A Single Market in financial services has long been an EU objective. The integration of financial markets in the EU has progressed much further in wholesale than in retail financial services, with the latter still segmented largely along national lines. The Financial Services Action Plan (FSAP) consists of a set of measures intended by 2005 to fill gaps and remove the remaining barriers to a Single Market in financial services across the EU as a whole. This guide to the FSAP has been prepared by HM Treasury, the Financial Services Authority (FSA) and the Bank of England. The guide is intended to provide an introduction to the FSAP for the UK financial sector, corporate sector and consumer groups, where they are not yet sufficiently familiar with its potential impact, rather than for experts. The guide is being published now, because the FSAP is in the process of being implemented and the UK authorities are keen to ensure that the UK financial sector, corporate sector and consumer groups are consulted on, and fully understand the impact of, FSAP measures.
Published on
26 September 2003
The EU Financial Services Action Plan: a guide