January 28, 2019 @ 9:02 am By JD Alois  |  

GDPR or the General Data Protection Regulation is a big deal. GDPR was designed to better protect consumers and their digitized information. While clearly not perfect, GDPR is the direct result of big corporations failing their customers with poor security protocols, lackluster attention to cyberfraud… Read More

December 30, 2018 @ 4:00 pm By JD Alois  |  

The European Commission (EC) recently announced a European investment plan designed to boost access to capital to Spanish SMEs and “midcap investment projects.” The plan is for the European Investment Bank Group and BBVA to provide €360 million for these smaller businesses. A €60 million “synthetic… Read More

June 18, 2018 @ 12:24 pm By JD Alois  |  

The European Crowdfunding Network (ECN) is the leading independent advocate for Fintech innovation, including crowdfunding, in Europe. The ECN has earned a reputation of engaging with a broad group of industry participants, thought leaders and public officials to help guide the evolution of new forms… Read More

April 11, 2018 @ 9:20 pm By Cali Haan  |  

On Tuesday, April 10th, 22 European countries signed an declaration vowing to cooperate as partners in the development and deployment of blockchain tech across European jurisdictions. According to the declaration, “Cooperation on a European Blockchain Partnership,” earnest efforts to “reaffirm” Europe’s “leading role” globally in blockchain… Read More

March 10, 2018 @ 1:12 pm By JD Alois  |  

As we reported last week, the European Commission has announced its intent to pursue a Fintech Action Plan designed to boost Fintech innovation across continental Europe. The recognition that enabling innovations in finance are of strategic importance. This is a vital step in keeping Europe… Read More

March 8, 2018 @ 6:59 am By JD Alois  |  

The European Commission has published their Fintech Action Plan representing a strategic approach to boosting “technology-enabled innovation in financial services”.  As a first “major deliverable,” the Commission published new rules designed to help crowdfunding platforms to expand across the EU’s single market. The Commission is also… Read More

March 20, 2017 @ 2:30 pm By JD Alois  |  

In Europe, the cultural and creative sectors (CCS) are not very familiar with crowdfunding. In order to better understand and evaluate the potential of crowdfunding for creatives and cultural organizations, the European Commission has launched Crowdfunding4Culture. The initiative seeks to pinpoint what actions public authorities should take… Read More

January 29, 2017 @ 2:52 pm By JD Alois  |  

The European Crowdfunding Network (ECN), a pan-European alternative finance advocacy group, is asking members to participate regarding input on the Capital Markets Union.  Specifically, the ECN will be working with the Directorate‑General for Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union (DG FISMA) regarding input on… Read More

January 29, 2017 @ 10:07 am By JD Alois  |  

As part of its efforts to achieve a Capital Markets Union (CMU), the European Commission has launched a public consultation on the planned CMU mid-term review. This consultation offers an opportunity for stakeholders to provide targeted input to complement and advance actions put forward in… Read More

January 26, 2017 @ 8:33 am By JD Alois  |  

The European Parliament has published a report entitled: Crowdfunding in Europe – Introduction and State of Play. The short document is basically a synopsis on the status of crowdfunding in Europe. The report notes that while crowdfunding has grown rapidly, much of this growth has occurred in… Read More

December 31, 2016 @ 4:50 pm By JD Alois  |  

The European Commission has announced the appointment of a group of individuals to advise on sustainable finance. The initiative is part of the ongoing Capital Markets Union (CMU) which took a serious blow following the Brexit decision.  The intent of the expert group is to… Read More

September 16, 2016 @ 1:00 pm By JD Alois  |  

File this one under recently discovered, but the European Commission published a report earlier this year that pretty much crushed any hope for a more synchronized approach for debt and equity crowdfunding across Europe. As highlighted in the editorial by Alessandro Lerro earlier this week,… Read More

September 14, 2016 @ 4:15 pm By Alessandro M. Lerro  |  

At Crowddialogue Europe in Graz, Austria last week, a panel presentation, moderated by Ronald Kleverlaan, inquired about the status of the European legislation on crowd-investing. Looking back to 2014, with the EU Commission’s Communication “Unleashing the Potential of Crowdfunding”, soon followed by the 2015 Communication “Action Plan… Read More

May 3, 2016 @ 12:04 pm By JD Alois  |  

EBN, a network of over 160 business innovation centres and incubators, has released a statement on the European Commission’s advocacy of investment crowdfunding in providing crucial access to capital for innovative young firms. CEO of the EBN network, Philippe Vanrie, welcomed the report stating; “We… Read More

April 22, 2016 @ 11:00 am By JD Alois  |  

EC Commissioner Jonathan Hill delivered a speech yesterday addressing the Capital Markets Union and other areas of financial services that are important to the economy of Europe. Hill, a UK national and former member of the House of Lords, holds the portfolio for Financial Stability, Financial… Read More

November 17, 2015 @ 7:39 am By JD Alois  |  

The EU’s VAT Committee has published its review of the liability to VAT of crowdfunding activities. The Committee stated that “where platforms provide services free of charge40 they remain outside the scope of application of the VAT Directive”.  But where services generate a fee, such… Read More

October 12, 2015 @ 10:26 am By JD Alois  |  

The European Parliament has adopted the proposal by the European Commission regarding a revised directive on payment services – also called PSD2. The law was originally proposed in July of 2013.  The legislation is designed to protect consumers when they make payments online and via… Read More

September 29, 2015 @ 12:12 am By JD Alois  |  

PwC has recently published an interesting report on the European Capital Markets Union (CMU).   The European Commission has an objective to diversify and improve access to capital.  Knocking down barriers and streamlining processes to accomplish this goal should be good for the entire EU… Read More

September 7, 2015 @ 12:31 pm By JD Alois  |  

EU Commissioner Jonathan Hill warned this past weekend about being too reliant on traditional banks.  Hill, who is Commissioner for Financial Services and Capital Markets, was interviewed by CNBC where he expressed his interest in crowdfunding as well as his concern that too much regulation… Read More

July 26, 2015 @ 10:26 pm By JD Alois  |  

The European Securities & Markets Authority (ESMA) has published a Q&A addressing the potential for nefarious characters to abuse investment crowdfunding to launder cash or provide financing to terrorist organizations.  This is a subject the traditional banking sector knows rather well as they are subjected… Read More