Update 27/08/26:
An announcement made by SWIFT to extend structured address migration for ISO 20022 payment messages may lead to a change in the planning below. Isabel will follow up closely with Febelfin.
As of 15 November 2026, updated rules on the use of addresses in payment files will enter into force for credit transfers and direct debits. As part of ongoing anti-money laundering requirements, addresses included in these files must be provided in either a hybrid or structured format. Unstructured addresses will no longer be allowed.
If you file is not compliant : please verify with your software vendor how to enable the new address format.
Information for software developers:
Payments that do not comply with these rules may be rejected during processing or execution.
These rules apply to:
Credit transfers in the formats pain.001.001.03 and pain.001.001.09
SEPA direct debits in the formats pain.008.001.02 and pain.008.001.08
The updated specifications are available on the Febelfin website:
https://febelfin.be/en/publications/2023/febelfin-banking-standards-for-online-banking
According to our statistics, a significant amount of files are not yet compliant with these new requirements. We therefore strongly encourage you to plan and implement the necessary changes as soon as possible to ensure a smooth transition. Rejected payments may lead to unnecessary costs, operational issues, and user frustration.
Technical guidelines
We strongly recommend ensuring that any address included in your files — whether for the debtor, creditor, or bank — complies with these updated rules.
Some banks may tolerate certain non-compliant address formats, depending on the payment type and the address concerned. However, we strongly recommend complying with the strictest interpretation of the rules in order to minimise the risk of rejection.