17/12/2007 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 18 December, the Commission adopted a communication on financial education, which completes its White Paper on integration of the European mortgages market (see other article). Respecting the competency of member states in education, it lists eight principles for quality financial education programmes, such as the need to target the needs of individuals and assess ongoing programmes. The Commission has announced the setting up of a European trainers' network and an on-line database on national programmes. The Commission says that financial education will benefit from the particularly strong efforts made in the United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, Netherlands and Italy. In Greece, Bulgaria and Latvia, this effort has been weak or non-existent. A reassessment of ongoing initiatives in this field will take place in 2010. (M.B.)