Charge point hardware lasts longer than the software contract behind it. An operator that ties its chargers to one backend, or to one protocol version, pays for that choice at every expansion, every vendor change and every regulatory update. This article separates what European rules actually require from what remains your own architectural choice.
What protocol rigidity costs
When chargers are tightly coupled to one CSMS, you lose room to negotiate, you cannot swap the backend without touching the field, and you carry the risk of stranded assets if the vendor changes direction. None of this appears in a purchase order, which is why it is usually discovered late.
The remedy is not a single protocol but a backend that speaks several and lets you move hardware or software without rebuilding the rest.
What the AFIR requires, and what it does not
The AFIR (Regulation (EU) 2023/1804) is a regulation, so it applies directly in every member state, and it has applied since 13 April 2024. Read closely, it sets outcomes rather than naming protocols:
The text does not name OCPP or OCPI. Annex II reserves places for communication specifications between the charger and the backend, and between operator and mobility service providers, without naming a protocol in the base regulation. What the delegated regulation (UE) 2025/656 does add is ISO 15118: at least parts 1 to 5 for public points installed or renovated from 8 January 2026, and at least ISO 15118-20 from 1 January 2027 (text). Do not confuse this vehicle-to-charger standard with the ad hoc payment rule: Plug & Charge is optional, and the user keeps the right to pay ad hoc (art. 5(2)).
OCPP versions: plan for coexistence
According to the Open Charge Alliance, OCPP 1.6 and OCPP 2.0.1 are not compatible with each other, and the Alliance continues to support both. OCPP 2.1, announced on 23 January 2025, is an extension of 2.0.1: application logic written for 2.0.1 keeps working (announcement). It adds, among other things, blocks for bidirectional energy flows and distributed energy resources, support for ISO 15118-20 with bidirectional transfer, and local cost calculation on the charger.
Two consequences for a fleet:
Be careful with certification claims. The Alliance has published certification profiles and test cases for 2.1, but we found no announcement of an open product certification programme for 2.1, so ask suppliers precisely what has been tested and by whom.
Roaming and payment: separate the layers
The charger-to-backend link (OCPP) and the operator-to-provider link are different problems. For roaming between operators and mobility service providers, OCPI is the protocol maintained by the EVRoaming Foundation. Its latest published version is 2.3.0, which includes a Payments module (repository).
The AFIR does not make roaming compulsory. It defines e-roaming, forbids mobility service providers from applying extra charges for cross-border e-roaming, and requires prices that are reasonable, comparable, transparent and non-discriminatory (art. 5(3) and 5(5)). Roaming is therefore a commercial decision, while ad hoc payment and price display are legal obligations. Treat them separately in your contracts and in your backend.
An audit you can run now
1. List every charger by manufacturer, model, OCPP version and firmware. This is your real baseline.
2. For each site, note whether the charger can be reached remotely and whether it supports smart charging, the two capabilities the AFIR makes explicit.
3. Check which public points of 50 kW or more are on the TEN-T network and still rely on a QR code alone: they need a card or contactless solution before 1 January 2027.
4. Ask your CSMS vendor which OCPP versions run in production today, how a charger is moved to another backend, and whether you can export your data and configuration.
5. Ask your charger suppliers which ISO 15118 parts the hardware supports and what the update path to ISO 15118-20 is.
Conclusion
This week, build the charger inventory by protocol version and check the payment gap on your 50 kW and above points. Both can be done quickly, and both decide your next procurement. GFO Omni is a CSMS that supervises charge points over OCPP 1.6, 2.0.1 and 2.1.