On the 8 October 2015 the European Parliament voted to pass the Payment Services Directive 2 (PSD2). This was aimed at providing increased flexibility and security to customers in the execution of electronic payments within the EU. It ensures that all major regulated institutions in Ireland will operate under one unified regulatory framework.
This directive requires Regulated Financial Institutions to provide access to customer accounts via dedicated interfaces in a secure and effective manner. The regulation aims to help drive innovation in the European market and increase competitiveness through providing a level playing field. This directive was transposed into national law of the European Union countries in January 2018.