Diskutera konsumentskyddet för finansiella tjänster! Det krävde Consumer International av G20 mötet den 22 oktober. Det måste snarast tillsättas en expertgrupp på ämnet. Detta skulle säkerställa att konsumenter både från rika och fattiga delar av världen har tillgäng till stabila, rättvisa finansiella tjänster.
Mötet resulterade i att man under nästa möte i mars 2011 kommer att diskutera närmare konsumentskyddet i finansiella tjänster, med andra ord blev genomslaget en framgång för konsumenterna. Läs mer på CI:s webbplats.
Sveriges Konsumenter är medlemmar av den världsomspännande organisationen Consumers International.
Nedan följer fakta om konsumenter och finansiella tjänster ur ett internationellt perspektiv:
Fast facts:• Each year the global economy creates an estimated 150 million new consumers of financial services. Most are in developing countries, where consumer protection and financial literacy are still in their infancy. • In 2008 the G20 established the Financial Stability Board (FSB). Regulators of other financial products and services have also established international organisations to share information and develop guidelines and standards. For instance the International Organisation of Pension Supervisors , the International Association of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS) and the International Organisation for Securities Commission (IOCS). There is currently no equivalent board for financial consumer protection.• A collaborative effort by CI members in Latin America revealed that multinational banks were engaged in practices that would be illegal in the EU, where they were headquartered. A notable example was the lack of advance disclosure of conditions of credit contracts. Many CI members have been involved in campaigns against excessive charges.• In 2009 the European commissioner for consumer affairs Meglena Kuneva reported that banks across Europe were hiding charges from their customers with complex fee structures, making it difficult for them to compare prices and switch their accounts to other banks. Referring to a study she also said that “….in two thirds of cases (the expert consultants) were unable to disentangle the structure of bank tariffs in order to ascertain the true cost of a service. If experts are unable to understand the fee structure, what chance is there for ordinary consumers?” • Around the world CI members are engaged in campaigning for effective financial consumer regulation. For instance in Indonesia YKLI is calling for better use of the Mediation Bureau by consumers and for improvements to its procedures. In Hong Kong the Hong Kong Consumer Council is campaigning for a FS ombudsman to be set up.• To mark World Consumer Rights Day 2009, CI members in more than eighty countries around the world joined together under the theme of ‘Our money our rights’ to highlight the work they are doing on financial services. The results of a survey of CI members’ activities in relation to financial services conducted to mark the event can be found on the CI website. • Following the financial crisis CI made submissions to the Commission of experts of President of UN General Assembly on Reforms of International Monetary and Financial system (‘the Stiglitz commission’) and the 7th session of the OECD Committee on Consumer Policy; Agenda item 10: OECD strategic response to the global financial and economic crisis: consumer issues.
Läs mer pressmeddelande och mer information på Consumer Internationals webbplats.
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