European Card Payment Association and Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council Join Forces to Fight Payment Data Theft

Joining forces to protect against payment data theft around the world, the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council (PCI SSC) and the European Card Payment Association (ECPA) have announced today that ECPA is now a strategic regional member of the PCI Council. Supporting the shared goal of a single, globally unified data security standard, ECPA will collaborate on future versions of the global PCI Data Security Standard and advocate for the adoption of the PCI Standard by its members in conformance with European Union regulations.

With its strategic regional membership, ECPA joins more than 700 organisations and 28 board member companies and associations from around the world who contribute to the ongoing evolution of the PCI Security Standard.

The PCI Data Security Standard, widely known as PCI DSS, is used on every continent around the world as a model for building technical systems and business processes that protect against payment data theft.

“The Council is very excited by the ECPA alliance and having ECPA’s expertise helping guide the future of data security, “ said Karteek Patel, Executive Committee Chairman, PCI SSC. “We’re looking forward to ECPA’s active participation on every level of the council. It will be a significant force in our mission to educate, empower and protect against data theft around the world.”

“Alliances, information sharing and collaboration across the payment ecosystem are our best defense for combating global cybercriminals,” said Stephen Orfei, General Manager, PCI Security Standards Council. We have great expectations for our work with ECPA and know our efforts will serve the needs of Europe. Only by working together can we keep the bad guys at bay, no matter where they are.”

Explaining the significance of this agreement, Vitor Bento, Chairman of the European Card Payment Association said that, “it responds to the objectives of the various European institutions that opinions of national organisations and stakeholders in the European card payment ecosystem are taken into account when defining security standards, whilst reinforcing PCI’s reputation as a transparent global standards body.”

He added that, “We at ECPA are proud of becoming the Strategic European Regional Member of PCI SSC and look forward to building a long term relationship together to further the security and trust in card payments for users.”

Vitor Bento also added that the experts from the European Card Payment Association are keen to share their experience and expertise through participation in various PCI SSC working groups, committees and through interaction with the PCI SSC Executive Committee.

As a Strategic Regional Member, ECPA will join weekly technical working group meetings, monthly meetings of the PCI Standards Committee, Board of Advisor meetings, and Community Meetings hosted by PCI. ECPA will also be meeting regularly with the Council’s Executive Committee.

About the PCI Security Standards Council
The PCI Security Standards Council is a global forum that is responsible for the development, management, education, and awareness of the PCI Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) and other standards that increase payment data security. Connect with the PCI Council on LinkedIn. Join the conversation on Twitter @PCISSC. Subscribe to the PCI Perspectives Blog.

About ECPA
The European Card Payment Association is a representative voice for European domestic card schemes and organisations which manage essential functions such as type approval of devices used in the payment value chain.

ECPA engages with European institutions and other stakeholders on legislation, security, standardisation and other important issues as they apply to cards or other form factors and card transactions.

ECPA members include Bancontact-MisterCash (BE), BankAxept (NO), Cartes Bancaires "CB" (FR), Consorzio BANCOMAT (I), EURO 6000 (ES), Dankort (DK), ServiRed (ES), SIBS Pagamentos (PT), Sistema 4B (ES), the UK Cards Association, the Dutch Payments Association (NL) and the Pan-Nordic Card Association. www.europeancardpaymentassociation.eu

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Contact information

PCI Security Standards Council
Lindsay Goodspeed, +1-781-258-5843
press@pcisecuritystandards.org
or
European Card Payment Association
David Stephenson, + 33 (0) 6 72 83 20 58
general-secretary@europeancardpaymentassociation.eu