ECRC partner iff has teamed up together with BEUC (the European Consumers Organisation) to develop and run training courses for non-profit consumer advisers giving information, guidance and non-recommendation advice to consumers. The IMCO (Consumer Protection) and ECON committees of the European Parliament held a public event to hear the views of the providers and consumer sides and Prof Reifner from the iff outlined the courses that ConFinAd (Consumer Financial Advice) will be running in all 27 EU Member States throughout this year and next. The 2-year project was made possible from funds released by the Parliament post-crisis and the recognition that financial education and information was not enough. Consumer need impartial independent advice and the training courses (the third and final part of this initiative, after pilot courses directed at consumer associations only and the Mapping Study of General Financial Advice entities in the EU in 2011) are open to all non-profit entities. 20 participants is the maximum authorised per course.

Attached and at the link below are details on the presentations and discussions at the February IMCO Hearing which served as the formal launch of the ConFinAd project. The event focused on how non-profit entities could provide alternative advice services to those provided by the commercial and financial advisers from the supply side professionals. Financial advice should not only benefit those advised, but all consumers and their consumer rights thus building up consumer empowerment and consumer sovereignty.

European Parliament - European Commission

Event on "Financial Advice Provided by Non-Profit Entities to Consumers" organised by the  Health and Consumers Directorate-General together with the European Parliament - 7 February 2012

Please find attached the summary report. This report, as well as, other documents, has been posted on the European Parliament's website at the following address:
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/committees/en/IMCO/events.html

Poster

Presentation: Monique Goyens - BEUC

Presentation: Udo Reifner - ConFinAd - Consumer Financial Advice

Notice to Members

• Meeting Agenda
  (136177 Bytes)
• Minutes of the IMCO Hearing
  (43371 Bytes)