A report published on Tuesday 31 May 2022 by the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), confirms BETTER FINANCE’s findings that fund managers often don’t seem to act in the best interest of fund investors when it comes to securities lending. Three years after its first report,[1] BETTER FINANCE expanded on its research into securities
In 2021, the total income generated by securities lending operations globally stood at €7.8 billion, up by 21% compared to 2020. The majority of operations and lenders are outside the EU, and around 88% of securities on loan were sovereign bonds and equities. In the EU, lenders cannot derive any profit from securities lending. All
BETTER FINANCE’s answer to the European Commission (EC) consultation on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) ratings and sustainability factors in credit ratings aims to inform on concerns about the functioning of the ESG ranking market developed by commercial data providers. This agenda pertains to the renewed sustainable finance strategy adopted in July 2021 by the
European Retirement Week 2022 will take place from 28 November through to 3 December 2022. The group of stakeholders behind the initiative jointly promote the two main goals of European Retirement Week: raising awareness of the pension challenge, and serving as a platform for stakeholders and policymakers to discuss possible solutions to ensure that people
BETTER FINANCE welcomes the European Commission’s call for evidence on retail investor protection but questions the efficiency of the exercise as it seems to duplicate efforts and it is not focused on all key areas of concern for individual, non-professional (“retail”) investors.
BETTER FINANCE published a report in support of its response to the EC Consultation on the EU Strategy for Retail Investors, illustrating the current state of affairs, detailing how to attract and retain the participation of EU households in capital markets, and issuing policy recommendations. The EU needs a Capital Markets Union “That Works for
Over the last two years, health-related restrictions and economic shutdowns had unforeseen effects on European capital markets. An increase in disposable income available for EU households to invest, and at least four and a half million[1] previously inactive EU savers now investing in the real economy and trading in financial instruments, has created a new
Member States have until 31 May to actively support transparent, efficient, and accessible equity markets for retail investors and submit their written comments to the French Presidency working on the Compromise Proposal for the review of MIFIR regulation. In order to avoid a poor compromise, national policymakers should put consumer interests first and remember the
Savers and individual investors are one of the most vulnerable groups of consumers due to the nature of financial markets, the limited financial literacy of households and the growing complexity of investment services and products. When breaches of consumer rights occur in this sector, losses are high and usually difficult to compensate. BETTER FINANCE’s research