Are you ready for the Standards MT Release 2009?

The Standards MT Release 2009 goes live on 21 November 2009.

In a few weeks the annual standards MT release goes live. The SWIFT standards changes that will be activated on Saturday, 21 November 2009, are limited to payments messages in addition to a few minor amendments, which streamline the standards portfolio.

As per the established standards development and implementation procedures, SWIFT will activate the Standards MT Release 2009 during the allowable downtime window on 21 November 2009 from 16:00 until 18:00 GMT.

SWIFT strongly recommends that you send, receive and process all current mode MT messages, including system messages, prior to the allowable downtime window. Your systems will be impacted by this release if you use message types that are subject to a significant format or validation change.

All the changes SWIFT will implement during the allowable downtime window are published in the Standards Release Guide and Message Format Validation Rules. Please pay particular attention to the following changes:

• Additional validation is applied to field 50F Ordering Customer in MTs 101, 102, 102+, 103, 103+, 210 and 910
• The new general use messages MT 202 COV and MT 205 COV are introduced and all institutions must be able to receive them
• MAC and PAC trailers are no longer allowed in block 5
• Where IBAN validation occurs in MTs 102+ and 103+, the country code in the IBAN must be in upper case