National retail payments strategy

National retail payments strategy 2019-2024 

The second National Strategy for Cashless Payment Instruments, covering the period 2019-2024, is divided into three main parts:

• Part 1 - Continuing, in the wake of the previous strategy established in 2015, the work to promote secure electronic means of payment for the benefit of the economy;
• Part 2 - Expediting and fostering the deployment of innovations, in order to encourage the emergence of new payment practices in an environment of trust;
• Part 3 - Contributing to European efforts to deepen the single market for payments.

This five-year roadmap was endorsed by the Comité national des paiements scripturaux (CNPS) – the French National Payments Committee – in February 2019. Its ambition is to continue the works initiated after the publication of the first national strategy, and to tackle emerging challenges in the world of payments.

National retail payments strategy 2015-2018

The first national retail payments strategy was presented by Michel Sapin, Minister of Economy and Finance, in October 2015. The objectives of this first step were both to spur the development of innovative payment solutions and to reinforce the competitiveness of the French retail payments industry.

The first national retail payments strategy was divided into four main parts:

• Part 1 – Better fit to the needs of users;
• Part 2 – Reinforce the security of payment instruments;
• Part 3 – Increase the competitiveness of the French retail payments industry;
• Part 4 – Improve governance in the field of retail payments. 

The creation of the Comité national des paiements scripturaux (CNPS) – the French National Payments Committee – was the cornerstone of part 4. Still active, the Committee is in charge of coordinating the implementation of measures pertaining to the strategy.