PSD2 Access to Bank Accounts

Based on the requirements of the revised Payment Services Directive (EU 2015/2366, also known as PSD2) and of the European Banking Authority Regulatory Technical Standards (EBA RTS), Berlin Group NextGenPSD2 has worked on a detailed 'Access to Account  (XS2A) Open Banking Framework' with data model (at conceptual, logical and physical data levels) and associated messaging.

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Berlin Group NextGenPSD2 has been implemented in all EU countries (mostly on a national basis), in several non-EU countries in Europe and in countries outside Europe who are focused on maintaining reachability and compatibility with the European market. More than 75% of European banks and hundreds of Third Party Providers (TPPs) have implemented the Berlin Group NextGenPSD2 Framework.

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While the NextGenPSD2 Framework is considered as finalised and mature, any new PSD2-relevant clarifications from EBA or National Competent Authorities (NCAs) will continue to be integrated into the NextGenPSD2 Framework. Since 1 January 2021 the NextGenPSD2 Framework has become an integrated part of the Berlin Group openFinance Framework. The openFinance Framework aims to leverage the NextGenPSD2 Framework technology and infrastructure investments with standardised Open Finance extensions beyond the regulatory PSD2 scope that will enable bank customers (consumer or corporate account owners), directly or via a Third Party Provider (TPP), to access bank accounts for commercial premium services and data.

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Please Note: On this webpage only the 'Archived information' section below may be updated infrequently, when new publications are announced on the dedicated NextGenPSD2 download page. Open Finance updates are provided on the openFinance website.

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History NextGenPSD2

 

Berlin Group NextGenPSD2 developed uniform and interoperable XS2A communications and this helped tremendously to

  • provide TPPs with uniform access to the market and optimal reachability;

  • reduce the PSD2 XS2A complexity and fragmentation risks;

  • save costs and risks on development, documentation, implementation, maintenance, testing and operations;

  • generate better, more, cheaper and faster time-to-market services for bank customers;
     

The NextGenPSD2 Taskforce represented the market supply-side (i.e. banks, payment/banking associations, payment schemes and interbank processors operating in SEPA), which was mandated by PSD2 and EBA RTS to provide an XS2A interface and is also liable for any operational damages. The NextGenPSD2 Framework covers the requirements from almost 70 participants from more than 25 payment communities on amongst others consent models, SCA architectures and related payment products for retail and corporate business.

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The NextGenPSD2 Taskforce was supported by several Working Groups, by a NextGenPSD2 Advisory Group & Board and with feedback via market consultations and other direct channels. Since 2021 the NextGenPSD2 Taskforce migrated into the openFinance Taskforce and the Advisory Group & Board migrated into the openFinance Advisory Group & Board.

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NextGenPSD2 Deliverables

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The NextGenPSD2 Framework itself is built of 4 artefacts, which are all published for free under Creative Commons (CC-BY-ND):​

  1. An Introductions Paper;

  2. An Operational Rules document that covers the service description, abstract (logical) data model and detailed process flow descriptions in a B2B interface;

  3. Implementation Guidelines that specify the XS2A interface in technical detail, including XML/JSON schemas. In addition to the core Implementation Guidelines, an Appendix document with domestic payment definitions has been published.

  4. An OpenAPI file that helps implementers during development;

 

The documents were and are still used by banks and TPPs for implementing PSD2-required bank account access. Technical errata, clarifications and additional functionality required by EBA or NCAs might still be published here where you can also find all above-mentioned and updated NextGenPSD2 deliverables available for download.

 

Implementation Related Information

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While the NextGenPSD2 Framework focuses on standardisation and implementation support is out of scope, the NextGenPSD2 Taskforce would still like to make sure that TPPs are able to find NextGenPSD2 implementers and are involved and supported for testing. This section provides links to NextGenPSD2 implementation support sites where TPPs can register for testing and find testing support (from e.g. test directories with BICs of banks, URL testsandboxes, NextGenPSD2 version information, etc.):
 


Any new implementer support information can be sent to info@berlin-group.org and will, after validation, be listed here as well.