Strengthening Bank Al Maghrib capacities in payment systems security, operational resilience and prevention of fraud in payment systems and instrumen...

This is an EU Twinning action under the NDICI Support Programme for Financial Inclusion in Morocco to strengthen Bank Al Maghrib's capacities in payment systems security, operational resilience and prevention and combating of payment fraud. The project has two mandatory components (security and operational resilience; fraud prevention and response), provides institutional cooperation, funds a Resident Twinning Adviser and expert activities, has a maximum EU contribution of €1,000,000 and an implementation period up to 24 months. Only public administrations and mandated bodies of EU Member States may apply through their National Contact Point, with submission to the contracting authority due by 20 January 2027 at 14:00 Brussels time.

What it funds

Scope

A Twinning action to upgrade Bank Al Maghrib (Direction Systèmes et Moyens de Paiement) institutional, legal, technical and operational capacities on payment systems security, cyber and operational resilience, and prevention and monitoring of payment fraud. Activities include comparative analyses, legal and institutional reviews, expert missions, pilot exercises, training, workshops, study visits and development of governance, taxonomies, dashboards and operational roadmaps.

Selection and submission follow the Twinning Manual. Only one proposal per Member State may be submitted via its National Contact Point. Award will be based on methodology and experience of proposed Project Leader, Resident Twinning Adviser and component leaders.

Key facts

Scope, components and main activities

The Twinning project is structured around two mandatory components (volets) and includes expert exchanges, resident adviser support, training, pilot exercises, study visits and legal/institutional reviews. Activities include comparative analyses, benchmarking, development of supervisory methodologies and tools, pilot testing of surveillance and fraud-detection solutions, development of harmonised fraud data taxonomies, governance frameworks, information-sharing mechanisms, operational roadmaps and capacity-building sessions.

Eligibility and who may submit

Only public administrations and mandated bodies of EU Member States, as defined in the Twinning Manual, may submit a proposal. Proposals must be submitted through the National Contact Points for Twinning of the Member States. Each National Contact Point may submit only one Twinning proposal per beneficiary Member State to the contracting authority within the deadline.

Eligibility, co-financing and practical notes

Eligibility is restricted to public administrations and mandated bodies of EU Member States submitting via their National Contact Point for Twinning. The call references the Twinning Manual and its mandatory templates (use of the Twinning proposal template is required). The call is published with a suspensive clause subject to a financing agreement amendment enabling a 24-month duration. The fiche and annexes include profiles, conditions, indicators and a detailed logical framework.

Submission requirements and templates

Twinning proposals must be prepared strictly following the Twinning Manual instructions and using the official Twinning proposal template. The call refers to annexes of the Twinning Manual: administrative compliance and eligibility grid (Annex C6) and evaluation grid for Twinning proposals (Annex C7). Proposals are submitted by the Member State public administration to its National Contact Point for Twinning, which transmits the proposal to the contracting authority by email. National Contact Points set their own internal deadlines for receiving candidate proposals from their administrations.

Summary — what this opportunity is about and how to approach it

This EU-funded Twinning call aims to pair an EU Member State public administration (normally an EU central bank or relevant supervisory authority) with Bank Al-Maghrib in Morocco to transfer European best practices on payment systems security, operational resilience and fraud prevention. The project funds a Resident Twinning Adviser, short-term experts, study visits, training and pilot exercises over a 24-month implementation period and supports the development of governance, supervisory methodologies, technical tools, harmonised fraud data taxonomies and an operational roadmap to prevent and combat payment fraud. Only public administrations and mandated bodies from EU Member States can apply via their National Contact Point for Twinning. Proposals must follow the Twinning Manual templates and demonstrate that the Member State can supply the required senior profiles (Project Leader, RTA/CRJ, component leaders) and methodology to deliver the two mandatory components. The call offers up to €1,000,000 and is published under the EU Support Programme for Financial Inclusion in Morocco. Interested Member State administrations should coordinate internally with their National Contact Point, prepare CVs and supporting documents for the required profiles, develop a clear methodology and workplan for adaptation of EU practices to the Moroccan context and submit the complete Twinning proposal by 20 January 2027, 14:00 Brussels time.

Footnotes

1. 1Consult the Twinning Manual and the National Contact Point in your Member State for the exact proposal template, annex C6 (administrative compliance and eligibility grid) and annex C7 (evaluation grid). The Twinning Manual contains the detailed rules on eligible costs, reporting and model documents required for submission.

Strengthening Bank Al Maghrib capacities in payment systems security, operational resilience and prevention of fraud in payment systems and instruments

This is a standard EU Twinning action under the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument, implemented through the EU Support Programme for Financial Inclusion in Morocco. The project will provide institutional cooperation and peer support to Bank Al Maghrib rather than a conventional open grant for companies, universities or non governmental organisations.

The authoritative Funding and Tenders Portal record is available at EU Funding and Tenders Portal opportunity. The publication reference is EUROPAID/187805/ACT/D/MA and the Twinning project reference is MA 21 NDICI FI 01 25 R.

Opportunity profile

The call is subject to a suspensive clause. Implementation for the planned 24 month period depends on the signature of an amendment to the financing agreement and the related financing decision extending the relevant implementation and operational periods.

Purpose and strategic context

The overall objective is to contribute to the proper functioning and modernisation of the Moroccan payments market in support of greater financial inclusion. The specific objective is to strengthen Bank Al Maghrib capabilities in payment systems security, operational resilience, and prevention and combating of fraud affecting payment systems and instruments.

The action supports Morocco's National Financial Inclusion Strategy and the broader EU programme supporting its implementation. It is intended to increase confidence in electronic payments, strengthen the resilience of the national payments ecosystem, improve supervision of payment risks, and potentially reduce reliance on cash.

The project responds to challenges including fragmented fraud data, inconsistent classification of fraud events, multiple payment channels and fraud typologies, increasing cyber threats, the need for improved incident reporting, and the need for stronger coordination and secure information sharing among payment ecosystem stakeholders.

The action is aligned with relevant European and international frameworks, including PSD2, Commission Delegated Regulation 2018/389 on strong customer authentication and secure communication, European Banking Authority fraud reporting guidance, DORA, NIS2 where relevant, the Eurosystem PISA framework, CPMI IOSCO principles for financial market infrastructures, CPMI IOSCO cyber resilience guidance, ISO 27001, ISO 22301 and PCI DSS.

Who can apply

Only public administrations and mandated bodies of EU Member States, as defined in the Twinning Manual, are eligible to submit a proposal. Applications must be submitted through the relevant National Contact Point for Twinning of the applicant Member State.

Private companies, universities, research organisations, non governmental organisations and Moroccan entities cannot apply as lead applicants under this call. Bank Al Maghrib is the beneficiary administration and is not the applicant competing for selection.

Each EU Member State National Contact Point may submit only one Twinning proposal to the contracting authority. EU Member State administrations should therefore comply with the internal deadline established by their own National Contact Point, which may be earlier than the Commission deadline.

The selected administration is expected to provide officials or equivalent personnel with relevant institutional experience. The model is based on cooperation between Bank Al Maghrib and one or more counterpart administrations or mandated bodies from EU Member States, particularly central banks or comparable public authorities.

Scope of work

The project has two mandatory components. A proposal that does not address both components would not match the published project design.

Component 1: Security and operational resilience

The first component will strengthen Bank Al Maghrib supervision of technological, cyber and operational risks affecting payment systems and payment instruments. Expected work includes development of an integrated risk based supervisory framework, harmonised assessment methodologies, business continuity and incident management approaches, cyber resilience methods, supervisory tools, indicators, operational guides, pilot testing and specialised training.

Component 2: Fraud prevention and combating fraud

The second component will establish an integrated approach to prevention, monitoring and response to payment fraud. Expected work includes harmonised fraud data collection and classification, a data dictionary and shared indicators, analysis of fraud typologies by channel, review of reimbursement and complaint handling mechanisms, alert thresholds, simulation exercises, major fraud scenarios, support for the Committee on Security and Fraud Prevention, and piloting of a sector dashboard.

The second component also covers governance, secure information sharing, alert mechanisms, coordination among stakeholders, options for a fraud observatory or information sharing platform, consumer protection, institutional cooperation, a national fraud prevention strategy and an operational implementation roadmap.

Indicative activities

Activities are expected to include comparative and benchmarking analyses, legal and institutional reviews, technical studies, expert missions, workshops, training sessions, study visits, pilot exercises, seminars, round tables, simulations and technical knowledge transfer.

The Twinning should complement, rather than duplicate, a separate national study planned by Bank Al Maghrib to diagnose payment fraud, map fraud typologies and actors, structure available data and define the target system. The Twinning will use European peer experience to adapt, test and operationalise the study's findings in the Moroccan context.

Expected results and deliverables

The principal expected result for component 1 is a strengthened framework for supervising payment security and operational resilience. Anticipated outputs include an approved integrated supervisory framework, documented supervisory principles and scope, defined stakeholder responsibilities, documented methodologies, a pilot implementation, lessons learned, supervisory tools and guides, indicators and an adopted training plan.

The principal expected result for component 2 is an integrated framework for preventing, monitoring and combating payment fraud. Anticipated outputs include documented fraud analysis methods, a pilot dashboard, simulation reports, a governance framework, defined roles and responsibilities, formalised secure information sharing and alert mechanisms, a pilot implementation, an approved strategy, an operational roadmap and agreed implementation scenarios.

Selection and award criteria

Operational capacity criteria for the proposed Member State Project Leader, Resident Twinning Adviser and component leaders are assessed positively or negatively. A negative assessment against a required criterion may exclude the proposal.

Award criteria are scored from 1 to 5 and cover the quality of the proposed methodology, the experience and suitability of the Project Leader and Resident Twinning Adviser, the administration's experience in cooperation projects, and the quality of the Member State presentation and other principal elements of the proposal.

The detailed administrative compliance and eligibility grid and the evaluation grid are contained in Annexes C6 and C7 of the Twinning Manual. Applicants should obtain the current Twinning Manual and instructions through their National Contact Point.

Required team and expertise

Financial arrangements

The maximum EU contribution is €1,000,000 for the complete Twinning action. The published materials do not specify a separate grant rate, beneficiary co financing percentage or applicant cash contribution. Applicants should therefore rely on the Twinning Manual and the final contractual documentation for eligible cost rules, reimbursement arrangements, financial management requirements and any in kind contributions.

The budget covers the project as a whole, including the institutional cooperation activities, expert missions, training, study visits, workshops, pilot exercises and related implementation needs. Bank Al Maghrib is expected to provide facilities and logistical support, including an equipped office, communications and internet access for the Resident Twinning Adviser and assistant. It will also provide seminar facilities, audiovisual equipment, photocopying, office supplies and certain related local logistical costs.

Implementation, governance and reporting

The Moroccan Ministry of Economy and Finance is the national coordinator and signatory of the financing arrangement. Preparation and follow up of Twinning implementation are assigned to the CAP RSA cooperation instruments management function within the Directorate of Treasury and External Finance.

Bank Al Maghrib is responsible for beneficiary-side preparation, implementation and monitoring. The Directorate of Payment Systems and Payment Instruments in Rabat is the principal beneficiary unit. A project steering committee will supervise progress, results, coordination, work plans and corrective measures.

The official project language and contractual language is French. Official communications, interim reports and the final report are to be prepared in French. Reporting includes quarterly interim reports containing descriptive and financial information and a final report. Quarterly reports are discussed at steering committee meetings and must address progress against mandatory results, recommendations and corrective actions, not merely activities completed.

Indicative timetable

The timetable is indicative. The proposal deadline is binding as stated in the call publication. The project start and end dates remain dependent on the selection process, contract signature and satisfaction of the suspensive clause.

Conditions, risks and practical considerations

There is no stated preliminary condition or sequencing requirement before the project begins. However, strong commitment and active support from Bank Al Maghrib are expected, including participation in and support for the project steering committee and availability of relevant stakeholders.

Key implementation risks include difficulties adapting European practices to the Moroccan legal and institutional context, delays in validating proposed frameworks, limited availability of stakeholders, inconsistent data quality, difficulties harmonising fraud data, weak coordination and legal or technical constraints on secure information sharing.

A strong proposal should demonstrate direct institutional relevance, practical experience in payment system oversight, cyber and operational resilience, payment fraud supervision, incident management and secure information exchange. It should also explain how proposed EU practices will be adapted to Moroccan requirements rather than transferred without contextual analysis.

Applicants should ensure that the proposed Project Leader, Resident Twinning Adviser and component leaders meet every mandatory profile requirement because selection capacity assessments are expressed on a yes or no basis. French language capability is particularly important because French is the contractual project language and is required at a high level for the principal roles.

Recommended application strategy

1. Confirm eligibility of the proposed lead administration or mandated body under the Twinning Manual and engage the relevant National Contact Point immediately.

2. Secure senior institutional commitment from an EU Member State central bank or comparable authority with demonstrable payment oversight responsibilities.

3. Nominate a senior Project Leader, a full time French speaking Resident Twinning Adviser and component leaders with clearly evidenced relevant experience.

4. Build one integrated methodology covering both mandatory components, with a logical sequence from legal and institutional assessment through design, stakeholder validation, pilot testing, training and adoption.

5. Address the interaction between payment security, operational resilience, cyber risk, fraud monitoring, consumer protection, data governance and financial inclusion.

6. Show how the proposal will use the results of Bank Al Maghrib's planned national fraud study and avoid duplication with related cooperation activities.

7. Define measurable deliverables, ownership arrangements, pilot scope, training transfer mechanisms, sustainability measures and a realistic 24 month work plan.

8. Verify all submission templates, administrative evidence, internal Member State deadlines and National Contact Point requirements before submission.

Official documentation

The opportunity record and submission status are available at Official opportunity record. The published English project fiche is available at English Twinning project fiche. The call publication and eligibility provisions are available at Annex C9 call publication. The project abstract is available at Twinning project abstract. The indicative timetable is available at Indicative timetable.