Draft:Better Finance
Comment: Dear fellow reviewers, please see Special:Diff/1269443860. Best, --Johannes (Talk) (Contribs) (Articles) 18:29, 14 January 2025 (UTC)
- Comment: In terms of referencing, this is an improvement, however, I must note that this has gone from very bad to bad, which is technically an improvement, but still far away from what a draft should be. The number of references to secondary sources is still inadequate, and the draft incorporates heavy WP:REFBOMBING. Also note that, the tone is inappropriate. In its current form, the text tries to advocate its subject, which on Wikipedia it ought not to; I'd even say it must not do that. The text still needs significant improving. Best, --Johannes (Talk) (Contribs) (Articles) 16:24, 29 July 2024 (UTC)
- Comment: This drafts cites an underwhelming number of two secondary sources, only one of which seems to provide significant coverage of the subject. --Johannes (Talk) (Contribs) (Articles) 18:01, 17 May 2024 (UTC)
| Formation | 2009 |
|---|---|
| Type | Non-governmental organization |
| Purpose | Promoting sound financial regulation |
| Headquarters |  Belgium, Brussels |
Managing Director | Aleksandra Mączyńska |
| Website | https://betterfinance.eu |
Better Finance – The European Federation of Investors and Financial Services Users (BETTER FINANCE) is a non-profit organisation that represents the interests of individual investors, savers, and financial service users at the EU level.[1][2].
Founded in 2009 and headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, Better Finance is a public-interest organisation that aims to promote financial transparency and provide independent information for European citizens[1].
Overview
Originally established in 2009 as EuroFinUse[3] in response to the 2008 financial crisis, Better Finance was created to amplify the voices of private investors[4] and consumers[5] in the financial services sector[1][6]. Its core mission is to ensure financial services end-users interests are taken into account by policymakers at the European level[1]. Since then, the organisation has grown to include approximately 4.5 million individual financial service users across 25 countries, including 21 EU Member States.
To maintain its independence from the financial industry, BETTER FINANCE relies primarily on funding from the European Commission[7] [6]supplemented by fees from their member organisations[1].
Activities
Better Finance work is focused mostly on the protection of retail investors[8], shareholders rights[9], pension savers[10], and topics such as digital finance and sustainable finance[11] [12][1]. The organisation delivers its expertise to policy makers through responses to public consultations, participating in various advisory expert groups of European Commission and European Supervisory Authorities (ESAs), as well as publishing research reports, public letters, conferences, and meetings[2][1]. Better Finance also informs the public through campaigns, press releases, and other communication efforts[1].
Over the years, Better Finance has launched several initiatives, such as collective redress campaigns seeking compensation for aggrieved Airbus[13] and Wirecard shareholders[14]. They also publish an annual pension report through which they provide insights into the real returns of long-term and pension savings in the EU[15]
Member Organizations
The organisation includes 40 independent national and international member organisations, mainly national shareholder associations, consumer associations, retirement funds, and national NGOs concerning consumer protection and private investors[2][1]. Membership is divided into full members, who have voting rights, and associate members, who participate in the organization's activities but do not hold voting rights.
Their members are spread across 25 countries, including 21 EU Member States. As of October 2024, member organisation of Better Finance includes:
| Country | Organization | Membership |
|---|---|---|
| Belgium | EFES - European Federation of Employee Share Ownership | associated |
| Belgium | FiInE – Financial Inclusion Europe | associated |
| Belgium | VFB - Vlaamse Federatie van Beleggers | full |
| Denmark | DAF - Dansk Aktionærforening | full |
| Germany | DSW - Deutsche Schutzvereinigung für Wertpapierbesitz | full |
| Germany | BdV - Bund der Versicherten | full |
| Finland | Pörssisäätiö - Finnish Foundation for Share Promotion | full |
| Finland | Suomen Osakesäästäjät - Finnish Shareholders Federation | full |
| France | A.D.A.M. - Association pour la défense des Actionnaires Minoritaires | full |
| France | FAIDER - Fédération des Associations Indépendantes de Défense des Epargnants pour la Retraite | full |
| France | GAIPARE - Association pour l‘amélioration de la retraite et de l‘épargne | full |
| France | Place des Investisseurs (ehemalig: Fédération des Investisseurs individuels et des Clubs d'investissement) | full |
| France | CGPC - Association française des Conseils en Gestion de Patrimoine Certifiés | associated |
| France | 2 Degrees Investing Initiative | associated |
| Greece | Helinas - Hellenic Investors Association | full |
| Iceland | Samtök Sparifjáreigenda - Iceland Savers Association | full |
| Italy | New Savers | associated |
| Latviaa | IMAB - Investoru un mazākuma akcionāru biedrība | associated |
| Lebanon | BLO - Lebanese Investors Association (Boulos Law Office at Beirut Bar Association) | associated |
| Lithuania | Lietuvos Vartotojų Institutas - Lithuanian Consumer Institute | full |
| Lithuania | Lithuanian Investors Association | full |
| Luxembourg | INVESTAS - Association Luxembourgeois des Actionnaires Privés | full |
| Malta | Malta Association of Small Shareholders | full |
| Norway | Aksjonaerforeningen i Norge - Norwegian Shareholders Association | full |
| Austria | IVA - Interessenverband für Anleger | full |
| Austria | PEKABE - Schutzverband der Pensionskassenberechtigten | associated |
| Poland | SII - Stowarzyszenie Inwestorów Indywidualnych | full |
| Portugal | ATM - Associacao dos Investidores e Analistas Técnicos do Mercado de Capitais | full |
| Romania | AURSF - Asociata Utilizatorilor Romani de Servicii Financiare | full |
| Sweden | Aktiespararna - Swedish Shareholders Association | full |
| Switzerland | Schweizerischer Anlegerschutzverein (SASV) | associated |
| Slovakia | Institute of Savings and Investment | associated |
| Slovenia | VZMD - Vseslovensko združenje malih delničarjev | full |
| Spain | ADICAE - Asociacion de Usuarios de Bancos Cajas y Seguros | full |
| Spain | AEMEC - Asociación Española de Accionistas Minoritarios de Empresas Cotizadas | full |
| Czech Republic | SCS - Sdružení Českých Spotrebitelu, o.s. | full |
| United Kingdom | ShareAction | associated |
| United Kingdom | ShareSoc | full |
| United Kingdom | The Transparency Task Force | associated |
| United Kingdom | UKSA - United Kingdom Shareholders Association | associated |
See also
- Better Finance Website
- Better Finance Annual Report 2023
- Better Finance Gateway to Sustainable Investing
- Invest for Better Climate Intiative
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Evaluation report of the Union programme to support specific activities enhancing the involvement of consumers and other financial services end-users in Union policy-making in the area of financial services for the period of 2017-2020 pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2017/826 of the European Parliament and of the Council" (PDF). European Parliament.
- ^ a b c "European Federation of Investors and Financial Services Users". LobbyFacts.eu. Corporate Europe Observatory and LobbyControl.
- ^ Flood, Chris (23 June 2013). "Saving for retirement is 'a losing game'". Financial Times.
- ^ Boyde, Emma (14 April 2022). "Digital platforms fuel European ETF growth spurt". Financial Times.
- ^ "Better Finance: "A Sustainable Real-life Economy is not Possible Without Value for Money"". Meeting Media Group. HQ - the Association Magazine.
- ^ a b "Regulation (EU) 2021/690 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 April 2021 establishing a programme for the internal market, competitiveness of enterprises, including small and medium-sized enterprises, the area of plants, animals, food and feed, and European statistics (Single Market Programme) and repealing Regulations (EU) No 99/2013, (EU) No 1287/2013, (EU) No 254/2014 and (EU) No 652/2014". Official Journal of the European Union. EUR-Lex.
- ^ Cooper, Harry; Aries, Quentin (24 February 2017). "Lost in transition — Financial lobbying — Hey, big spender". Politico.
- ^ Marriage, Madison (15 February 2016). "German regulator launches closet-tracker investigation". Financial Times.
- ^ "#ShareholdersRights: Review misses stated aim and will benefit only a very small minority of shareholders". EuReporter. 14 December 2016.
- ^ Woolfe, Jeremy (1 December 2017). "Should the wealthy be worried about pension penury ahead?". Financial Times.
- ^ Schwartzkopff, Frances (20 December 2022). "ESG Fund Downgrades Spark Complain From Major EU Investor Group". Bloomberg.
- ^ Leung, Chloe (19 December 2023). "Surge in EU sustainable fund upgrades prompts call for regulation". Financial Times.
- ^ "Airbus Claim Website". Airbus Claim. Rightshare.
- ^ Jones, Huw (6 April 2022). "Wirecard investors target EY parent for 1.5 bln euros in compensation". Reuters.
- ^ Mitra, Piyasi (6 November 2024). "Inflation, hidden fees threaten EU pension savers' interests". Funds Europe.
Category:Financial regulation Category:Organisations based in Brussels Category:Organizations established in 2009