EU targets pension growth and tighter crypto oversight

The European Union(EU)  has vowed to solve rising issues concerning pension investments and crypto trading with a deadline set for the end of the year. This action aims to boost the revival of Europe’s capital markets. 

Following their pledge, the international organization intends to enhance pension investment growth and loosen strict cryptocurrency regulations.

These plans were made public after Maria Luis Albuquerque, a European Commissioner for Financial Stability, Financial Services, and the Capital Markets Union, shared them on Thursday, September 18, according to reports from reliable sources.

The commissioner also highlighted that the commission was considering granting the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), its major market regulator, more direct supervisory powers. 

The EU vows to enact effective economic strategies to reform its single market

During a conference in Copenhagen, Albuquerque stated the commission’s main aim towards implementing these changes. Based on her argument, they want to eliminate cross-border barriers, lower administrative expenses, and ensure the implementation of simple regulations.

Her remarks came when individuals raised concerns about getting tired of the EU’s slow-moving approach to reforming its single market.

These concerns were raised a year after Mario Draghi, a prominent Italian economist who served as the European Central Bank’s President (ECB), released a significant report on enhancing the European economy using the financial sector. Even with this economic strategy, Draghi warned that Europe was dragging behind global changes at the beginning of this week.

Meanwhile, as the ESMA gains supervisory powers, the commission will thoroughly assess whether centralized oversight of specific market infrastructures, such as central counterparties, central securities depositories, and trading venues, will be beneficial.

Concerning this, Albuquerque pointed out that emerging sectors like crypto asset service institutions would also benefit from increased centralized supervision while still allowing national authorities to perform their responsibilities.

The EU proposes measures to encourage investments in Europe

Albuquerque shared additional information about the commission’s proposals that are expected to be implemented by the end of this month.  The proposals are intended to encourage investments in Europe and redirect household savings stored in bank accounts into investments.

A reliable source familiar with the situation reported that the commission will propose several tax incentives to promote investment. This will include deductions for opening savings and investment accounts, exemptions on income from investments, and introducing a system that will delay taxes until people withdraw their funds from their bank accounts. 

These suggestions are part of what is referred to as the Savings and Investments Union. This initiative aims to assist European businesses in gaining easier access to funding, as it simultaneously provides more financial opportunities for consumers. This draft may be updated before September 30, the preferred date for the commission to issue these recommendations.

For the EU’s pension plan that Albuquerque had shared earlier, the commission will suggest auto-enrollment for workplace pensions, establish systems that track pensions, and offer advice on the most suitable practices to be adopted.

These recommended measures must undergo the EU legislative process and represent another effort by Brussels to utilize European capital to enhance the local economy.

In the meantime, during her yearly speech last week, President Ursula von der Leyen pointed out internal obstacles in the single market. According to her, they act as a 45% tariff on goods and a 110% tariff on services. 

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