Who We Are
The European Retail Financial Forum (ERFF) is a consumer-focused, pan-European platform funded by our industry MEMBERS and supported by a COMMUNITY of stakeholders including consumers.
Launched in the European Parliament in October 2015, ERFF was set up in response to the European Commission’s stated ambition to expand the dialogue on opening up retail financial markets in Europe and to engage with ‘all stakeholders around one table’.
We particularly welcome collaboration with consumer groups, who participate in our activities for free.
ERFF’s overall objective is to support the opening up of cross border consumer financial markets in Europe in ways that are most beneficial to all – consumers, business and Europe.
Our main activities are business/consumer dialogues, technical workshops with EU policymakers and our annual ‘Consumers at the heart of finance in Europe’ conference. For more information about our activities, see HERE.
We are not a trade association. Rather we seek, though dialogue with all stakeholders to share experiences, address issues, seek common approaches and solutions on retail financial services policy.
Our industry members are a small, diverse group of financial services providers and intermediaries. For a list of our members see HERE.
The running of ERFF, including strategic guidance and organisation of meetings and events, is carried out by EU consultancy, Passerelle, with Dr Fiona Murray acting as Secretary General and ERFF founder. For more information, please contact us HERE.
How We Differ
We differ from other EU financial forums in the following ways:
All relevant stakeholders around one table: ERFF seeks to create a collaborative and open ‘Community’ of retail financial services stakeholders including business, consumers and policymakers around the same table. In this way, we aim to create an environment of mutual trust, understanding, relationship building and openness to common approaches and solutions.
Consumer-focused: ERFF’s industry members welcome engagement with consumer groups. To help facilitate this, we organise business/consumer dialogues on specific topics and welcome the active participation of consumers in all our events for free.
Working horizontally with a range of EU policymakers: ERFF engages with a broad range of EU policymakers including relevant directorates general of the European Commission – FISMA, JUST, CNECT; the European Parliament; EU Council Presidency; and the EU supervisors and EU data authorities, the EDPS and EDPB.
All aspects of retail financial services: ERFF focuses on all aspects of consumer financial services from the perspective both of consumers and business.
Not a trade association. ERFF is not a trade association. Rather we aim, though dialogue and cooperation with all stakeholders to share experiences, address issues and seek common approaches and solutions on retail financial services.
Our Objectives
ERFF’s objectives are to:
- Provide an informal platform where all stakeholders can meet together, build trust and relationships, address key policy issues and seek common approaches on retail financial services
- Support the opening up of EU retail financial markets in ways that are fair and beneficial to all stakeholders, in a global context
- Be consumer-focused, a forum where industry and consumers can meet, share experiences and build positive working relationships, based on trust and mutual understanding
- Foster a greater awareness of the evolving nature and needs of consumers and the EU retail financial sector.