos Worldline processing for
GE Money Bank • Datacard links with Aconite • ATFBank
chooses Experian • Galitt buys Smartdreams • Global
Payments deals in Russia and Bosnia • New customer wins
for Serverside • TowerGroup launches Vendor Selection Processor • Ukash
deal with AllPay.
(75) Sept/Oct: First Data to take over Experian’s
UK processing • Hypercom deal in Ukraine • Ingenico
in merger talks with Sagem • Barclaycard renews TNS contract • Bank
of Ireland’s ‘Two-In-One’ credit card • SmartVista
for remote ATM management • Russian monoline selects TSYS • EFD
agreement with SNS Bank • Moneris deal with Euronet Essentis • SiNSYS
implements Fair Isaac Fraud Manager • Firstsource gains
UK licence • G&D SEPA certification • Global Payments
in Kazakhstan and Bosnia • Ingenico buys Planet • Mellon
cooperation with Visa Europe • SmartSoft deal with CAL • FreeStar
agreement with Spectra • TietoEnator and RSA partnership.
(76) Nov/Dec: New Shell MasterCard from Citi • Orange
co-brand with BNP Paribas and Cetelem • Capital One’s
World MasterCard • Russian first for First Data • BPC
deal with DenizBank Moscow • Real-time bank account verification
from Experian • Schufa partners with Fair Isaac • Integri
qualified by EMVCo • Only 11% of merchants are compliant – PCI
shock • Lukas insources with Postillion • MasterCard
joins forces with Orbiscom • Microsoft system for MPS • Telekurs
to buy 3C.
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