Press Release: Financial Services: user expert forum delivers first opinion on post-Action Plan stocktaking groups

FIN-USE, an expert panel set up by the European Commission to give opinions on financial services from a 'user' perspective, delivered its first opinion on the four stocktaking group reports produced in May 2004, as the legislative phase of the Financial Services Action Plan (FSAP) came to an end in October 2004. The stocktaking reports assessed the state of financial integration in the EU. In its opinion, which reflects the consensus view of the group members and not necessarily that of the Commission, FIN-USE sets out its views on the reports, and makes ten principal recommendations. The Commission said it would take these into account, along with the results of the recent public consultation on the stocktaking reports, in the process of completing the implementation of the FSAP and in determining future financial services policy.