On 2 May 2019, Advocate General Szpunar provided an opinion following a request for a preliminary ruling from the Austrian Supreme Court concerning the interpretation of Article 9(2) of Regulation (EU) No 260/2012 (the SEPA Regulation).

The Advocate General’s opinion makes the following conclusion:

“On a proper construction of Article 9(2) of Regulation (EU) No 260/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 March 2012 establishing technical and business requirements for credit transfers and direct debits in euro and amending Regulation (EC) No 924/2009, as amended by Regulation (EU) No 248/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 February 2014, a payee is prohibited from making payment under the single euro payments area (SEPA) direct debit scheme dependent on the payer’s place of residence being in the Member State in which the payee also has his establishment (residence).”