# The Payment Card Interchange Fee Regulations 2015, Regulation 4A: Directions: payment card schemes


(1) The Payment Systems Regulator may give a direction in writing to any person who is—
(a) accountable for the functioning of a payment card scheme;
(b) an operator of a payment card scheme;
(c) a payment service provider;
(d) a processing entity;
(e) a technical service provider providing services in relation to a payment card scheme.
(2) A direction under paragraph (1) may be given in relation to—
(a) the imposition of interchange fees by a payment service provider;
(b) the information to be provided in relation to such fees;
(c) the operations, rules and practices of a person referred to in paragraph (1), including the information which must be provided by that person to specified people and in specified circumstances;
(d) the terms on which payments services are provided in relation to payment card schemes or card-based payment transactions or fees may be charged for those services.
(3) A direction may only be given under paragraph (2)(c) or (d) for the following purposes—
(a) to ensure the separation of a payment card scheme and processing entities;
(b) to regulate the use by a payment card scheme of terms, conditions, practices, rules or restrictions which may affect the cost and ease of—
(i) payees accepting payments by payment card, and
(ii) payers making payments by payment card;
(c) to ensure the interoperability of systems in relation to processing entities;
(d) to ensure transparency as to the fees charged and the terms on which an individual card-based payment transaction is made;
(e) to prevent the use of territorial restrictions within the United Kingdom or rules having an equivalent effect in—
(i) licensing agreements, or
(ii) the rules of a payment card scheme for issuing payment cards or acquiring card-based payment transactions; or
(f) to support the co-badging of payment brands or payment applications.
(4) A direction under paragraph (1) may—
(a) require or prohibit the taking of specified action in relation to any payment card scheme;
(b) set standards to be met—
(i) by any person referred to in paragraph (1), or
(ii) by or in relation to any card-based payment transaction or payment card scheme.
(5) A direction setting standards under paragraph (4)(b) may require—
(a) the establishment of rules relating to—
(i) the operation of a payment card scheme;
(ii) the provision of payment services, payment transaction processing services or technical services in relation to a payment card scheme;
(iii) licensing agreements entered into in relation to a payment card scheme;
(b) the amendment of the rules in a specified way or to achieve a specified purpose;
(c) the notification to the Payment Systems Regulator of any proposed change to the rules;
(d) the approval of the Payment Systems Regulator for any amendment to the rules.
(6) A requirement imposed under paragraph (5)(c) or (d) may be general or specific.
(7) A direction may apply in relation to—
(a) a specified person,
(b) all persons referred to in one or more sub-paragraphs of paragraph (1), or
(c) to a specified class of such persons.
(8) A direction that applies as mentioned in paragraph (7)(b) or (c) is referred to in this Part as a “general direction”.
(9) The Payment Systems Regulator must publish any general direction.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015/1911/regulation/4A (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/payment-card-interchange-fee-regulations-2015/regulation-4A
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.