The Commission is preparing transparency rules for organizations that provide financial education

The European Commission invites organizations that provide financial education to contribute to the establishment of common rules regarding transparency, accuracy of information, and management of conflicts of interest. Separately, administrations, organizations, and individuals involved in projects related to saving, investments, and financial risks can present existing initiatives that have produced results and could be adapted in other member states.

In short, the Commission will form a working group with representatives of private and nonprofit organizations to prepare a voluntary European code applicable to financial education programs. The code will aim for projects to transparently present their objectives, provide accurate and impartial information, and include measures to limit conflicts of interest. Interested organizations wishing to participate in discussions regarding the code can register until September 16, 2026. Selected participants will take part in several preparatory meetings. Individuals and organizations can submit existing project examples related to investments, savings, and understanding financial risks until October 30, 2026. The Commission estimates that the draft code will be adopted in the first quarter of 2027. The document will be voluntary and will not introduce legal obligations for providers of financial education.

The first initiative concerns programs through which citizens are encouraged to manage their savings, evaluate investment opportunities, and understand the risks associated with financial products. The Commission is looking for projects that are already functioning and can demonstrate what methods, resources, or forms of organization have contributed to good results.

Individuals and organizations from the European Union can participate, including public administrations, educational institutions, consumer organizations, professional associations, and private entities. The initiative does not represent a competition with prizes nor a new funding program. The goal is to collect and compare existing experiences.

Proposals must refer to investments, savings, or understanding financial risks and must be submitted by October 30, 2026. The Commission will analyze them based on a report with three criteria included in the participation form, to identify common elements and factors that contributed to the success of the projects.

The results will be compiled into a synthesis report. This will be made available to member states, which will select the practices deemed most useful for the scheduled discussions at the end of 2026 in the financial education subgroup of the government experts group for retail financial services.

Selecting a project for the report does not mean that it will automatically become a European program or that member states will be obliged to adopt it. The report will serve to exchange experiences and identify solutions that could be adapted based on national educational, institutional, and financial systems.

The second initiative aims to develop a European code of conduct for private and nonprofit organizations that promote financial education. The Commission is seeking participants for a roundtable that will contribute to defining the content of the document.

The code is expected to establish principles regarding the presentation of a program's objectives, the accuracy of the information provided, and the separation of education from commercial promotion. Programs will need to include measures that reduce the risk of the provider's, funder's, or a business partner's interests influencing the educational content.

These guarantees are relevant for projects organized or funded by banks, investment firms, insurance companies, financial platforms, and other entities that may have a commercial interest in participants' decisions. The participation of such an organization will not be excluded, but the objectives, sources of funding, and any potential conflicts of interest should be presented transparently.

The content provided within the programs must be accurate and impartial. The code is not intended to establish what products should be purchased or what financial strategy should be followed by participants, and its final form will depend on discussions with the selected organizations.

Registrations for the roundtable are open until September 16, 2026. The Commission will select participants who will be invited to a series of meetings dedicated to drafting the code. The document is scheduled for adoption in the first quarter of 2027.

The voluntary nature means that adherence by organizations will not be imposed by legislation. The information provided does not specify whether there will be a public register of signatories, a mechanism for verifying compliance with the principles, or consequences for organizations that adhere and later do not apply them. These elements are to be established in the drafting process.

The two initiatives apply the EU Strategy on Financial Education through two different instruments. The first aims to identify projects that can serve as models, while the second concerns the quality and transparency of programs conducted by actors outside the public sector.

The EU Strategy on Financial Education aims to help citizens make better-informed decisions regarding personal budgeting, saving, borrowing, insurance, and investments. Its implementation relies primarily on cooperation with member states and organizations that provide information and education programs.

Financial education remains largely a national responsibility, and the two initiatives do not create a mandatory curriculum for schools nor harmonize the programs of member states. The Commission seeks to facilitate the exchange of practices and establish voluntary standards for private and nonprofit providers.

The European code will not replace the rules governing consumer information, advertising of financial products, investment advice, or investor protection. An educational material may explain how a product works, while a personalized recommendation to buy or sell a specific product may fall under different rules.