Update: What Brexit means for GoCardless – and our customers

Recent political developments suggest that the UK will remain in the EU until 31 January 2020, unless a withdrawal agreement is ratified before that date. As we set out in this post last November, we’re prepared for all outcomes, meaning that no matter what happens with Brexit we’ll continue to process payments for businesses based in the EU and for SEPA merchants as usual.

What if there is a ‘no deal’?

In the event of a hard Brexit or ‘no deal’, we plan to use our French legal entity, GoCardless SAS, to serve customers based in the EEA. GoCardless SAS is authorised by The Autorité de contrôle prudentiel et de résolution (ACPR) to provide payment services within the EU. 

If this happens, we will need to make small changes to our contracts with some customers, for example making it clear which GoCardless entity is providing the regulated services. If this is needed, we’ll be in touch directly with those affected. 

We don’t envisage any disruption to service for our customers, partners or payers.

What does this mean for SEPA users?

GoCardless provides customers with the ability to collect payments from the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), through the SEPA Direct Debit scheme.

SEPA currently includes the 28 EU member states, and a number of non-EU countries and territories like Norway. On 7 March 2019, the European Payments Council (EPC), which operates SEPA, ruled that the UK can remain in the bloc’s Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) regardless of the outcome of Brexit.

For GoCardless customers who use the SEPA scheme, this means no change to service – we’ll continue to process SEPA payments for you as usual, no matter what happens with Brexit.

Please visit our Support Centre for further information.