While the Commission has been active on card payments previously, mostly in the framework of the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) and by applying competition law (see the Commission's Decisions addressed to MasterCard and Visa), internet and mobile payments are relatively new policy fields at European level.
Kuigi komisjon on varem tegelenud maksekaartidega, seda peamiselt ühtse euromakseala raames ja kohaldades konkurentsiseadust (vt komisjoni otsused MasterCard'i ja Visa kohta), on interneti- ja mobiilimaksed Euroopa tasandil suhteliselt uued poliitikavaldkonnad.