Publications in: Consumer Finance

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 […]

Study on Means to Protect Consumers in Financial Difficulty: Personal Bankruptcy, Datio in Solutum of Mortgages, and Restrictions on Debt Collection Abusive Practices

Client:Financial Services User Group via DG Internal Market and Services
Published:April, 2013

Commissioned on behalf of the Financial Services Users Group by DG Internal Market and Services, and authored by London Economics, this report examines all formal debt reduction solutions which allow consumers to return to a financially sustainable path by eliminating some or all of their debts, including providing a comprehensive description of: the availability and […]

Basic Banking Services

Client:European Parliament
Published:January, 2012

Presentation to the European Parliament by London Economics.

Basic Banking Services

Client:European Parliament
Published:December, 2011

This briefing paper examines the current state of play in the access to basic banking services, as well as the expected benefits of providing such access for citizens as well as for cross-border trade, in particular e-commerce. It also identifies the banking services that would ideally be covered by any initiative and the main hurdles […]

Study on the Costs and Benefits of Different Policy Options for Mortgage Credit

Client:N/A
Published:March, 2011

The costs and benefits of potential changes in the following four mortgage policy areas are considered in the study, which was published by the European Commission on 31 March 2011: pre-contractual information, the definition of the annual percentage rate of charge, early repayment and responsible lending and borrowing. The approach to assessing the costs and […]