One of the Bundesbank's tasks is to collect monetary, financial and external sector statistical data, comprehensive sets of indicators and seasonally adjusted business statistics. For macroeconomic analysis relevant data are then fed into the macroeconomic time series published in the time series databases.

On account of the differences in the legal frameworks and the various domestic direct debit procedures which exist, the EPC decided at an early stage to develop a completely new SEPA Direct Debit Scheme (SDD). However, implementation of this scheme was only possible once a common framework had been developed within the European Union.