The Central Bank of Montenegro announced that it had officially submitted an application to join the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) schemes, marking what it described as a key operational and technical step towards enabling more efficient international payments.
The bank stated that this move would allow euro transactions to and from Montenegro to be processed faster, more cheaply, and more securely, starting from 6 October 2025—a date the European Payments Council (EPC) has set as the day of operational readiness.
Officials said the early submission of the application confirmed Montenegro’s strategic approach and high level of technical and regulatory preparedness.
They added that it demonstrated effective coordination with domestic banks and European institutions.
The Central Bank noted that Montenegro became part of the SEPA geographical area on 21 November 2024, which entitled it to begin the formal process of joining SEPA schemes.
This required both regulatory alignment and the completion of technical prerequisites.
They concluded that full SEPA membership would reinforce financial stability, improve payment competitiveness, and deepen trust in the country’s financial sector.
