BRUSSELS – Albania and North Macedonia began fully implementing the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) system on 7 October while Moldova Montenegro achieved full operational readiness for SEPA the day before.
Albania and Montenegro became part of the SEPA geographical scope in November 2024, followed by Moldova and North Macedonia in March 2025.
The geographical scope of the SEPA now covers 41 countries. When it comes to the Western Balkans Six, Serbia also joined it, in May 2025, though the full implementation and operational readiness for Serbian banks to join the SEPA payment schemes is expected to occur in May 2026.
The Single Euro Payments Area is a unified zone for euro transactions that allows for fast, efficient, and standardized payments across member countries.
SEPA treats cross-border euro payments the same as domestic ones, simplifying transactions within Europe. It currently includes all EU member states, along with several non-EU countries such as Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Monaco.
