On Wednesday 6 November, the European Federation of Investors and Financial Services Users, Better Finance, called on the European Commission and national authorities to strengthen transparency and consumer protection as outlined in the retail investment strategy (see EUROPE 13430/14).
In a report published on Wednesday, the organisation warns of the impact of persistent inflation, hidden charges and inefficient asset allocation, which are eroding returns on pension products and compromising the financial security of European savers.
Although all the products studied showed nominal gains in 2023, these were often not enough to offset inflation, calling into question the ability of some investments to provide sufficient income over the long term, said Better Finance.
The analysis, which covers 16 EU countries, highlights national disparities in terms of transparency. While the Netherlands stands out for its high standards, other countries such as Germany lack accessible data.
The European federation stresses the urgent need for regulatory intervention and greater transparency to protect savers’ purchasing power.
See the report: https://aeur.eu/f/e7x (Original version in French by Bernard Denuit)