19/12/2022 (Agence Europe) – A group of financial industry associations has written to the European Commission warning that an EU-wide ban on commissions would unnecessarily limit consumers’ access to financial advice. In a statement by one of the signatories, Insurance Europe, published on Friday 16 December, the group argues that the fact that the impact of an EU-wide ban on commission would vary greatly across member states; could negatively impact consumers in countries with a commission-based model; and severely undermine the goals of the EU’s Retail Investment Strategy. By limiting the use of insurance brokers, who are paid by these commissions, the industry fears that consumers will turn to other sources of information like social media and be more exposed to scams or high-risk investments, while others would be less likely to invest, and then less prepared for retirement. (AD)