Some of Europe’s largest retailers and digital commerce groups have urged the European Commission to act decisively against what they describe as exorbitant and opaque card payment fees charged by Visa and Mastercard, warning that unchecked costs are undermining competitiveness and stifling innovation within the bloc.
In a joint letter dated 13 May 2025, influential trade bodies including EuroCommerce, Ecommerce Europe, Independent Retail Europe, and others representing companies such as Amazon, Aldi, Carrefour, eBay, H&M, Ikea, and Marks & Spencer called for sweeping regulatory action.
They allege that Visa and Mastercard, which process roughly two-thirds of all eurozone card payments, have raised fees by nearly 34% between 2018 and 2022 without offering merchants or consumers any measurable improvement in service.
“International Card Schemes (ICS) have been able to increase their fees without competitive challenge or regulatory scrutiny,” the groups said, accusing the US-based companies of crafting a complex and opaque fee structure that makes it “impossible” for retailers to understand or challenge the costs they face.
The retailers are calling on the Commission to take robust measures under EU antitrust rules, including:
- Price regulation of interchange and scheme fees
- Transparency and non-discrimination obligations on international card schemes
- Monitoring mechanisms to scrutinise fee changes or rule updates by Visa and Mastercard
They argue that such reforms are essential to ensure fair competition, predictable pricing, and a level playing field for alternative payment systems and fintech entrants.
The mounting complaints from Europe’s commercial sector are one of several pressures prompting the EU to explore alternative digital payment infrastructures, including a digital euro. However, legislative inertia and delayed implementation have led to frustration among some policymakers and business leaders who see a growing overreliance on American card networks.
In response, Visa defended its fee structure, arguing that its charges reflect the value it delivers in areas such as security, fraud prevention, operational reliability, and consumer protections. “Visa’s services offer high levels of security and innovation that benefit merchants and consumers alike,” a spokesperson said.
Mastercard declined to comment.
The letter, which was addressed to top EU officials including antitrust chief Teresa Ribera, financial services commissioner Maria Luís Albuquerque, and economy chief Valdis Dombrovskis, signals increasing industry impatience with the status quo.
The retailers’ push adds weight to broader calls for Europe to curb dominance by foreign payment giants and develop a more autonomous and transparent digital payments ecosystem.
