SEPA Testing Programme

Benefits:
  • Ensure exhaustive standards coverage (90%)
  • Achieve standards interoperability
  • Test at your own pace, with no need for testing partner agreement
  • Reduce your testing analysis effort by 20%
  • Speed up your migration with dedicated support

The Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) Testing Programme, designed with the contribution of the SEPA testing Advisory Group, is considered an industry reference that ensures SEPA standards interoperability.

It guarantees strict compliance with the European Payments Council (EPC) SEPA standards and Clearing and Settlement Mechanism (CSM) market practices to reduce the risk of divergent implementations.

The SEPA Testing Programme complements the specific operational testing required by each clearing channel, either bilateral clearing with other banks or centralised clearing through CSMs.

It provides the underlying minimal set of common test components required for the SEPA compliance and constitutes the foundation of any individual specific testing programme designed for the EPC Self-Assessment Level testing phases (SAL I to SAL IV).





More information

Programme components

The SEPA Testing Programme provides testing components and facilities:

  • Smart Test Messages: samples of messages that comply with the SEPA "Core" service that you can use to perform internal-application testing as from the unit testing phase. These messages make it possible to test inbound flows and are restricted to the SEPA “Core” fields (they do not allow AOS fields).

  • Simulation Testing and Qualification Service (STaQS). STaQS is a central, SWIFT-managed application that plays the role of a sparring partner through SWIFTNet messaging. You can validate your own test messages with the SEPA "Core" or SEPA "Core + AOS" specifications.

  • Scripted test cases. A set of pre-defined scripted test cases for the STaQS that cover exhaustively the testing of the SEPA standard. You can follow the roadmaps required for its preferred clearing channels. The set of pre-defined scripted test cases guarantees the compliance with the SEPA "Core" Standards.

  • SWIFTNet messaging. You can use the SWIFTNet messaging services in a pilot environment to test for operational readiness with your respective CSM or counterparty. These include FileAct for the exchange of messages and  Browse for the testing management and reporting.


    In addition the programme provides samples of:

    • BICPlusIBAN directory and SEPA routing directory
    • SEPA routing directory

Ordering


Documentation

SEPA Testing Programme


Smart Test Messages


Simulation Testing and Qualification Service (STaQS) for SEPA

Directory services for SEPA