Plenary focus - May
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Marisa Matias
Fintech: the influence of technology on the future of the financial sector
We need financial instruments that are transparent and accessible to all. A large majority of consumers want simple and secure financial products. We need to protect their interests and make this a public duty. However, the proposed report wants to remove this responsibility. It makes no effective demands for regulation of the financial system - which is our minimal demand – and instead makes regulation more difficult or even impossible. This is another lost opportunity, repeating the same mistakes of other reports while making things even worse.
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Martina Michels
Balancing financial instruments and grants in EU cohesion policy
The subsidy system of EU funds plays a vital role in fostering territorial, social and economic development. Increasing volumes of financial instruments, including “EFSI”, should not negatively affect the grant appropriations or lead to a crowding out effect on the EU’s budget allocated to the cohesion policy as this could lead to territorial disparities. You cannot be serious about a social pillar for the EU if you reduce the existing solidarity policy approach to investment in business development.
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