Publications in: Finance

Best Practices and Performance of Auto-enrolment Mechanisms for Pension Savings – December 2021

Client:EC DG for Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union (FISMA)
Published:December, 2021

Automatic enrolment (also referred to as auto-enrolment) is a mechanism that encourages pension saving by enrolling individuals into a pension scheme unless they actively choose to opt-out. This study identifies and evaluates 32 best practices for the design of auto-enrolment pension schemes, informed by an in-depth qualitative and quantitative assessment of pension schemes in selected […]

Study on Consumers’ Decision-making in Insurance Services: A Behavioural Economics Perspective – November 2017

Client:ec-dg-justice-consumers
Published:November, 2017

This study focused on consumers’ decision-making in the non-life insurance market when purchasing domestically and cross-border. It tested ways to help consumers make better decisions using a behavioural experiment, collected complementary data on the supply side of the market, and examined potential savings consumers could make.

Understanding Consumer Vulnerability in the EU’s Key Markets – February 2016

Client:understanding-consumer-vulnerability-in-the-eus-key-markets-february-2016
Published:February, 2016

This study for the European Commission provides a new definition of vulnerable consumers, a new methodology for measuring consumer vulnerability and new insights into the actual patterns of consumer vulnerability. The large scale study employed stakeholder consultations, consumer surveys, focus groups and behavioural experiments across the EU28 plus Iceland and Norway

Study on the Functioning of the Consumer Credit Markets in the European Union – May 2014

Client:EC DG Health and Consumers
Published:May, 2014

The study assesses the degree to which Consumer Credit Directive (CCD) fulfilled its principal objectives, namely: a) fostering an internal credit market in the EU, with a positive impact, in particular on cross­border competition; and, b) providing a high level of protection of consumers regarding consumer credits. The study focuses on the impact of the […]

Consumer Protection Aspects of Financial Services

Client:European Parliament
Published:February, 2014

The financial crisis of 2007/2008 has clearly shown that inadequate consumer protection, especially in the US mortgage market, was a major contributor to financial instability. Moreover, many holders of sub-prime mortgages suffered considerable harm as a result of mis-selling or inappropriate selling. However, the USA is not the only country where weak consumer protection resulted […]

Analysis of Developments in the Fields of Direct Investment and M&A — Part II: Foreign Firms’ Contributions to EU Economic Performance

Client:EC DG Internal Market and Services
Published:December, 2013

Part II of Analysis of developments in the fields of direct investment and M&A considered the performance of foreign firms that are recipients of FDI.   Domestic firms far outweigh foreign-owned firms in the EU; however, the contributions of foreign-owned firms to economic performance are disproportionately high in terms of productivity, employment generation and the […]

Analysis of Developments in the Fields of Direct Investment and M&A — Part I 2013 Developments in World-wide and EU Capital Flows

Client:EC DG Internal Market and Services
Published:December, 2013

Part I of Analysis of developments in the fields of direct investment and M&A reviews developments in international capital flows (FDI, portfolio investment, other investments and reserves) world-wide and more particularly between EU Member States and the rest of the world and within the EU.

PSD I and PSD II

Client:N/A
Published:October, 2013

Presentation, Global Money Transfer Summit 2013, 29-30 October 2013.

PSD II – Proposed Changes and Timetable

Client:N/A
Published:September, 2013

Presentation to UKMTA conference “International payment services – what are the opportunities and threats for business in a changing marketplace?”, 19 September 2013.

Study on the Impact of Directive 2007/64/EC on Payment Services in the Internal Market and on the Application of Regulation (EC) No. 924/2009 on Cross-border Payments in the Community

Client:EC DG Internal Market and Services
Published:July, 2013

The study, undertaken with iff and PaySys, examines the effects of Directive 2007/64/EC on payment services in the internal market (PSD) and Regulation (EC) No 924/2009 on fees and charges for cross-border payments (Regulation 924) and identifies a number of potential amendments to current version of the PSD.  The report is based on four different […]