Skopje, 28 February 2023 (MIA) - The bilateral screening meeting on the Chapter Financial Services under Cluster 2 - Internal Market continues in Brussels on Tuesday. At the beginning of the meeting, Deputy PM for European Affairs Bojan Marichikj pointed out that the EU negotiations process and the screening, as the first stage of the process, leads to a stable, safer and more efficient financial system.

"Alignment with EU standards in the area of banking, insurance, capital market and investment services will ensure long-term legal and financial security, which is in the interest of financial institutions, potential investors, and above all citizens," said Chief EU Negotiator Marichikj. 

According to Tuesday's screening agenda, the Macedonian negotiating team presented the degree of alignment and implementation of the EU legislation in terms of Chapter 9 - Financial Services, in the areas of insurance, financial markets and securities, operation and supervision of financial institutions, anti-corruption measures in the area of financial services, as well as the way of cooperation of the bodies responsible for supervision of the financial market.

Bilateral screening on Chapter 28 - Consumer Protection and Public Health starts on Wednesday, whereas a bilateral screening meeting on Chapter 2 - Freedom of Movement of Workers will be held on Friday. 

Financial services are of great importance for the functioning of the EU internal market as one of the foundations of European integration. The most important objective of the EU acquis in the area of financial services is to ensure the financial stability of companies operating in the financial sector and adequate protection of consumers, investors and insurers, the Secretariat for European Affairs said in a press release.