Publication: Establishing a Financial Consumer Protection Supervision Department: Key Observations and Lessons Learned in Five Case Study Countries
Loading...
Date
2014-03
ISSN
Published
2014-03
Author(s)
Editor(s)
Abstract
This technical note is intended to assist policymakers and regulators seeking to establish a financial consumer protection supervision department (FCPSD) within the main financial regulatory body of a country. Concrete, practical information and lessons are drawn from the experiences of five countries: Armenia, the Czech Republic, Ireland, Peru, and Portugal - all of which have been operating a successful FCPSD for at least five years. The note covers the key aspects of the design process: supervisory agenda, organizational structure, supervisory activities, relationship with prudential supervision, and staffing needs. While there is no unified, orderly approach to establishing an FCPSD, many useful observations can be made from the common obstacles, including a lack of internal support, perceived conflicts of interest with prudential supervision, capacity constraints, and the inherent difficulties of starting up operations for the new (and potentially very broad) topic of financial consumer protection. How an FCPSD is established is highly dependent on country context: legal framework for the financial sector, organization of the main financial regulator, political priorities, current stage of development of financial markets, major consumer protection concerns, and other important factors. A comparative table summarizing the main elements in the establishment of FCPSDs in case study countries can be found in annex A.
Link to Data Set
Citation
“Jaeger, Johanna; Chien, Jennifer; Fathallah, Sarah. 2014. Establishing a Financial Consumer Protection Supervision Department: Key Observations and Lessons Learned in Five Case Study Countries. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/25894 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”
Associated URLs
Associated content
Other publications in this report series
Journal
Journal Volume
Journal Issue
Collections
Related items
Showing items related by metadata.
Publication The Impact of the World Bank on the Improvements of Consumer Protection in Financial Services and on Developing Financial Literacy in the Czech Republic and Slovakia(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2010-07-24)This study analyzes the impact of work of the World Bank in the areas of consumer protection in financial services and in improving financial literacy in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, the first two countries where the World Bank provided technical assistance in the areas of consumer protection in financial services and financial literacy. The impulse of the Czech authorities was their understanding that consumer protection was lacking in the area of financial services while the offer and complexity of financial products was growing rapidly in the quickly developing post-communist market. The authorities were dealing with a growing number of complaints from the public as well as increasing media coverage of consumer complaints, while lacking adequate internal expertise to deal with these issues. The World Bank prepared the technical note on consumer protection in financial services for the Czech Republic. After the note was presented publicly at a dissemination seminar in the Czech Republic, authorities of the Slovak Republic requested similar assistance as they were dealing with similar issues. This study describes the impact the pioneering work of the World Bank team had on the Czech Republic and Slovakia, and how it assisted national authorities in improving consumer protection in financial services and developing programs to increase financial literacy of the Czech and Slovak populations.Publication Paraguay Diagnostic Review of Consumer Protection and Financial Literacy : Volume 1. Key Findings and Recommendations(World Bank Group, Washington, DC, 2015-01)This review of the Consumer Protection and Financial Literacy Framework (CPFL) in Paraguay was undertaken in response to a request for technical assistance in this area made by the Central Bank of Paraguay (BCP). The objectives were: (i) to assess the existing consumer protection and financial literacy framework by reviewing laws, regulations, and actual practices in Paraguay, and comparing it with international good practice; and (ii) to provide recommendations on ways to improve the level of financial consumer protection and financial literacy in the country. The Diagnostic Review provides a detailed assessment of the institutional, legal and regulatory framework for consumer protection in four segments of the financial sector: (i) banks and finance companies, (ii) financial cooperatives, (iii) insurance companies, and, - in reflection of the important role they play in Paraguay - (iv) non-bank agents and mobile payment providers. Its findings and recommendations cover six thematic areas: (i) Institutional Arrangements, (ii) Legal and Regulatory Framework, (iii) Transparency and Disclosure, (iv) Business Practices, (v) Complaints Handling and Dispute Resolution, and as a stand-alone section (vi) Financial Education.Publication Global Survey on Consumer Protection and Financial Literacy Results Brief : Regulatory Practices in 114 Economies(Washington, DC, 2013)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 Kyrgyz Republic : Diagnostic Review of Consumer Protection and Financial Literacy, Volume 2. Comparison with Good Practices(Washington, DC, 2014-05)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 two segments of the financial sector: banking and microfinance. The review was undertaken in response to a request for technical assistance in the field of financial consumer protection made by the National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic (NBKR) in November 2012.Publication Islamic Republic of Pakistan : Diagnostic Review of Consumer Protection and Financial Literacy, Volume 1. Key Findings and Recommendations(Washington, DC, 2014-03)The diagnostic review for Consumer Protection and Financial Literacy (CPFL) provides a detailed assessment of the institutional, legal, and regulatory framework in four segments of the financial sector: banking, microfinance, securities, and insurance. The review took place in response to a request for World Bank technical assistance in the field of financial consumer protection made by Pakistan's Ministry of Finance (MoF), the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), and the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP). The review consists of two volumes. Volume one summarize the key findings and recommendations of the review and Volume two presents a detailed assessment of each financial segment compared against the good practices for financial consumer protection. The key findings and recommendations in volume one cover five areas: (i) the institutional, legal, and regulatory framework for consumer protection; (ii) disclosure; (iii) business practices; (iv) dispute resolution mechanisms; and (v) financial education. Priority recommendations are outlined in table one; a more detailed list of recommendations is included in annex one.
Users also downloaded
Showing related downloaded files
Publication Argentina Country Climate and Development Report(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2022-11)The Argentina Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR) explores opportunities and identifies trade-offs for aligning Argentina’s growth and poverty reduction policies with its commitments on, and its ability to withstand, climate change. It assesses how the country can: reduce its vulnerability to climate shocks through targeted public and private investments and adequation of social protection. The report also shows how Argentina can seize the benefits of a global decarbonization path to sustain a more robust economic growth through further development of Argentina’s potential for renewable energy, energy efficiency actions, the lithium value chain, as well as climate-smart agriculture (and land use) options. Given Argentina’s context, this CCDR focuses on win-win policies and investments, which have large co-benefits or can contribute to raising the country’s growth while helping to adapt the economy, also considering how human capital actions can accompany a just transition.Publication The Mexican Social Protection System in Health(World Bank, Washington DC, 2013-01)With a population of 113 million and a per-capita Gross Domestic Product, or GDP of US$10,064 (current U.S. dollars), Mexico is one of the largest and highest-income countries in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). The country has benefited from sustained economic growth during the last decade, which was temporarily interrupted by the financial and economic crisis. Real GDP is projected to grow 3.8 percent and 3.6 percent in 2012 and 2013, respectively (International Monetary Fund, or IMF 2012). Despite this growth, poverty in the country remains high; with half of the population living below the national poverty line. The country is also highly heterogeneous, with large socioeconomic differences across states and across urban and rural areas. In 2010, while the extreme poverty ratio in the Federal District and the states of Colima and Nuevo Leon was below 3 percent, in Chiapas, Guerrero, and Oaxaca it was 25 percent or higher. These large regional differences are also found in other indicators of well-being, such as years of schooling, housing conditions, and access to social services. This case study assesses key features and achievements of the Social Protection System in Health (Sistema de Proteccion Social en Salud) in Mexico, and particularly of its main pillar, Popular Health Insurance (Seguro Popular, PHI). It analyzes the contribution of this policy to the establishment and implementation of universal health coverage in Mexico. In 2003, with the reform of the General Health Law, the PHI was institutionalized as a subsidized health insurance scheme open to the population not covered by the social security schemes. Today, the PHI covers all of its intended affiliates, about 52 million peoplePublication Business Ready 2024(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-10-03)Business Ready (B-READY) is a new World Bank Group corporate flagship report that evaluates the business and investment climate worldwide. It replaces and improves upon the Doing Business project. B-READY provides a comprehensive data set and description of the factors that strengthen the private sector, not only by advancing the interests of individual firms but also by elevating the interests of workers, consumers, potential new enterprises, and the natural environment. This 2024 report introduces a new analytical framework that benchmarks economies based on three pillars: Regulatory Framework, Public Services, and Operational Efficiency. The analysis centers on 10 topics essential for private sector development that correspond to various stages of the life cycle of a firm. The report also offers insights into three cross-cutting themes that are relevant for modern economies: digital adoption, environmental sustainability, and gender. B-READY draws on a robust data collection process that includes specially tailored expert questionnaires and firm-level surveys. The 2024 report, which covers 50 economies, serves as the first in a series that will expand in geographical coverage and refine its methodology over time, supporting reform advocacy, policy guidance, and further analysis and research.Publication Doing Business 2014 : Understanding Regulations for Small and Medium-Size Enterprises(Washington, DC: World Bank Group, 2013-10-28)Eleventh in a series of annual reports comparing business regulation in 185 economies, Doing Business 2014 measures regulations affecting 11 areas of everyday business activity: Starting a business, Dealing with construction permits, Getting electricity, Registering property, Getting credit, Protecting investors, Paying taxes, Trading across borders, Enforcing contracts, Closing a business, Employing workers. The report updates all indicators as of June 1, 2013, ranks economies on their overall “ease of doing business”, and analyzes reforms to business regulation – identifying which economies are strengthening their business environment the most. The Doing Business reports illustrate how reforms in business regulations are being used to analyze economic outcomes for domestic entrepreneurs and for the wider economy. Doing Business is a flagship product by the World Bank and IFC that garners worldwide attention on regulatory barriers to entrepreneurship. More than 60 economies use the Doing Business indicators to shape reform agendas and monitor improvements on the ground. In addition, the Doing Business data has generated over 870 articles in peer-reviewed academic journals since its inception.Publication Classroom Assessment to Support Foundational Literacy(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-03-21)This document focuses primarily on how classroom assessment activities can measure students’ literacy skills as they progress along a learning trajectory towards reading fluently and with comprehension by the end of primary school grades. The document addresses considerations regarding the design and implementation of early grade reading classroom assessment, provides examples of assessment activities from a variety of countries and contexts, and discusses the importance of incorporating classroom assessment practices into teacher training and professional development opportunities for teachers. The structure of the document is as follows. The first section presents definitions and addresses basic questions on classroom assessment. Section 2 covers the intersection between assessment and early grade reading by discussing how learning assessment can measure early grade reading skills following the reading learning trajectory. Section 3 compares some of the most common early grade literacy assessment tools with respect to the early grade reading skills and developmental phases. Section 4 of the document addresses teacher training considerations in developing, scoring, and using early grade reading assessment. Additional issues in assessing reading skills in the classroom and using assessment results to improve teaching and learning are reviewed in section 5. Throughout the document, country cases are presented to demonstrate how assessment activities can be implemented in the classroom in different contexts.