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EU Intensifies Scrutiny of Visa and Mastercard Fee Structures

By  |  June 3, 2025

European Union antitrust officials are ramping up their investigation into Visa and Mastercard’s fee practices, distributing new questionnaires to retailers and payment providers in a move that underscores growing regulatory concern over transparency in the card payment industry.

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    According to Reuters, the questionnaires, sent out Tuesday, follow an earlier round of inquiries conducted nearly two months ago and signal a more advanced phase of the EU’s preliminary probe. The European Commission appears to be weighing whether greater clarity and consistency in how fees are presented could address long-standing grievances from merchants and financial firms.

    Visa and Mastercard, which together process approximately two-thirds of euro zone card transactions, impose scheme fees for network participation and related services. These charges have drawn criticism for being opaque and overly complex. Per Reuters, regulators are now specifically exploring whether a standardized, easy-to-understand breakdown of fees — clearly categorized and described — would help resolve those issues.

    Related: EU Expands Antitrust Probe Into Visa and Mastercard Fees, Seeks Industry Input

    The 11-page document sent to stakeholders queries whether any revisions to the companies’ contracts, including terms and pricing structures, should follow “objective, transparent, general and non-discriminatory criteria.” Additionally, the questionnaires probe how penalties imposed by Visa and Mastercard are communicated to businesses. Officials want to determine whether requiring separate invoices for fines could enhance accountability and give recipients a clearer pathway to dispute them.

    According to Reuters, the survey also asks whether a clearer explanation of the fine process would aid businesses in understanding the grounds for penalties and asserting their rights.

    Source: Reuters