EurActiv launches new Financial Services Section

EurActiv.com, the free-access, independent policy portal for the European Union, has opened a section on financial services. The first sponsor of this section is Visa Europe.

The new section is available at: www.euractiv.com/en/financial_services

Financial services are a key element in the Lisbon agenda for a more competitive European economy. In the words of Internal Market Commissioner Charlie McCreevy, “I warmly welcome this initiative - financial integration is a key driver for growth. It enhances competition, reduces the cost of financial intermediaries and increases the supply of financial products. This matters then for the whole economy.”

The EurActiv Financial Services section will cover issues on the integration of European financial markets: banking (Basel II and capital adequacy), securities, insurance, clearing and settlement, the single European payments area (including electronic payment systems) and financial fraud (credit card fraud, money laundering). From time to time EurActiv will carry interviews with key players in the field.

In addition, the section includes time-saving LinksDossiers which provide an overview of the background and development of the single market in financial services and future policy proposals. These dossiers provide an outline of the policy positions of the major players in the area, ranging from industry federations, consumer organisations and NGOs to academics and think tanks.

“Visa Europe supports the launch of the Financial Services section as it provides a platform for stakeholders to openly discuss issues that surround payment systems and the wider financial services industry. With a real push toward making SEPA a reality, it's absolutely vital that opinion formers, key players and the European decision making community are able to directly exchange their point of view” says Hans van der Velde, President & CEO of Visa Europe.

“Efficient methods of saving, investment and payment are essential for all European citizens. The inclusion of financial services thus marks a further maturing in the range of EU policies covered by EurActiv”, says Julian Oliver, Secretary-General of EurActiv.

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Note to the editor:

Media contact:

Julian Oliver: Secretary General - Tel. +32 2 226 58 25, e-mail: secgen@euractiv.com

EurActiv.com is the independent portal on EU Affairs. With more than 1,4 million page views per month and over 111.300* unique visitors (CIM certified figures – Dec 04), the site is an important working instrument for the majority of EU Actors (institutions, industry federations, NGO’s, think tanks, the press and others) involved in defining or influencing EU policies.

The following are general sponsors of EurActiv’s portal: the European Commission’s eContent and IST programmes, CEPS, DuPont, Toyota, Microsoft, Honeywell, Visa Europe, ABIG (Turkey in Europe), Sagem, Manpower and Shell. Section sponsors of EurActiv include: BP, Edelman, EDF, Eucomed, ExxonMobil, Gallup Europe, Lockheed Martin, Nike, Pfizer, Kellen Europe, US Mission to the EU.

EurActiv also has 60 “content partners” (NGOs & think tanks) as well as ca. 500 “contributors”, providing their policy positions for free publication, up to the editorial team. Input welcome: editor@euractiv.com.

Via the CrossLingual network of policy portals, EurActiv’s content in three languages is available for syndication to “EU Actors”’ websites and intranets. Eight Central and Eastern European partners also translate and localise EurActiv news for their national audiences.

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