In December 2008, BIPAR Agents’ Standing Committee organised a 4-day exhibition on the profession of insurance agents and the problems it is facing at European level. This event took place at the European Parliament in Brussels from 1st to 4th December. A Conference was also organised on 4th December morning which focused on “Insurance agents and consumers’ protection in today’s Europe”. Members of the BIPAR Agents’ Standing Committee, members of the European Parliament, officials of the European Commission, representatives of other European federations (consumers, insurers, etc) participated in this conference.
▪ Purpose: of the event was to present and explain the insurance agents’ profession at European level, with an emphasis on insurance agents’ role in today’s consumer protection. The event also aimed at improving the visibility of the insurance agent’s profession with the European Parliament.
▪ Exhibition: five posters were displayed during four days, from 1 to 4 December. They presented the most important aspects of the insurance general agents’ profession. The messages on the posters were drafted in a clear and concise way in order to reach both Members of the European Parliament and the public that are generally ill-informed on the agents’ profession. In addition to these posters, booklets containing information on agents in all European countries concerned were available to the public.
Posters : English – French – German – Spanish - Italian
▪ Conference (4th December)
A group of panellists chaired by Gérard Lebègue discussed on the following theme “Insurance agents and consumers’ protection in today’s Europe”. The Conference was opened by the Luxembourg MEP, Ms Astrid Lülling (EPP-ED) and closed by the French MEP Ms Pervenche Berès (PSE), Chairwoman of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs. The panel was composed of:
- Jean-François Mossino, SNA
- Philippe de Robert, Chairman of AGEA
- Luc Hendrickx, UEAPME
- Tomas Kukal, DG Internal Market and Services, European Commission