ESBG welcomes the financial competence framework by the European Commission and OECD
ESBG Managing Director, Peter Simon, shares the vast experience of European Savings and Retail Banks on financial education during panel discussion.
BRUSSELS, 25 January 2022 – The European Savings and Retail Banking Group (ESBG) applauds and welcomes the ‘Financial competence framework for adults in the European Union’ launched today by the European Commission (EC) and the OECD’s International Network on Financial Education (INFE).
“This framework provides much needed guidance to ensure citizens are prepared to make sound financial decisions that help them prosper and build resilience across all Member States”, said ESBG Managing Director, Peter Simon, who participated in a panel discussion to launch the initiative.
“Building financial education and literacy is part of European Savings and Retail Bank’s DNA and history, who have been carrying out for decades a number of different financial education programmes with the greatest dedication. Together with our members, ESBG can only celebrate an initiative from the public sector that aims at the same goal, which is to empower citizens to make the right choices for their financial well-being”, he added. “We all need to work together”.
In particular, ESBG applauds the fact that this framework, which includes 563 personal finance competences, focuses not only on building knowledge but also skills across all age groups.
The framework builds on the OECD’s existing one, updating it to the EU context and enriching it with more detailed digital and sustainable finance competences. It is made available for voluntary uptake in the EU by public authorities, private bodies and the civil society.
It was published on 11 January and launched today on a virtual event by European Commissioner Mairead McGuinness, and OECD Secretary General, Mathias Cormann. The announcement was followed by a panel discussion with industry experts.
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"It's the labour supply, stupid"
The coronavirus (COVID-19) shock affected some demographic groups’ labour force participation rate differently from what past cyclicality would suggest.
Guest Speaker

Edward Scicluna is Governor of the Central Bank of Malta and Deputy Chairman of the Malta Financial Services Authority, after having served as Malta’s Minister for Finance (2013-2020). He also served as an MEP and Vice-Charmain of ECON (2008-2013). His previous appointments included that of Professor and Head of the Department of Economics at the University of Malta (UoM), and Chairman of the MCESD. Edward graduated from the University of Oxford with a Diploma with distinction in politics and economics; from the UoM with a First Class Honours BA degree. He read for his Masters and Doctorate in Economics at the University of Toronto.
About the topic
The coronavirus (COVID-19) shock affected some demographic groups’ labour force participation rate differently from what past cyclicality would suggest. The assessment, however, depends on the counterfactual scenario used, i.e. the assumption of what would have happened in the absence of the pandemic shock. Using counterfactual scenarios that take the pre-pandemic trends into consideration, the labour force participation rate gap – i.e. the difference between the observed labour force participation and the no-pandemic-shock counterfactual – is the widest for older workers and for workers with lower and…(click to read more)
Programme
14h30 – Welcome, short introduction by ESBG of the topic and the guest speaker
14h35 – Guest speaker’s presentation
15h00 – Q&A moderated by Sebastian Stodulka, ESBG Head of Regulatory Affairs
15h15 – Closure
About ESBG
The European Savings and Retail Banking Group (ESBG) has 23 members in 18 countries. As some of its members are national organisations, ESBG represents the interests of over 800 banks working responsibly and closely with their communities and SMEs. Together, ESBG members manage assets worth €5,700 billion, serve 162 million Europeans and employ nearly 660,000 people.
About the Central Bank of Malta
The Central Bank of Malta is the central bank of the Republic of Malta. It was established on 17 April 1968. In May 2004, when Malta joined the European Union, it became an integral part of the European System of Central Banks.