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Using a mobile phone to make direct payments could become the norm in Europe following cooperation announced between the GSM Association (GSMA), which brings together the world's major mobile operators, and the European Payment Council (EPC), the body representing the EU banking sector.
There are currently myriad funds in the EU, investing in distinct assets with highly differentiated exposures. But tomorrow they could be split into more precise sub-sectors to make life easier for investors, according to EFAMA, the European Fund and Asset Management Association.
From November 2009 new EU rules will allow alternative providers such as mobile phone operators to deliver new payment services alongside banks and credit card firms, paving the way for a more efficient non-cash economy. (read more)
The introduction of a Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) is set to overhaul the eurozone's payments infrastructure by creating a cross-border network to make using banking services as easy as it is at national level - however, uncertainties over the introduction of the new system remain. (read more)
In the European single market there are still large differences between the national payment systems. (read more)