Some of Europe’s biggest retailers and e-commerce companies have called on the European Commission to address what they describe as excessive and opaque fees imposed by United States payments giants Visa and Mastercard.
In a joint letter sent this week, the group warned that such fees are undermining the EU’s competitiveness and stifling market competition.
Visa and Mastercard, which together process roughly two-thirds of all card transactions in the euro zone, have long faced criticism from European merchants over the cost and complexity of their services. The retailers argue that the lack of regulatory oversight has allowed the companies to steadily increase their charges.
“International Card Schemes have been able to increase their fees without competitive challenge or regulatory scrutiny,” the groups wrote in the letter dated May 13 and seen by Reuters. “They have also rendered their system of fees and rules so complex and opaque that players are unable to understand, let alone challenge, what they are paying for and why.”
The complaint references a 2024 report by consultancy The Brattle Group, which found that ICS fees rose by nearly 34% between 2018 and 2022 — averaging 7.6% per year, excluding inflation — without noticeable improvements in service quality for EU merchants or consumers.
Visa defended its pricing, saying the fees reflect the value its services provide to banks, merchants, and consumers in Europe, including strong fraud protection, operational reliability, and innovative offerings. Mastercard declined to comment.
The appeal to the Commission was addressed to competition chief Teresa Ribera, financial services commissioner Maria Luís Albuquerque, and economy chief Valdis Dombrovskis.
Frustration over the dominance of American payment networks has led EU officials to explore alternatives, such as the introduction of a digital euro. However, delays in the legislative process for such initiatives have raised concerns among both policymakers and businesses.
The letter’s signatories include major trade associations such as EuroCommerce, Ecommerce Europe, and Independent Retail Europe. Among the member companies are retail giants and platforms including Aldi, Amazon, Carrefour, eBay, H&M, Ikea, Intersport, Marks & Spencer, Worldline, Nexi, and Teya.
The coalition is urging the Commission to take concrete steps: enforce EU antitrust laws against Visa and Mastercard, revise rules on interchange fees, impose price controls, mandate greater transparency, and introduce mechanisms to allow regulators to scrutinize ICS practices.
