Brussels, 16/06/2011 (Agence Europe) - Last week, the member states made an agreement in principle on the proposed regulation bringing in the following deadlines for the introduction of two financial products corresponding to the planned Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA): - 1st February 2013 for credit transfers; - 1st February 2014 for direct debits. The legislative proposal confirms that on 1st November 2012, multilateral interchange fees (MIF) of 8.8 euro cents to pay for these payment services to be set up will go. On Monday 20 June, the Ecofin Council will approve this agreement without debate, unless the French delegation, which is not happy to see the MIF go, openly expresses its opposition. According to Paris, which sees this as a question of principle, the compromise reached by qualified majority will allow Germany and Spain to keep their multilateral interchange fees, whereas France will lose them. The European Savings Bank Group (ESBG) also opposes the removal of the MIF. (M.B./transl.fl)