Seven mobile payment companies that have a combined 25 million customers in Europe have launched an association called the European Mobile Payment Systems Association in a bid to foster collaboration and enable the development of mobile payments internationally. 

The founding companies include Bancontact Payconiq Co. of Belgium, Bluecode, of Germany and Austria, MobilePay of Finland and Denmark, Sibs/MB Way, of Portugal, Twint of Switzerland and Norway-based Vipps, with additional mobile payment companies and countries expected to join the association. 

"EMPSA is the key initiative for Europe to create its own standards and to build a competitive, interoperable European framework to win back lost terrain in the payments space," Christian Pirkner of Bluecode said in a release from the association. 

The Zurich-based association is chaired by Soren Mose, chairman of Twint and vice-chaired by Anna-Lena Wretman, CEO of Swish. Anton Stadelmann, deputy CEO and CFO fo Twint, is secretary general of the organization. 

Cover image courtesy EMPSA.