EMVCo Publishes CCD/CPA Card Type Approval Process Documents

Vendors invited to submit CCD and CPA card products for testing and approval.

San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) February 28, 2007 -- EMVCo, the EMV chip card standards body jointly owned by JCB, MasterCard Worldwide and Visa International, has launched a Card Type Approval process for Common Core Definitions (CCD) and Common Payment Application (CPA) compliant cards. Corresponding documentation is available on the EMVCo website, www.emvco.com.

This process is a common initiative which will offer providers of CCD and CPA compliant cards a 'one stop' Card Type Approval which is recognised by the three payment system members of EMVCo: JCB, MasterCard Worldwide and Visa International.

Card Type Approval is verification by EMVCo that a specific card product has demonstrated conformance to the EMV Specifications. The EMVCo Card Type Approval process includes the Card Type Approval Process for CCD and CPA card providers, the EMVCo Auditor Qualification Requirements (CCD and CPA Functional Evaluation) and the EMVCo Laboratory Accreditation Requirements (CCD and CPA Functional Evaluation). It outlines the processes to be followed by chip providers, card product providers, EMVCo qualified auditors and EMVCo accredited laboratories.

"The availability of the EMVCo Card Type Approval process, which includes both functional and security evaluations, enables vendors to register with EMVCo and submit CCD or CPA products to accredited EMVCo laboratories for testing and approval," says Kazuhiro Matsumoto, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Global Infrastructure and Technologies at JCB Co., Ltd. and member of the EMVCo Executive Committee. "It also outlines the relevant criteria for auditors and laboratories seeking EMVCo qualification and accreditation respectively."

Art Kranzley, Group Executive, Advanced Payments at MasterCard Worldwide and Chairman of the EMVCo Executive Committee, comments: "One of the primary benefits of the EMVCo Card Type Approval process is that it offers vendors, and their customers, an increased level of confidence that interoperability and consistent behaviour between compliant applications have been achieved. It also allows vendors to obtain one common approval that is recognised by all three payment systems, thus saving time and money."

Gaylon Howe, Executive Vice President of Global Strategy, Products and Innovation at Visa International and member of the EMVCo Executive Committee, adds: "Since the launch of the CPA Specification in December 2005, EMVCo has worked diligently to develop test requirements and establish a functional and security testing process for cards implementing CPA. Now that the EMVCo Card Type Approval process documents have been delivered and test tools are being qualified, everything is in place for CCD and CPA based card products to be fully and confidently implemented by the industry."

For further information on the EMVCo Card Type Approval please visit www.emvco.com.

For further media information, please contact Lee'ann Kaufman / Sarah Jones at iseepr on +44 (0)113 274 5252.

Notes to editors:
About EMVCo
EMVCo LLC was formed in February 1999 by Europay International, MasterCard International and Visa International to manage, maintain and enhance the EMV™ Integrated Circuit Card Specifications for Payment Systems. With the acquisition of Europay by MasterCard in 2002 and JCB Co. Ltd. joining the organisation in 2004, EMVCo is currently operated by JCB Co. Ltd., MasterCard Worldwide and Visa International.

EMVCo's primary role is to manage, maintain and enhance the EMV Integrated Circuit Card Specifications to ensure interoperability and acceptance of payment system integrated circuit cards on a worldwide basis.

EMVCo is also responsible for a type approval process that defines test requirements and test cases that are used for terminal compliance testing. This testing ensures that a single terminal approval process is developed at a level that will allow cross payment system interoperability through compliance with the EMV specifications. Additional information can be found at www.emvco.com.

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