Some of Europe’s largest retailers and e-commerce companies have urged the European Commission to address what they describe as excessive and opaque fees charged by Visa and Mastercard. In a letter dated May 13, the group argued that the high costs imposed by the two U.S. payment giants are damaging the competitiveness of the European Union and creating barriers for rival payment systems. Visa and Mastercard currently dominate the card payment market in the eurozone, handling around two-thirds of all transactions.
The retailers allege that the companies have raised their scheme fees significantly in recent years without regulatory scrutiny or competitive checks. A 2024 report by The Brattle Group cited in the letter found a 33.9% cumulative increase in such fees between 2018 and 2022 — far outpacing inflation — without any noticeable improvement in service for merchants or consumers in the EU. The retailers also complained about a lack of fee transparency, saying the current system is so complex that many businesses don’t understand what they’re paying for.
These concerns have added pressure on EU authorities to accelerate the development of alternatives, such as a digital euro, to reduce reliance on American payment systems. However, the slow legislative progress on digital currency has frustrated both policymakers and businesses hoping for a competitive solution. The letter was sent to key EU officials, including the bloc’s antitrust chief Teresa Ribera, financial services commissioner Maria LuĂs Albuquerque, and economy chief Valdis Dombrovskis.
The letter was signed by major retail and industry groups including EuroCommerce, Ecommerce Europe, and the European Digital Payments Industry Alliance. Member companies represented in the lobbying effort include well-known names such as Amazon, Aldi, Carrefour, H&M, Ikea, eBay, and Marks & Spencer. The signatories called on the European Commission to act under EU antitrust laws, impose price controls on scheme fees, and introduce clearer transparency requirements and regulatory oversight of Visa and Mastercard’s pricing structures.