The European Union (EU) is a political and economic union of 27 countries with a unified set of rules for consumer rights, tax compliance, data protection, and financial services. For payments, this includes mandates like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the Payment Services Directive (PSD2), and Value-Added Tax (VAT) compliance. Merchants operating in or selling to the EU must adhere to these regulations to avoid penalties and maintain customer trust.

If your business serves EU customers, you’ll need to account for strong customer authentication (SCA), localized checkout experiences, and transparent pricing. AltoPay supports EU compliance with solutions like localized merchant accounts, 3DS2 authentication, and VAT-friendly invoice structures. Staying current with regulatory changes in the EU is important — as failure to comply could impact approval rates, customer retention, or processing privileges. Understanding the EU’s approach to privacy and finance helps align your global strategy.