On 24th March 2024, the French Minister of Finance reaffirmed Guillaume Prache’s position as a member of the French Comité Consultatif du Secteur Financier (CCSF), the highest consultative body on financial services policy in France. Mr Prache, representing BETTER FINANCE, continues to serve in this crucial capacity. In addition, Mr Bruno Guillier de Chalvron, representing
The report by CFA Institute and BETTER FINANCE critically reviews the EU’s listing rules, targeting reforms to improve public market accessibility for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It aims to foster debate amidst the review of the Listing Act by the European Commission (EC) and the final legislative process. Key highlights include: Decline in Listed
Neobrokers’ Inception Paper | Summary This paper delves into the business models of neobrokers and their implications for retail investors, highlighting the transformative role these digital platforms play in the financial markets. It underscores the benefits and challenges associated with neobrokers, emphasizing the need for continuous scrutiny and regulatory vigilance to safeguard investor interests and
EIOPA analyses sustainability risks using both backward-looking historical data and forward-looking model assessments to evaluate the need for specific prudential treatment of transition risks. The analysis focuses particularly on equity and spread risks in fossil fuel-related assets. For equities, three policy options were considered, where Option 3 states: implementing a supplementary capital requirement up to
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 welcomes and supports EIOPA’s ongoing work on a supervisory toolkit to assess the value for money offered by unit linked and hybrid insurance products. Since its creation, BETTER FINANCE has been fighting for regulatory and supervisory action to improve the returns of long-term and pension saving products. As BETTER FINANCE research shows, high
Sustainability claims refer to statements or representations about a product’s or entity’s sustainability profile, conveyed through text, visuals, or other media. These claims can be made across all stages of the insurance and pensions lifecycle, including business models, product manufacturing, and marketing. They include regulatory disclosures (e.g., SFDR, Taxonomy Regulation), marketing materials, policies, ratings, and
The document serves as BETTER FINANCE response to selected questions of ESMA’s discussion paper on the implications of digitalisation for investor protection under MiFID II. The document “Discussion Paper on MiFID II investor protection topics linked to digitalisation” provided by the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) focuses on various aspects of digitalisation in the
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
The Financial Services User Group (FSUG) welcomes the ongoing legislative and supervisory works aiming to improve the ‘Value for Money’ that retail investors obtain from their packaged retail and insurance-based investment products (PRIIPs). The FSUG argues that ensuring retail investment products are effectively designed to increase the financial wealth of investors should be amongst the