I would like to share some thoughts with you today on three topics. First, I would like to explain briefly the ECB’s interest and involvement in the SEPA project. In particular, I will underline that, for the ECB, progress in financial integration is crucial and the status quo in this field is not an option.
As a second topic, I would like to address some of the factors that are essential for the success of SEPA. Finally, I will present my thoughts on the outlook for SEPA as a truly integrated payment market in the euro area.