Advanced information on SWIFT user category simplification

Live in September 2009

To make member registration easier for our customers, we decided to significantly reduce the current 27 SWIFT user categories into three main groups of users.
The table below shows the three new groups:

As a consequence, a large majority of users will receive a new four-letter user category code. Some of the previous codes will no longer be published.

Although there is no one-to-one relationship between the current and the future user categories, we have made the following classification. The table below shows the different user category codes and their publication respectively in the electronic and the paper directories:

When will these changes be published in the Directories?
The new user categories will be published in the electronic directories of  September 2009 and in the paper version of  December 2009.

What will change for you as a customer?
Only the actual values of the user category code will change. There are no changes required to your SWIFT software as the format of the data will not change. However, SWIFT recommends that you verify your back-office software for any possible implications:

• Investigate whether you use the four-letter SWIFT User Category Code in your back-office applications when processing payments, securities or other messages.
• If yes, then please analyse whether you foresee any impact due to the change of User Category Codes.
• Plan the necessary resources and time to adapt your applications accordingly.

Please do not hesitate to contact your Customer Support Centre should you need further clarification.