ISO 20022

ISO 20022

Customer-Bank Messages

The Swiss financial industry has released recommendations (Swiss Payment Standards) on exchanging of data between customers and banks based on the ISO 20022 definitions in the payments and Cash Management areas. A validation platform supports the consistent use of the ISO 20022 messages.

In assignment by PaCoS (Payments Committee Switzerland), a working group elaborated the Swiss Payment Standards for implementation of the format standards for payments initiation based on the ISO 20022 standard. The Swiss Payment Standards, which are supported by all Swiss financial institutions, are based upon the basic documentation issued by the ISO and the EPC (European Payments Council) and are reflected in the two rulebooks, the “Swiss Business Rules” and the “Swiss Implementation Guidelines”.

Swiss Payment Standards

The Swiss Payment Standards are summarized in the Business Rules and Implementation Guidelines. Below is an overview of the most recent versions. The older ones are available in the archives.

    Swiss Business Rules SPS 2021 (Version 2.10 of February 2021)

    The Business Rules for Credit transfers, SEPA Direct debits and Cash Management describe from a business perspective the business cases with the parties involved and the messages used (payment types), shows the message structures with details of the individual structural elements and lists the most important validation rule and error handling.

    Open document

    Implementation Guidelines for credit transfers SPS 2021 (Version 1.11 of February 2021)

    The specifications to the credit transfer (Payment Initiation) cover the entire Swiss payment traffic and enable the submission of payment orders (inclusive SEPA). This document contains instructions for the technical implementation of the ISO 20022 “Customer Credit Transfer Initiation” message (pain.001).

    Open document

    Implementation Guidelines for Cash Management SPS 2021 (Version 1.7.2 of February 2021)

    The specifications to the bank-to-customer message report (cash management) cover the electronic account statements, the debit authorizations and credit advices. They are based on the ISO and the corresponding EPC and SWIFT recommendations. This document contains instructions for the technical implementation of the "Bank To Customer Account Report" (camt.052), "Bank To Customer Statement" (camt.053) and "Bank To Customer Debit/Credit Notification" (camt.054).

    Open document

    Implementation Guidelines for Swiss direct debits SPS 2018 (Version 1.2 of April 2018)

    The definitions for Swiss direct debits cover the banks schemes (LSV+/BDD) and the PostFinance scheme (CH-DD direct debit) and enable the collection of direct debits using the ISO 20022 standard:

    ● version 1 for the CH-DD direct debit scheme and
    ● version 2 for the LSV+/BDD schemes

    Open document

    Implementation Guidelines for Status Report SPS 2021 (Version 1.1.2 of February 2021)

    The XML message "Customer Payment Status Report" (pain.002) is used by the financial institution to inform customers about the status of "pain.001" transfer orders or "pain.008" collection orders that have been sent. These documents serve as instructions for the technical implementation of the ISO 20022 message "Customer Payment Status Report" (pain.002).

    Open document

    Implementation Guidelines for SEPA direct debits SPS 2021 (Version 2.7 of December 2021)

    The EPC specifications form the basis of the Swiss SEPA direct debit guidelines. These documents serve as instructions for the technical implementation of the ISO 20022 message «Customer Direct Debit Initiation» (pain.008) for SEPA direct debits. The use of the respective version must be agreed upon with the financial institution.

    Open document

  • Change Request for Implementation Guidelines

    Submission via consultations@paymentstandards.ch

    Open document

  • Implementation Guidelines for credit transfers SPS 2022

    Version 2.0, with effect from 18 November 2022

    Open document

  • Implementation Guidelines for Cash Management SPS 2022

    Version 2.0, with effect from 18 November 2022

    Open document

  • Implementation Guidelines for Status Report SPS 2022

    Version 2.0, with effect from 18 November 2022

    Open document

Versions of February 2020

Versions of February 2019

Versions of January 2018

Versions of December 2017

Version of September 2017

Versions of August 2017

Version of February 2019

Versions of January 2018

Versions of December 2017

Version of September 2017

Versions of August 2017

Versions of May 2017

Version of March 2017

Versions of November 2016

Versions of July 2016

Versions of December 2015

Versions of August 2015

Version of April 2015

Versions of June 2013

September Submission of amendments
  Deadline for submission of change requests for the next SPS release (to be published in February of next year). At the same time, the deadline for submitting change requests for the next SPS release begins.
October Publication of planned amendments
  The amendments planned up to this point will be published and any feedback will be sought.
November End time for feedback on planned amendments
  Expiry of time period for feedback on planned amendments
February Publication of the annual SPS release
  The updated version of the documents will be published as annual release SPS SR20nn.
April Update of the SIX Validation Portal
  The SPS annual release definitions published in February can be tested on the SIX validation portal.
November Implementation by banks
  The SPS annual release definitions published in February are supported by the banks as of the SIC release date.
Completed consultations Start End
› Detailed Information about planned changes in SPS 2022 (new ISO 20022 Version)
Consultation report from 16 July 2021		 10.05.2021 21.05.2021
› High Level Information about planned changes in SPS 2022 (new ISO 20022 Version)
Consultation report from 31 May 2021		 06.04.2021 20.04.2021
› Swiss Implementation Guidelines for credit transfers & Cash Management & Status Report
Consultation report from 20 January 2021		 19.10.2020 27.11.2020
› Swiss Business Rules; Swiss Implementation Guidelines for credit transfers & Cash Management
Consultation report from 20 January 2020		 14.10.2019 29.11.2019
› Swiss Business Rules; Swiss Implementation Guidelines for credit transfers & Cash Management
Consultation report from 11 February 2019		 5.11.2018 30.11.2018
› Swiss Implementation Guidelines QR-bill
Consultation report (in German) from 15 November 2018		 31.7.2018 23.9.2018

Validation Portal Customer-Bank Messages

The validation portal serves to promote the uniform application of the ISO 20022 standard for payments in the Swiss financial center. It supports software providers/corporates and financial institutions in their effort to ensure a high quality of the technical validation of ISO 20022 messages.

The central validation portal of the financial center checks the conformity of generated XML messages with the regulations in the Swiss Business Rules and Implementation Guidelines.

Link to Validation Portal Customer-Bank Messages

Interbank Messages

The Implementation Guidelines, which contain the rules mutually agreed upon by Swiss interbank governance bodies and committees, are binding for all SIC participants. A validation platform has been created to support the uniform application of ISO 20022 interbank messages.

Implementation Guidelines

A modular approach was used for the structure of the Implementation Guidelines. The document modules – one for each ISO 20022 message type – contain message-specific information as well as instructions on the application-specific handling of individual elements.

Downloads for the SIC Platform Release 4.9 of 18.11.2022

Package 1 of 5.11.2021: base document and payments

Package 2 of 30.11.2021: sight deposit account transfers, liquidity management, queries and clearing day information

Package 3 of 17.12.2021: recapitulations, settlement confirmation and return request

Downloads for the SIC Platform Release 4.8 of 19.11.2021 (incl. Errata of 20.07.2021)

Version of 20 November 2020

Version of 15 November 2019

Version of 16 November 2018

Version of 17 November 2017

Downloads pertaining to the introduction of Viseca as a new third-party system in SIC from 8 June 2017

Version of 18 November 2016

Version of 18 November 2016

Version of 2 July 2015

Version of 16 April 2015

Validation portal Interbank Messages

The validation portal interbank messages helps to promote the uniform application of the ISO 20022 standard for SIC and euroSIC payments. It allows financial institutions to ensure a high quality of the technical validation of ISO 20022 interbank messages.

Link to Validation Portal Customer-Bank Messages

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