January 29, 2009
PADERBORN, Germany — Wincor Nixdorf is moving toward the new European standard Electronic Protocols Application Software, which is now available as part of the introduction of Single European Payments Area for integrating cashless payment solutions in checkouts.
At its Wincor World trade fair, Wincor Nixdorf demonstrated the BEETLE /M-II with the POS application TP.net, which is equipped with the EPAS Retailer Protocol. This interface standard, which was created as part of the introduction of SEPA in Europe, specifies the protocols for cashless payment solutions. The EPAS standard consists of three parts: a retailer protocol, an acquirer protocol and a terminal management protocol.
EPAS is the basis for standardized integration in SEPA (European Union and European Free Trade Association countries) of cashless payment systems in retailing and the service station sector. In the long term, it will replace the wide range of different interfaces currently used in Europe.
The EPAS standard not only enables quicker and easier integration of traditional card-based payment solutions on a standardized platform, but also allows links to innovative technology and payment methods, such as mobile payment, biometrics and near field communication solutions.