European Payments Council seeks API test toolbox provider for VoP scheme

The European Payments Council (EPC) has launched a request for proposal (RFP) as it seeks a technology service provider responsible for the provision of an API test environment for its forthcoming Verification of Payee (VoP) scheme.

The VoP scheme developed by the EPC is due to come into effect on 25 October 2025.

The technology service provider selected by the EPC will be in charge of providing, operating and supporting a test environment for the validation and self-certification of the VoP API – both server-side and client-side – by the scheme participants.

The scheme, when it rolls out, will give all payment service providers (PSPs) in the European Union and European Economic Area a mechanism to verify the payee of an instant credit transfer, as mandated by the Instant Payment Regulation.

According to the EPC, the VoP scheme relies on the use of APIs for inter-PSP messages, which creates challenges when it comes to cross-border “reachability”, interoperability and functionality of the scheme between participants.

It is for this reason that the EPC intends to establish a reference API test environment for the VoP API-based scheme.

Once it has been set up and operated for the VoP scheme, the ‘VoP API Reference Toolbox’ will emulate server-side and client-side VoP scheme interactions.

The VoP API Reference Toolbox will be required to enable scheme stakeholders to self-certify compliance with the VoP API.

The RFP opened on 23 December and will run until 17 January 2025.

The final selection of the VOP API Reference Toolbox provider will be subject to formal approval by the EPC board.

Last month, the general assembly of the EPC elected Gijs Boudewijn as its new chair. Boudewijn will assume his new role in June this year.

He is one of several guests on the latest episode of Open Banking Expo Unplugged discussing ‘SPAA: Unlocking commercial Open Banking within European payments’. Listen on demand here.