| "FINANZDIENSTLEISTUNGEN" / KONFERENZ IM EUROPAPARLAMENT in Brüssel im Juni 2006. |
Eurofi, eine englische Lobbyorganisation, veranstaltet im Europaparlament eine Woche nach der Responsible Credit Conference mit großer Unterstützung der EU-Kommission eine Konferenz zu "Retail Financial Services in Europe" und Verbraucherschutz. Neben Manuel Barroso sprechen noch zwei Kommissare, der französische Finanzminister sowie der Parlamentspräsident. Ziel ist ein "effizienterer Markt für Finanzdienstleistungen“ in Europa. Gesprochen werden soll über die Verbraucherinteressen allerdings mit Vertretern der Anbieter. Melden sie sich jetzt für unsere Brüsseler Konferenz an. Sie bereitet auch diese Konferenz vor.
Hintergründe zur Konferenz der Kommission in Englisch.
While many of European social and consumer organisations will be present at the first international Brussels conference of stakeholders in responsible credit and fair finance end of April a week later the English lobbying and consulting organisation Eurofi will host a conference which “will focus on the "Needs and Interests of Consumers" in the Retail Financial Services Area from a supplier perspective. At least with one exception (Maria Novak for microfinance) speakers from a social perspective are omitted.
WHO IS THE ORGANISER?
According to the programme Eurofi is based in Paris as a non for profit organisation. It "has the privilege of being supported by: AXA, Aviva, BNP Paribas, Caisse Nationale des Caisses d’Epargne, Citigroup, the European Investment Bank, Crédit Agricole SA, Deutsche Bank, Euronext, Goldman Sachs, ING, JP Morgan Chase, Sanpaolo IMI, Société Générale, Unicredito Italiano."
But the French "EUROFI - Immeuble Monceau - 31 rue de Berri - 75008 PARIS" has not even an own website. Instead the English website of Eurofi shows a different pattern. “Since its foundation in 1980 (Eurofi) has focused in advising large companies on the negotiation of financial incentives made available by the European Union and Member States.” “Effective lobbying has a major effect on European decision making” is one of its slogans. “We work closely with the client to: Identify problem areas, Monitor the progress of draft legislation, Frame amendments to legislative proposals, Develop a realistic lobbying strategy, Draw up a concise and well argued case, Mobilize pan-European support from other businesses and special interest groups, Organize meetings at national and EU level with politicians and civil servants.”
The announced event with many politicians including the president of the European Parliament Borrell and many civil servants of the EU shows the success of this strategy.
The event is announced through “Forum Europe – A Neutral Platform for the European Debate”. (http://www.forum-europe.com/) (The indicated website of Eufi.eu does not exist.)
WHO WILL SPEAK IN THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT?
The programme (http://www.forum-europe.com/) lists the three Commissioners, the French minister of finance the president of the EU-Parliament and nearly all leading officials of DG Market as speakers together with leading representatives of major banks like Antonio Borgès, Vice Chairman, Goldman Sachs International; Rolf Breuer, former Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Deutsche Bank ; Francis Carpenter, Chief Executive Officer, European Investment Fund; Gérard de la Martinière, President, European Federation of National Insurance Associations; Gertrude Tumpel-Gugerell, Member of the Executive Board, European Central Bank; Johannes van der Velde, Deputy Chairman, Visa Europe. Consumer representatives are not scheduled.
WHAT IS THE PUROPOSE AND PROGRAMME?
The purpose of this conference is hidden in questions which we document below. Omitting the artificial interrogative form the implicit theses presented to policitians and the public are as follows:
- tangible benefits for consumers of a single capital market,
- end-users and financial institutions have the same priorities,
- competition in the financial area is no threat but a promise for EU citizens,
- the Single European Payments Area (SEPA) is moving in the right direction,
- the 26th regime is an efficient alternative, for pension funds for example.” (which means own EU-legislation instead of national legislation)
After all Eurofi is not only organiser of the event: “Eurofi, will present during this two-day event the results of the studies it is presently carrying out on these topics.”
IS THIS THE DIALOGUE WE ARE ASKING FOR?
The conference is in line with the previous two conferences on the future of financial services which had been hosted by DG Market solely for the major players in financial services in the EU together with their respective regulators. Neither social policy, equal access, responsible lending, fair finance nor consumer protection had plaid a significant role in these events not even through the participation of those parts of the European Commission who are in charge of these interests.
The impression prevails that the future of the retail market sounds like the congratulations at the September 2000 Eurofi conference in Paris by the head of the UK Financial Services Authorities where he said: “I said in a speech in Brussels in March of this year that "the top priority at European level must be to overhaul the financial services legislative framework".
It seems as if the European Commission has not yet heard about concerns which will be voiced at the April conference in Brussels. On this conference bankers are welcome and a dialogue is opened. This conference has to try to keep the balance between markets that seem to live for themselves and markets that are tools to achieve societal goals.
Admission to the Eurofi conference is free but about 150 places are already booked out in advance which may limit participation. Consumer and other social activists should anyhow try to attend and listen what the EU-Commission has to tell and whether this is enough to continue the process of political discussion at home.
The ten national conferences of ECRC have shown that a more neutral Commission could have the chance to speak to the consumers and its advocates itself and not only discuss their fate with the supplier side.
We document the text of the anouncemnt below. The links to the programme and sites are annexed.
ORIGINAL TEXT OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT
Eurofi is hosting its annual conference in the European Parliament in Brussels on the 6th & 7th of June 2006. It will focus on the "Needs and Interests of Consumers" in the Retail Financial Services Area. Europe's Single Capital Market rules and regulations have an impact on consumers and the topics discussed will include:
Micro credit; Consumer protection; Corporate Governance; Undertakings for Collective Investment in Transferable Securities (UCITs); Single European Payments Area (SEPA); 26th regime
These issues will be debated by senior representatives of the European Institutions, financial institutions, consumer and investor representatives and EU and local political representatives:
Antonio Borgès, Vice Chairman, Goldman Sachs International
Rolf Breuer, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Deutsche Bank
Francis Carpenter, Chief Executive Officer, European Investment Fund
Gérard de la Martinière, President, European Federation of National Insurance Associations
Gertrude Tumpel-Gugerell, Member of the Executive Board, European Central Bank
Johannes van der Velde, Deputy Chairman, Visa Europe
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Neelie Kroes; Charlie McCreevy; José Manuel Barroso; Josep Borrell; Didier Reynders;
Eurofi, the Paris-based think tank dedicated to the integration of European Financial Services, is hosting its 5th annual conference at the European Parliament in Brussels on the 6th & 7th of June 2006. The aim of this high-level event is to facilitate the move towards a more efficient market in retail services and to identify the actions still needed to create a Single Market in this area. Eurofi also hopes to interest Europe’s citizens in economic and financial integration by bringing them closer to the EU institutions and by structuring a constructive debate with all the main stakeholders.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
This major Conference will bring together senior representatives of major EU financial institutions, consumers, investors, regulators, EU and local political representatives, Members of the European Parliament, national politicians and treasury officials from Member States.
115 participants already registered!
The topics under discussion will include: What are the tangible benefits for consumers of a single capital market? Are the priorities the same for end-users and financial institutions? Is competition in the financial area a threat or a promise for EU citizens? Is the Single European Payments Area (SEPA) moving in the right direction? Is the 26th regime an efficient alternative, for pension funds for example? Eurofi, will present during this two-day event the results of the studies it is presently carrying out on these topics.
ABOUT THE SPONSORS
Eurofi was created in April 2000, with the aim of contributing to the convergence of views between practitioners and public institutions regarding the integration of the European capital market. Eurofi is a non-profit making organisation and is co-chaired by Jacques de Larosière and Daniel Lebègue. Didier Cahen is the Secretary General of the association. Eurofi has the privilege of being supported by: AXA, Aviva, BNP Paribas, Caisse Nationale des Caisses d’Epargne, Citigroup, the European Investment Bank, Crédit Agricole SA, Deutsche Bank, Euronext, Goldman Sachs, ING, JP Morgan Chase, Sanpaolo IMI, Société Générale, Unicredito Italiano. |
| ID: |
37148 |
| Autor(en): |
iff |
| Erscheinungsdatum: |
03.04.06 |
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Erzeugt: 05.04.06. Letzte Änderung: 18.04.06.
Information zum Urheberrecht der angezeigten Inhalte kann beim Institut für Finanzdienstleistungen erfragt werden. Aus fehlenden Angaben kann kein Recht zur freien Nutzung der Inhalte abgeleitet werden. |
