Overview

The STEP2 Card Clearing System (STEP2 CC) is a high volume, commercial and retail euro card clearing processing system based on a direct debit mechanism capable of routing card clearing messages between participants.

STEP2 CC handles transactions originated by debit card payments in line with the SEPA Card Clearing Framework of the Berlin Group. This ISO 20022-based clearing service for card-initiated payments with a pan-European design allows participants to re-use the interbank infrastructure and bank-internal interfaces they have invested in for SEPA. It also enables participants to switch off legacy processing systems.

STEP2 CC is open to all communities and all credit institutions and allows participants to benefit from investments related to the STEP2 SDD Core Service.

EBA CLEARING offers the STEP2 Card Clearing System based on the SEPA Card Clearing Framework, as well as the STEP2-T system architecture.

Key benefits

  • Pan-European design

  • Supported by STEP2 technical infrastructure

  • Allows re-use of SEPA interbank standards and interfaces