Retail & Inclusion | Finance Watch

Policy portal Retail & Inclusion

Access to financial services for individuals is a prerequisite for social inclusion, a decent standard of living during working and retirement age and protection in case of unexpected life events. Unaffordable offers and discriminatory practices are some of the barriers preventing many citizens from accessing the basic financial services needed to participate in modern life.

EU policymakers have a responsibility to remove these barriers and make the retail financial services market safe and fair. Rules are also needed to help citizens avoid over-indebtedness and offer a way out for those who find themselves in this difficult situation. And all of this must extend to the digital world (See also “digitalisation” under “Digital Finance“).

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2 PUBLICATIONS

Joint statement

06/03/2025

Retail & Inclusion

Consumers need fairer and safer investments: joint civil society recommendations on the Retail Investment Strategy trilogues

Civil society is calling for crucial improvements to the Retail Investment Strategy (RIS) to ensure that EU investors receive fair treatment, better protection and greater trust in financial markets.
Joint statement

10/02/2025

Retail & Inclusion

Finance Watch supports the call to protect consumers’ right to choose digital or print communications

As retail financial services become increasingly digitised, Finance Watch remains committed to protecting the vulnerable from financial exclusion.

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The blog corner

A young woman experiencing an issue with an online payment

Retail & Inclusion

Level:Beginner

03.07.2025

How unfair commercial practices in finance put consumers at risk

Retail & Inclusion

Level:Beginner

17.03.2025

What is financial inclusion?

Retail & Inclusion

Level:Regular

08.02.2023

Gender Equality efforts in Europe have stalled. Can better Consumer Protections get it moving again?
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