Eurofi has the pleasure to invite you to attend its 2006 annual conference which will take place at the European Parliament in Brussels. The aim of this conference is to contribute and to facilitate the move towards a more efficient market in retail services. To ensure that the diverse views and reactions are taken into account, the conference will bring together senior representatives of major European Financial Institutions, Consumers, Investors, Regulators, Members of the European Parliament, of the European Commission, EU and local Political Representatives and Treasury Officials from Member States.
The crucial topics of retail financial services will be addressed, areas of concern identified and innovative proposals put forward to satisfy the needs of the users and financial institutions. Our objective is to ensure that market integration is not only seen as a general goal but as a priority course of action where tangible benefits for the industry, consumers and investors are clearly expressed. This approach hopes to motivate Europe's citizens in achieving economic and financial integration, bringing them closer to Europe.
Therefore we have allocated two full days to the programme to ensure that the issues are properly debated. At the end of the conference, appropriate conclusions and proposals that can attract the vital political support will be identified.
Eurofi, the not-for-profit think tank that we co-chair, will also present during the conference the results of various studies it is conducting on Europe's retail financials services. The debated topics will include:
- Are Europe's consumers well served?
- Bringing Micro-Credit to Europe
- Consumer Protection: What are the barriers to overcome for the industry to deliver added-value for the consumers of financial services?
- How Eurofi sees the future of UCITS
- Is there yet a “European Shareholder”?
- Tougher competition: a threat or a promise? Key messages for public opinion
- What is the outlook for the Single European Payments Area (SEPA)?
- Has the 26th regime become a viable option? Pensions as a case study
- Do Europe's myriad national supervisory authorities raise costs for the consumers?
- Conclusions: Micro Credit, a strategy for Europe
- The way ahead: what opportunities are being created and how can decision-making on EU-level policies be improved?
Keynotes speakers include: Didier Reynders, Finance Minister of Belgium will open the conference on the 6th in the morning; Neelie Kroes, EU Commissioner for Competition will address the audience in the afternoon of the 6th on “competition : a threat of a promise? Key messages for public opinion”. Tommaso Padoa-Schioppa, Former Member of the Executive Board, European Central Bank will open the 7th on SEPA, Danuta Hubner, EU Commissioner for Regional Policy will address “Micro Credit, a strategy for Europe” and the conference will be concluded with Charlie McCreevy, EU Commissioner for Internal Market & Services and José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission.
Distinguished speakers amongst others also include: Pervenche Berès, MEP, European Parliament; Antonio Borgès, Vice Chairman of Goldman Sachs International, Rolf Breuer, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Deutsche Bank; Dirk Bruneel, Member of the Management Board, Dexia Bank; Henri de Castries, President of the Board of Directors, AXA; Jean Clamon, Chief Operating Officer, BNP Paribas, Jos Clijsters, Chief Executive Officer, Retail Banking, Fortis Bank; Sir Andrew Crockett, President, JPMorgan Chase International; Robin Jarvis, Chairman, Forum of User Experts in the Area of Financial Services; Wolf Klinz, MEP, European Parliament; Roberto Nicastro, Deputy General Manager, Unicredit Group; Arlene McCarthy, MEP, European Parliament Nicolas Mérindol, Member of the Management Board, Caisse Nationale des Caisses d'Epargne; Jim Murray, Director, European Consumers' Organisation (BEUC); Maria Nowak, President, Association pour le droit à l'initiative économique (Adie); Georges Pauget, Chief Executive Officer, Credit Agricole; Johannes van der Velde, Deputy Chairman, Visa Europe.
Attendance to the event is free of charge and we invite you to register by faxing the registration form of the brochure or by contacting the conference secretariat at Forum Europe, our organising partner, on +32 (0)2 739.15.70 for further assistance.
We hope that you will be able to join us on the 6th and 7th of June in Brussels.
Yours truly
Didier Cahen Jacques de Larosière Daniel Lebègue
Secretary General Co-Chairman Co-Chairman
Eurofi Eurofi Eurofi
