European payments council says it’s complying with EU rules

The European Payments Council, a banking industry group, said its efforts to set up a standard for online payments aren’t breaking antitrust rules in the region.

“The EPC does not support the allegations that its work in this area could potentially discriminate against any market participants,” the Brussels-based group said in an e-mailed statement today.

The EPC, whose members include HSBC Holdings Plc and Deutsche Bank AG, faces a European Union antitrust probe into a system for payments via the Internet, the European Commission said yesterday. This followed a complaint from a German payment provider.