A roundtable on the distribution of retail investment products will be held tomorrow and will bring together representatives of key industry and consumer stakeholders.
Commissioner McGuinness will speak at the inaugural event, which will launch an industry-led initiative where participants will exchange ideas and experiences on current market practices, as well as relevant technological and societal trends.
The roundtable aims to start a dialogue and explore pathways for industry-wide responses that would help address existing problems and concerns in the area of retail investment, with the ultimate shared goal of increasing the participation of retail investors in capital markets. Several topics will be considered, including the use of new technologies to assist consumers, the future of financial advice provided to consumers and how to increase retail investor participation by fostering growth and competitiveness in the retail segment of capital markets.
This reflection will be a self-standing industry-led process, independent from the European Commission’s recent legislative proposal on a retail investment strategy, which is currently under negotiation.
Commissioner McGuinness said: ”I appreciate the commitment of consumer and business organisations in coming together to reflect on how to improve the current distribution of retail finance products in the European Union. I look forward to exploring what new practices and approaches might improve the choice of products for consumers and, fundamentally, increase their trust in our capital markets. I look forward to hearing the suggestions from industry to demonstrate the actions they are taking on the ground to solve the problems we identified in the retail investment sector. I am pleased to see that the industry is rising to that challenge, engaging sincerely and is ready to find solutions”.
More information on the roundtable
