Publication: Global Survey on Consumer Protection and Financial Literacy Results Brief : Regulatory Practices in 114 Economies
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2013
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2013
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Financial consumer protection and financial education policies, in conjunction with the regulation of financial institutions and markets, need to ensure safe access to financial services and support financial stability and financial inclusion objectives. Consumer protection and financial literacy can contribute to improved efficiency, transparency, competition, and access to retail financial markets by reducing information asymmetries and power imbalances among providers and users of financial services. Rapid progress toward widespread financial inclusion must be appropriately complemented with checks and balances that ensure a responsible provision of financial services and products. A number of international efforts are in place to improve dialogue and identify best practices in financial consumer protection. To contribute to the international dialogue on financial consumer protection the World Bank in conjunction with Fin-CoNet, an international cooperation platform for supervisory agencies in the area of financial consumer protection, conducted a global survey on consumer protection and financial literacy to collect information from financial regulatory agencies in 114 economies. This brief summarizes the key results of the survey and accompanies the release of the data collected to provide timely feedback on the results.
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“World Bank. 2013. Global Survey on Consumer Protection and Financial Literacy Results Brief : Regulatory Practices in 114 Economies. © http://hdl.handle.net/10986/18977 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”
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Publication Global Survey on Consumer Protection and Financial Literacy : Oversight Frameworks and Practices in 114 Economies(Washington, DC, 2014)Financial consumer protection and financial education policies, in conjunction with the regulation of financial institutions and markets, need to ensure safe access to financial services and support financial stability and financial inclusion objectives. Consumer protection and financial literacy can contribute to improved efficiency, transparency, competition, and access to retail financial markets by reducing information asymmetries and power imbalances among providers and users of financial services. Rapid progress toward widespread financial inclusion must be appropriately complemented with checks and balances that ensure a responsible provision of financial services and products. A number of international efforts are in place to improve dialogue and identify best practices in financial consumer protection. To contribute to the international dialogue on financial consumer protection the World Bank in conjunction with Fin-CoNet, an international cooperation platform for supervisory agencies in the area of financial consumer protection, conducted a global survey on consumer protection and financial literacy to collect information from financial regulatory agencies in 114 economies. This brief summarizes the key results of the survey and accompanies the release of the data collected to provide timely feedback on the results.Publication Armenia : Diagnostic Review of Consumer Protection and Financial Literacy, Volume 2. Comparison with Good Practices(Washington, DC, 2012-06)The objectives of the diagnostic review of consumer protection and financial literacy for Armenia are: (i) to assess the existing financial consumer protection framework, by reviewing laws, regulations and practices in Armenia compared to international good practices; and (ii) to provide recommendations on ways to improve consumer protection and financial literacy in Armenia. The review provides a detailed assessment of the institutional, legal and regulatory framework in four financial segments, namely banking, non-bank credit institutions, securities, and insurance. Many key steps have already been taken in financial consumer protection, especially at the regulatory and institutional levels. Regarding the institutional framework, adequate resources need to be allocated to the consumer protection team and modern supervisory tools should be made available. 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This places Morocco well above the average level of financial inclusion in the Middle East and North Africa, as well as above the average level in lower middle income countries (18 percent and 28 percent, respectively). Bank accounts are the most commonly used financial product, with 28 percent of adults reporting having a deposit or checking account. Microfinance institutions (MFIs) currently reach about five percent of the adult population, a finding consistent with supply-side data. Insurance is used by around 24 percent of the adult population in Morocco which is mainly due to mandatory insurance classes. Allowing, and advocating for branchless banking offers the potential to further expand the coverage of financial services and to reach the poor, rural dwellers, and women. Moreover, initiatives to bring women into the financial sector need to reveal and take into account, the substantial differences which can exist between men and women in their access, needs, and preferences of financial services.Publication Consumer Protection and Financial Literacy : Lessons from Nine Country Studies(2010-06-01)The recent turmoil in financial markets worldwide has emphasized the need for adequate consumer protection and financial literacy for long-term stability of the financial sector. This Working Paper aims to summarize key lessons from reviews of consumer protection and financial literacy in nine middle-income countries of Europe and Central Asia (Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, the Russian Federation and Slovakia). All the country assessments used a systematic common approach, based on a set of Good Practices for Consumer Protection and Financial Literacy developed by the World Bank's Europe and Central Asia Region. 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Financial institutions should be required to apply fair, non-coercive and reasonable practices when selling and advertising financial products and services to consumers. Personal data should also be carefully protected.Publication Peru : Diagnostic Review of Consumer Protection and Financial Literacy(Washington, DC, 2013-11)The diagnostic review for consumer protection and financial literacy (CPFL) provides a detailed assessment of the institutional, legal, and regulatory framework for consumer protection in four segments of the financial. A World Bank (WB) mission visited Peru from March 18 to 27, 2013 to prepare the review. The objectives of the CPFL review were: (i) to assess the existing consumer protection and financial literacy framework by reviewing laws, regulations, and practices in Peru compared to international good practices; and (ii) to provide recommendations on ways to improve the level of financial consumer protection and financial literacy in Peru. It seeks to identify key measures in strengthening financial consumer protection, with the ultimate aim of increasing the availability and transparency of financial information, helping build consumers' trust in the financial sector, and expanding their capacity to wisely use financial services. The review addresses the following issues: (1) institutional arrangements, (2) legal and regulatory framework, (3) disclosure, (4) business practices, (5) dispute resolution mechanisms, and (6) financial education.
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