We are pleased to share the positive conclusions from the European Commission’s interim evaluation of the Single Market Programme 2021–2027 (SMP), which assessed the implementation and impact of EU-funded initiatives, including BETTER FINANCE’s work.
Defending EU Citizens as Savers and Individual Investors
The evaluation confirms BETTER FINANCE is effectively fulfilling our core mission to represent and defend the interests of EU citizens in financial policymaking:
"The beneficiaries have been effective in representing the voice of consumers and end users of financial services in policymaking. […] They allowed to ensure a more balanced stakeholder representation... where the interests of consumers and end users... could be under-represented" (p. 53).
Indispensable, Efficient, and High-Impact Work
BETTER FINANCE’s performance was recognised across several key dimensions:
Efficiency
"BETTER FINANCE has demonstrated high efficiency and high-quality outputs with a significant level of output per person showcasing their high productivity and effectiveness. […] The high efficiency of the beneficiary was confirmed also when comparing the policy and advocacy work of the organisation and its efficiency to organisations of similar size" (p. 135).
“With regards to the proportionality of the costs compared to the benefits of the actions, the study concluded that the beneficiaries have managed EU funds and resources with efficiency and ensured best value for money to deliver their outputs. Compared to the low budget that the beneficiaries receive as part of the SMP (less than 0.5% of the total SMP budget) the beneficiaries have delivered significant results in terms of outcomes of the work programme, number of activities and quality of the work produced which are indicative of their efficiency” (p. 538)
Relevance
"Stakeholders in the field of finance participating in the consultation on BETTER FINANCE and Finance Watch activities also confirmed that these initiatives meet the needs of financial service users: 77.6% of respondents (45 out of 58) acknowledged BETTER FINANCE’s relevance." (p. 114).
EU Added Value
"78% of respondents felt that the results achieved by BETTER FINANCE would not have been possible without EU-level funding" (p. 109).
Communication that Cuts Through
“BETTER FINANCE organised on average six events per year, with around 700 to 800 participants attending their events each year. Media coverage of BETTER FINANCE was mentioned in on average 300 press articles per year. […] The results of the survey showed that over 60% of the respondents found the communications activities of BETTER FINANCE effective” (p. 530).
A Trusted Source of Independent Expertise
As a non-governmental, non-commercial organisation representing savers and individual investors, we are proud to contribute to evidence-based policy:
"The reports and publications were used in lobbying and advocacy work, where the findings were used as evidence base and during discussions with policymakers and industry. […] Many [stakeholders] found policy papers and research outputs highly valuable" (p. 54).
Looking Ahead
Conducted as required under Article 18 of the SMP Regulation, this interim evaluation confirms the relevance, efficiency, and impact of our mission. We thank the European Commission and all participating stakeholders. The full report is available here.
We will continue to work with independence and dedication to ensure EU citizens’ voices are heard in financial policymaking.