TEMPE, Ariz. – Global e-commerce solutions provider CCBill has expanded its European direct-debit solution to include SEPA (Single Euro Payments Area). According to a company spokesperson, the launch creates opportunities for merchants to conduct transactions in 32 countries across Europe via a payment type millions of European consumers are comfortable using.

“The expansion of our direct-debit options to include SEPA is significant for a couple of reasons,” said Gary Jackson, managing vice president for sales and internet markets. “First, it provides merchants with a reliable and trusted payment processing service they can use to reach literally hundreds of millions of consumers.

“Second, for the past several years the European market has been growing in terms of generating online business, while at the same time not having a common purchase methodology between the region’s countries,” he continued. “With this release, the growth possibilities to include any consumer with a bank account are something any merchant can now consider.”

The European Union is rolling out SEPA to assist in the standardization of how banks across the globe work together. Intended to make cross-border payments easier by combining separate, country-specific markets into one, the SEPA initiative makes cashless payments in the Euro area as easy as cash payments, according to Jason Kirk, CCBill’s vice president of product development.

“The unveiling of direct debit for SEPA will undoubtedly improve consumer, merchant and banking efficiency by standardizing common ideals and procedures around the world,” Kirk said. “Working in a similar fashion to our EU debit options that have been in place for consumers in Germany, Austria and the Netherlands, the consumer simply makes a specialized bank transfer payment to the merchant and performs an electronic signature to authorize it — which makes [SEPA] ideal for recurring transactions and cross-sales alike.”

CCBill merchants that have EU debit enabled on their account will find the SEPA direct debit payment option automatically available. Those who would like to enable EU debit may contact the 24/7 CCBill support team at 800-510-2859.

An e-commerce platform serving the adult entertainment industry since 1998, CCBill offers a comprehensive suite of tools and services. The company processes payments for more than 30,000 websites worldwide.

For more information, visit CCBill.com.