The message in Monday's EMV themed webinar hosted by The Members Group was stark: If you haven't yet started yourEMV implementation program, meeting the October 2015 Visa andMasterCard deadline for a shift in liability will be challenging, said Thomas GrouardLillelund, CPI senior manager, who gave the presentation.

A large plastic card issuer CPI is on the frontlines in the raceto be on the right side of the 2015 liability shift when the bigcard issuers say that they will hold merchants and issuersresponsible for fraud if they do not support EMV by thedeadline.

Lillelund quoted an unidentified card issuer who, saidLillelund, estimated that if he held back on EMV card rollout buthis competitors pushed ahead and had achieved 40% distribution byOctober 2015, “he estimated his fraud would double,” saidLillelund.

Two factors continue to fuel the push into EMV, saidLillelund. First there is the belief that EMV cards with chipand PIN represents a sizable security jump over mag stripecards.

Secondly, much of the world – led by Europe and Canada – alreadyhas adopted EMV and that is pushing fraudsters to focus on U.S.networks but it also is rendering U.S.-issued mag stripe cardsuseless at a growing number of international terminals.

A reality, per Lillelund: all U.S. cards will not suddenly beEMV-compliant by October 2015. He estimated 30% to 60%percent will be.

He elaborated that the 30 biggest issuers all have EMVstrategies and are marching ahead. Smaller issuers are moreuncertain in their adoption and rollout strategies, saidLillelund.

Issuers need to have a target in mind – what percentage of theircards do you want to be EMV compliant by deadline – and know thatnon-compliant cards may be linked to increased fraud, hestressed.

He also said that unlike credit cards – where there is a senseEMV cards will become the norm – there is more uncertainty arounddebit cards and EMV.

The most common issuer posture is to be in a wait-and-see mode,said Lillelund.

A question from the audience asked, is EMV simply oldtechnology? Lillelund said, “Are four wheels on a car oldtechnology?”

He elaborated that although the EMV core idea dates backdecades, “the technology has continued to evolve. Today's chip isvery different from the chips of 20 years ago.”

He added that he believed a multi-channel strategy is likely toflourish in the U.S. Mobile commerce may take hold but, he said, “Idon't think cards are disappearing anytime tomorrow.”