COFACE Conference: Accessible and fair financial services – alternatives to mainstream banking

11-12 May | Madrid, Spain

COFACE will host a conference on the theme of financial inclusion and the alternatives to mainstream banking on 11 & 12 May in Madrid. The conference will directly address some key issues about access to independent and quality information and essential financial products for families, showing that alternatives exist, even for the most vulnerable families.

All families have needs. Having a place to live, paying the bills, acquiring a means of transportation or simply being able to make and receive payments with a bank account.

Financial services are essential to all households but some are excluded from access to basic financial products. Over the years, financial products have become more complex and even for more basic products like a mortgage the stress and hurry involved in purchasing a house is enough to make mistakes. Families need honest and objective information and must know the worst-case scenarios of the different choices. So who really needs financial inclusion? Almost everyone.

More information.

All families have needs. Having a place to live, paying the bills, acquiring a means of transportation or simply being able to make and receive payments with a bank account. Financial services are essential to all households but some are excluded from access to basic financial products.

Families need honest and objective information and must know the worst-case scenarios of the different choices. So who really needs financial inclusion? Almost everyone.

The Municipal Institute of Consumption of the City Council of Madrid, the General Association of Consumers (ASGECO-Confederación) and the Confederation of Family Organisations in the European Union (COFACE) will host a conference on the theme of financial inclusion and the alternatives to mainstream banking at the Palacio de Cibeles (Madrid City Council) in Madrid on 11-12 May 2015.

The conference will directly address some key issues about access to independent and quality information and essential financial products for families, showing that alternatives exist, even for the most vulnerable families.

The conference will be divided into five panels:

Panel 1: Independent information and guidance
Panel 2: Affordable credit for families
Panel 3: Families in financial distress, arrears and foreclosures
Panel 4: Alternatives to commercial banks
Panel 5: The role of civil society and alternative financial institutions in policy making

Conference languages: English/Spanish

PROGRAMME (EN)