The proposals are:

Sustainable finance: The Commission is proposing new rules that define the criteria for sustainable finance. The aim is to encourage asset managers and institutional investors such as insurance companies or occupational pension funds to integrate environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors into their investment decision-making process, as part of their duties towards investors and beneficiaries, and to disclose that information. In this way, more investments will be channelled into sustainable activities.

Motor insurance: This proposal will ensure that victims of motor vehicle accidents receive the full compensation they are due, even when the insurer is insolvent. It will also guarantee that when people move across borders and purchase a motor insurance policy in another EU Member State, their claims history will be treated in the same way as that of domestic consumers.

Sovereign bond-backed securities: The Commission is putting forward a proposal that will remove unwarranted regulatory obstacles to the market-led development of sovereign bond-backed securities (SBBS). The new rules will help banks diversify their balance sheets.  They will also further weaken the link between banks and their government. These were both issues at the heart of the last financial and economic crisis.

Funding for SMEs: With this proposal, the Commission is hoping to make it easier for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to get funding. It is proposing to adjust the rules on access to dedicated public markets (SME Growth Markets) to allow SMEs to get financing more easily through these dedicated stock exchanges.

Read more on sustainable finance, motor insurance, SBBS, SME listing