BETTER FINANCE strongly supports the intention to provide consumers with a clear and comprehensive view of their insurance policies, simplifying understanding and enabling easy product comparisons. BETTER FINANCE, however, has long called authorities themselves to centralize insurance/investment product information in order to enable (EU-wide) comparability tools. More generally, we also warn against the privatisation of
The European Commission published a legislative proposal for a regulation on European green bonds, which is supposed to become the high quality voluntary European Green Bond Standard. Its intention is to use the potential of the single market for achieving the EU’s climate and environmental goals in a more efficient way.
It is part of an initiative first mooted in the Commission’s September 2020 Capital Markets Union Action Plan and designed, among other things, to “increase consumer participation in capital markets.” The the level of retail investor participation in EU capital markets remains very low. The strategy is aimed to ease difficulties for retail investors in
Packaged retail and insurance-based investment products (PRIIPs) cover the range of investment products marketed to retail investors which are subject to an investment risk.
Explanations A differential pricing mechanism in insurance contracts describes a practice by which an insurance company adapts the cost or price of the product/service on considerations other than the expected risk premia or estimated expenses. Put simply, prices will reflect how proactive or passive a client is (shop around or not) rather than the risk
This report is a collaboration between analysts, actuaries, and researchers from consumer protection organisations. The purpose is to analyse and evaluate the fitness of a selection of life insurance companies’ solvency conditions and reporting. The solvency condition reflects how well-prepared an insurance company is to react and pay out insurance claims to policyholders in case
BETTER FINANCE welcomes the fourth report on insurance and pension products’ costs and past performance published by the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA). For the 2022 report, EIOPA received information on more than 760 insurance-based investment products (IBIPs). The research notes that despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, “both insurance and
The Retail Investment Strategy (RIS) compromise currently on the table for a European Parliament vote blatantly disregards the interests of retail investors and the establishment of a competitive Capital Markets Union (CMU). Should Ms Yon-Courtin’s proposed compromise be approved by the ECON committee on 20th March and subsequently put to a plenary vote one month
BETTER FINANCE endorses the FSUG’s call for improved ‘Value for Money’ in retail investments. The focus is on enhancing the effectiveness of packaged retail and insurance-based investment products (PRIIPs) to contribute significantly to investors’ financial well-being. The FSUG emphasises the responsibility of product manufacturers to design products that boost investors’ financial wealth and urges supervisors
⬇️ Read or download BETTER FINANCE’s Individual Investors’ Key Priorities for 2024-2029 below. ⬇️ Let’s harness the Capital Markets Union’s (CMU) potential to benefit our citizens as financial consumers, retail investors and pension savers, as well as our planet, the economy, and for future generations. This will ensure Europe’s prosperity and security in a rapidly
DG FISMA will be organising a roundtable on January 25th, 2024 at 10:00, where Aleksandra Maczynska, Acting Managing Director at BETTER FINANCE will address the panel on ‘Opportunities from a shorter settlement cycle in the EU’.
The Sustainable Finance Disclosures Regulation (SFDR) started applying in March 2021 and requires financial market participants and financial advisers to disclose at entity and product levels how they integrate sustainability risks and principal adverse impacts in their processes at both entity and product levels. It also introduces additional product disclosures for sustainable financial products making
BETTER FINANCE is pleased to announce a new collaboration with SASV (Schweizerischer Anlegerschutzverein), the Swiss Investor Protection Association, further expanding its pan-European network. SASV is dedicated to promoting transparency within the Swiss capital market and advancing investor rights. This partnership with BETTER FINANCE aims to bolster the representation of Swiss individual investors and shareholders on
Brussels, 14 December 2023 – On December 11th, the BETTER FINANCE Scientific Council convened to discuss next year’s research program and to elect a new chairperson. The Council recommended that BETTER FINANCE continues to build on the extensive research conducted by the team and expressed support for the 2024 research program, including further research on
The Lithuanian Investors Association and BETTER FINANCE, the European Federation of Investors and Financial Services Users, are organising the annual BETTER FINANCE International Investors’ Conference, scheduled to take place in Vilnius on May 30, 2024. The conference, titled “Vilnius 2024 | Shaping the Future of Finance,” will delve into various topics encompassing European and Baltic
Date: Wednesday, 17 April 2024 | Time: 14h00 – 18h00 | Place: University Foundation, 11 Rue d’Egmont, 1000 Brussels PROGRAMME 13h30 – 14h00 | Registration & Coffee 14h00 – 14h10 | Welcome | Aleksandra Mączyńska, Acting Managing Director, BETTER FINANCE 14h10 – 14h30 | Keynote Speech | José Manuel Campa, Chair, European Banking Authority (EBA)
The “Swiss Association for the Protection of Investors” (Schweizerische Anlegerschutzverein) is committed to transparency on the Swiss capital market and the promotion and enforcement of investor rights in Switzerland. Its purpose is to protect the interests of investors with regard to financial investments and to support them in the enforcement of their corporate and economic
In June 2021, the German Association of Insured (BdV), together with the analyst Carsten Zielke and the European consumer organisation BETTER FINANCE, presented the results of their analysis of the current SFCR (Solvency and Financial Condition Report) of selected European life-insurers. Following up on this, BETTER FINANCE and BdV discussed their methodological approach, the interpretation
The annual general meeting (AGM) is the cornerstone of shareholder democracy and an essential part of sound corporate governance. Not only are AGMs the place where shareholders get to vote on key decisions, it is also the only time board members and management are held to account, having to answer directly to their shareholders and
The annual general meeting of shareholders (AGM) is the cornerstone for sound corporate governance. It is through the shareholders’ vote at the AGM that board members’ actions get legitimacy and validity. However, it is not only voting that takes place at an AGM. The shareholders’ meeting is the only place where directors must report to
To collect input for the European Commission’s work on a legislative initiative that aims to strengthen the investment protection and facilitation framework in the EU as part of the capital markets union action plan, the directorate-general for financial stability, financial services and capital markets union (DG FISMA) commissioned a study to collect evidence on investor
The Real Return 2019 – Austria The Real Return 2019 – Belgium The Real Return 2019 – Bulgaria The Real Return 2019 – Croatia The Real Return 2019 – Denmark The Real Return 2019 – Estonia The Real Return 2019 – France The Real Return 2019 – Germany The Real Return 2019 – Italy The
24 September 2020 – BETTER FINANCE releases the eighth edition of its report on the Real Return of Long-Term and Pension Savings, which marks a new milestone for the series, since it is the first to cover 20 years of historical track record for retirement provision vehicles. At the same time, the report comes against
The EU Commission should consider the following initiatives for EU financial service users: Establishing independent savings products data bases which imply standardized Key Information on actual costs, performances and risks (“garbage in garbage out”). Development of independent web comparative tools that would feed upon such reliable data bases , and would allow and facilitate the
The EBA seeks to foster consumer protection in all EU Member States, by identifying and addressing consumer detriment in the financial services sector. By assessing the retail conduct of financial firms, the EBA also seeks to contribute to the stability, integrity and effectiveness of the financial system. One of the tasks of the EBA is
This morning the EC released: 1. The Proposal for a Regulation on European Crowdfunding Services for Business. It: establishes a one-stop-shop access to the EU market and therefore helps crowdfunding platforms in overcoming the barriers they face operating cross-border; provides tailored rules for European crowdfunding services providers covering both investment-based and lending-based business models; gives
Emerging Financial Technology (Fintech) has a, seemingly endless, potential to drive efficiency gains and the disintermediation of financial services, thereby bringing about decreased transaction costs. Keeping in mind that Fintech so far remains relatively unchartered territory, regulatory measures and their effects on the future development of the industry make for heated discussions. Currently, as stated
BETTER FINANCE agrees with EBA’s suggestion to investigate these different regulatory treatments applied to FinTech firms who are offering similar financial services in Europe. It would in fact be interesting to investigate the approaches of the monitoring of the FinTech sector in order to ensure that risks are appropriately identified and addressed.
On the 23rd of March, as part of the FinTech conference, the European Commission has launched its Action Plan for Retail Services. This Action Plan sets out ways to provide European consumers with greater choice and better access to financial services across the EU. In this Action Plan, the Commission highlights the importance of technology