The European Financial Planning Association (EFPA), created both in the interest of financial services professionals and their users, aims to disseminate the discipline of personal financial advising and planning among sector professionals and society in general, counting on the legal acknowledgement and back-up of regulatory bodies, financial entities and professionals. By improving the training of sector professionals and promoting the observance of the association’s code of ethics by its members, EFPA aims to guarantee ethical and professional conduct.
Interimreport1 January–31 March2024 Elo Mutual Pension Insurance Company
EFPA Aisbl Presentation
1. 1
High quality standards for
competence and ethical behavior
for the financial advisory and
planning sector
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High quality standards for
competence and ethical behavior
for the financial advisory and
planning sector
3. 3
INDEX
1. EFPA’s overall aims
2. In the interest of professionals and users
3. The EFPA Community: Europe and Beyond
4. Certificate holders, training institutions and corporate partners
5. EFPA Certifications
6. EFPA Synthesis
7. Self regulation and compliance on professional qualifications
8. An active stakeholder at financial European level
9. Other EFPA’s permanent tasks
10. The network of national affiliates
11. Adapted to each market reality
12. Benefits of EFPA certificates for financial institutions and professionals
13. An on going reality
14. Contact details
European Financial Planner Association
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1. EFPA’s OVERALL AIMS
EFPA is the largest and most respected professional licensing, standard setting and certification body
for financial planners and financial advisors in Europe and was the first European financial standards
association created for the purpose of increasing professionalism in the European financial services
sector.
With more than 60 European universities, banking and insurance institutes currently accredited by EFPA’s
wholly autonomous Standards and Qualifications Committee (SQC) [to offer the EFPA European Financial
Advisor and EFPA European Financial Planner Core Competence Framework], EFPA is a center of the
financial services educational framework regarding the training of banking, insurance and independent
financial advising personnel in Europe.
All examinations which may result in certification by EFPA are independently audited and accredited
by either the EFPA Standards and Qualifications Committee (SQC) and with the assistance of National
independent scientific committees responsible for accreditation in their respective countries.
2. IN THE INTEREST OF PROFESSIONALS AND USERS
EFPA is at the vanguard of consumer protection in financial services. We emphasize our commitment to
the ethical behavior of our certificate holders by requiring them to swear to abide by the EFPA Code of
Ethics.
The European Financial Planning Association (EFPA), created both in the interest of financial services
professionals and their users, aims to disseminate the discipline of personal financial advising and
planning among sector professionals and society in general, counting on the legal acknowledgement
and back-up of regulatory bodies, financial entities and professionals. By improving the training of sector
professionals and promoting the observance of the association’s code of ethics by its members, EFPA
aims to guarantee ethical and professional conduct.
European Financial Planner Association
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3. THE EFPA COMMUNITY: EUROPE and BEYOND
EFPA membership is the result of a detailed and demanding affiliation process to ensure the standards are
applied alike in each country with equivalent programs, exams, continuous education for recertification
and code of ethics.
• EFPA AUSTRIA
• EFPA BELGIUM
• EFPA CZECH REPUBLIK
• EFPA ESTONIA
• EFPA FRANCE
• EFPA GERMANY
• EFPA HUNGARY
• EFPA IRELAND • EFPA ITALY
• EFPA POLAND
• EFPA SPAIN
• EFPA UK
4. CERTIFICATE HOLDERS, TRAINING INSTITUTIONS AND
CORPORATE PARTNERS
EFPA Affiliates may also promote the standards outside their respective countries. By doing so, EFPA is
also present in other European and non European countries.
EFPA Development varies from country to country being the focus not to grow by itself, but to grow in
a sustainable way ensuring the quality and the highest standard for the certifications. At present, more
than 50,000 professionals are holding already EFPA certifications or other marks accredited with EFPA
Standards, after just fifteen years since EFPA full establishment and twelve since EFPA exams and
certifications started.
Every year, around 4.000/5.000 professionals take the EFPA examinations. Across Europe, there are
already 60 accredited training institutions for the EFPA certifications. Also, 57 Corporate Partners:
financial institutions committed with the Certification.
European Financial Planner Association
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5. EFPA CERTIFICATIONS
European Financial Planner (EQF 6)
• Highest standard. Integrated practice of financial planning including estate
planning, international taxation, retirement and insurance needs, integration
of their own business valuation, in addition to a holistic financial advice. The
educational programs should be covered in a minimum of 320 tuition hours or
equivalent.
European Financial Adviser (EQF 5)
• Full (comprehensive) practice of financial advice. Refers to professionals who
offer a rigorous service of assessing clients needs and developing financial
solutions, particularly concerning investments (at portfolio level), but also
including insurance / retirement / credit / financing solutions. The educational
programs should be covered in a minimum of 160 tuition hours or equivalent.
European Investment Practitioner (EQF 4)
• Full practice on providing information on financial products (including complex
products) and a non sophisticated/occasional advice by assessing clients needs
and developing a financial solution based on non-complex products. The training
programs should be covered in a minimum of 64 tuition hours or equivalent.
European Investment Assistant (EQF 3) *
• Assistance to other professionals and provision of information to costumers on
non-complex products. The training program should be covered in a minimum of
32 tuition hours or equivalent.
European Financial Planner Association
EFP
EFA
EIP
EIA
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6. EFPA SYNTHESIS
• Setting standards
• Certification body
• Continuous education
• Ethics commitment
• For Financial advice and planning in European financial services.
7. SELFREGULATION AND COMPLIANCE ON PROFESSIONAL
QUALIFICATIONS
• Promotes self regulation for personal financial advice and planning services in the light of:
- The growing expansion of the financial advice and planning services’ industry pushed by an increasing
demand.
- The support of an industry, committed to advice and added value financial distribution.
• Support compliance to regulation requesting qualifications on Knowledge and Competence for
Investment professionals (both advising and informing on investment products).
For example: MiFID II and ESMA Guidelines.
1. Article 25, MiFID II
Assessment of suitability and appropriateness and reporting to clients
Member States shall require investment firms to ensure and demonstrate to competent authorities on
request that natural persons giving investment advice or information about financial instruments,
investment services or ancillary services to clients on behalf of the investment firm possess the
necessary knowledge and competence to fulfil their obligations under Article 24 and this Article. Member
States shall publish the criteria to be used for assessing such knowledge and competence.
2. ESMA Guidelines for the assessment of knowledge and competence (December 17, 2015)
European Financial Planner Association
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8. AN ACTIVE STAKEHOLDER AT FINANCIAL EUROPEAN LEVEL
• Responding to consultation papers of European regulators (MiFID II, ESMA Guidelines and technical
norms, Roboadvisors, etc.).
• Networking to other stakeholders such as Financial institutions, trade and employers’ associations,
consumer organizations, etc.
• Present at ESMA’s and national regulators’ consultative and advisory bodies.
• Press and professional events (as organist or lecturers).
• Designing surveys and ‘voice of the market’ analysis.
9. OTHER EFPA’s PERMANENT TASKS
• Participation at international conferences/seminars/forums increasing the visibility of the Association.
• Seek expansion of the Association through new affiliates and certificate holders.
• Support the national activities and congresses of EFPA’s Affiliates.
• EFPA Standards and Qualifications Committee (SQC): update and monitor the accreditation and
implementation of EFPA certifications.
• Newsletters, articles and presence in the media.
• Own events (2016: Taormina in May, Brussels in October, etc.).
10. THE NETWORK OF NATIONAL AFFILIATES
• At local level, EFPA’s affiliates perform a variety of activities such as:
• Promote the Standards in the market both, at professional (corporate partnerships) and educational
(accreditation of training institutions) level.
• Application of the Standards: assessment process.
• Updating and maintenance of the Certificate Holders’ register.
• Organization/participation in activities such as seminars, meetings or conferences.
• Be in contact with local authorities/regulators participating in any initiative related with the financial
advice or financial planning industry.
• Assorted services for associates (newsletters, discounts on certain products or services,
professional forums participation, legal and fiscal advice for certificate holders, etc.).
European Financial Planner Association
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11. ADAPTED TO EACH MARKET REALITY
Activities of each Affiliate are related to its size, stage of development and position in the local
market.
• Ireland and UK: being in a highly regulated market, their activity is to promote EFPA standards in
their countries, and to assure mutual recognition with official licenses.
• Austria, Belgium, Germany, Hungary: mainly focused on the certification activity and promoting the
profession.
• Czech Republic, France, Poland, Italy and Spain: certification and increasingly actives as
associations of certificates’ holders.
• Estonia and Baltic countries: just starting certification activities.
• Belgium: relaunching the affiliate activity.
12. BENEFITS OF EFPA CERTIFICATES FOR FINANCIAL
INSTITUTIONS AND PROFESSIONALS
• Improvestaffcompetences:deeperunderstandingoffinancialproductsand better capability to explain
them to clients.
• Compliance(SpeciallyundernewEuropeanregulation).
• Increasetheeffectivenessofprofessionaltrainingthroughcertification.
• Increaseself-confidencewhendealingwithclients.
• Continuingprofessionaldevelopment.
• Europeanstandardsandgrowingnetwork.
European Financial Planner Association
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13. AN ON GOING REALITY (I)
Improving the competences of
financial advisors and planners
in benefit of the employer, the
customer, the professional itself,
the industry and its reputation.
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13. AN ON GOING REALITY (II)
Conferences and seminars
European Financial Planner Association