One of the main objectives of the Community is to ensure the proper functioning of the internal market, of which payment services are an essential part. In a context of rapid innovation and technological progress, it is important for the internal market to have sound, user-friendly, efficient and secure payment systems, for the benefit of service providers and users alike.

In accordance with the better regulation principles, the Commission attaches great importance to properly consulting the different stakeholders, in particular payment service providers and users in developing the policy regarding payment systems. For this purpose, the Commission may need to call upon the expertise of specialists in an advisory body.

It is therefore necessary to set up a group of experts in the field of payment systems and to define its tasks and its structure.

As stated in its White Paper on Financial Services Policy 2005-2010, the Commission attaches a high importance to having a proportionate user representation. Therefore, the Group should help the Commission to benefit from the most adequate representation of interested parties.

The Group should be composed of individuals with the requisite expertise in the area of payment systems. It should, however, be limited to representatives of private stakeholders, since public authorities and central banks have their own consultative group in the field of payment systems.

The Group should assist the Commission in the preparation and in the implementation of the policy regarding payment systems.