In the area of electronic payment transactions, a technological changeover with far-reaching consequences was imminent: the previous MBS standard (Multi Bank Standard), which was used in the corporate customer sector in particular, will finally be discontinued at the end of 2025.
It will be replaced by the uniform European standard EBICS (Electronic Banking Internet Communication Standard) - a secure, harmonised transmission protocol for bank data that has already been successfully established in several EU countries.
We are equipped
As your tax consultancy firm, we have already been working in the background on the technical adaptation of our systems to the new standard and have fully implemented it. As support for MBS expires at the end of 2025, it was important to take the necessary steps in good time to ensure a smooth transition.
MBS - an outdated standard with an expiry date
The MBS standard has been the common solution for data transmission in business banking in Austria for many years. Well-known systems based on it include Telebanking MBS (Erste Bank and Sparkassen) and ELBA MBS (Raiffeisen Group).
The last major update was in 2017 - since then, the standard has not been further developed. Continued operation is security-critical: systems that are not regularly maintained harbour increased risks for data integrity and cyber security.
EBICS: The new standard for modern payment transactions
EBICS is a powerful, European harmonised standard that makes communication between companies and banks efficient, secure and future-proof. Account statements, payment orders and other bank data can be transferred automatically via EBICS, just as they were previously with MBS. The standard supports modern data formats such as CAMT.053, which are required for real-time transfers, for example. New functions and security mechanisms are constantly being developed.
Automated bank data import: efficiency for accounting
A key argument in favour of the rapid switch to EBICS is the possibility of continuing to transfer bank transactions to the accounting system on a daily basis and in a semi-automated manner. The import of bank statement data (e.g. in CAMT.053 format) makes it possible to minimise sources of error while at the same time increasing processing quality and efficiency. The prerequisite for this is a functioning interface between your accounting software and the bank server, as well as corresponding read access to the bank account, which must be set up at the respective bank.
Recommendation for entrepreneurs
New companies or those just starting out in payment transactions are already starting directly with EBICS. Companies that are currently still working with MBS should plan for the changeover in the 4th quarter of 2025 at the latest and request it from their bank advisor in order to avoid data disruptions and technical complications. New interfaces and bank connections will be implemented exclusively on the basis of EBICS.
Conclusion: act now, make the switch
The discontinuation of the MBS standard is fixed - continued operation from 2026 is not possible. The introduction of EBICS not only brings higher security standards, but also more options for automated payment transactions and integrated accounting.
We will be happy to support you with the changeover and coordination with your bank as well as with the implementation of the accounting connection. Contact us if you have any questions about technical or organisational implementation.
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