The European Payments Consulting Association (EPCA), a group of independent consultancies specialising in payments systems and products, has increased its membership to six, extending its operations to include the Netherlands, Turkey and France.
The EPCA currently has operations in Germany, Denmark and the UK. Founded in 2001 by Frankfurt-based PaySys Consultancy, Copenhagen's PlusCon and Payment Systems Europe in London, the objectives of the organisation are to link independent payment consulting companies across Europe, share experience and collectively bid for pan European assignments.
The new members are French firm smartdreams, which focuses on payments software and services, the Netherlands' S Lelieveldt Consulting which specialises in regulations governing e-payments, and Istanbul-based Arti Stratejik Management Consultants.
By partnering with five larger firms, S Lelieveldt says its is able to support a wider range of assignments in both the Netherlands and Belgium. Arti Stratejik says membership of EPCA will allow it to extend its skills and knowledge base, particularly as many Turkish customers expect assignments based on the Western European market.
Hugo Godschalk, chairman, EPCA, says the association is now able to deliver payments research and consulting assignments in all the major EU countries and the new additions make EPCA the largest independent specialist payments consulting association in Europe.
"We are now actively seeking new members in Spain, Italy and Greece," adds Godschalk.