Press Release: Breaking down barriers to secure and innovative card, internet and mobile payments

A secure and transparent integrated payments environment throughout the EU could create more efficient, modern and safer means of payments – for the benefits of consumers, merchants and payment providers. Based on the Green Paper consultation adopted on 11 January 2012, the Commission sought the views of stakeholders as to which obstacles hinder further market integration and how these could be resolved.

Internal Market and Services Commissioner Michel Barnier said: "Europe has an opportunity to be at the cutting edge of what ‘making a payment’ could mean in the future. However, we will not be able to reach this goal with the current level of market fragmentation. Secure, efficient, competitive and innovative electronic payments are crucial for consumers, retailers and companies to fully enjoy the benefits of the Single Market as well as to drive the growth of e-commerce".

European Commission: MEMO/12/6: Green Paper ‘Towards an integrated European market for card, internet and mobile payments’ — Frequently Asked Questions http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/12/6&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

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