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The European Commission has put forward a new EU Strategy on Financial Literacy, issued on 30 September, aiming to lift financial knowledge and resilience across the EU. The strategy frames financial literacy as a vital life skill encompassing awareness, knowledge, attitudes and behaviours while enabling people to budget, save, invest, plan for retirement and manage debt responsibly. It is also intended to promote financial inclusion, prepare citizens against fraud, and strengthen economic stability at both the individual and societal levels.

Current levels of financial literacy in the EU has been notably low: a 2023 Eurobarometer survey indicates that only 18 % of citizens possess a “high” level of financial literacy, with significant gaps across Member States and demographic groups. Nearly half of adults lack emergency savings to cover three months of expenses, making them vulnerable to financial shocks. These conditions jointly call for the urgency of the Commission’s approach in today’s increasingly digital financial landscape.

The new strategy builds on existing efforts such as the Commission-OECD/INFE competence frameworks, entrepreneurship education (EntreComp), and national financial literacy programmes. It proposes a four-pillar approach:

1. coordination and exchange of best practices;
2. communication and awareness campaigns;
3. targeted funding for literacy initiatives and research;
4. robust monitoring and evaluation.

Key features include promoting a European code of conduct for organisations delivering financial literacy, establishing a network of “financial literacy ambassadors,” coordinating regular thematic workshops, launching a public awareness campaign, and integrating literacy metrics into the European Semester. The Commission will conduct a new Flash Eurobarometer survey in 2027 to track progress, support evaluation tools via its Learning Lab, and work with Member States to embed financial literacy into national strategies and funding mechanisms.

Why this matters for EPALE users

For adult learning professionals, policy-makers and trainers, the strategy provides a clear policy signal: financial literacy is now recognised as an essential component of lifelong learning. This creates opportunities for training institutions, public employment services and community organisations to embed financial skills into existing programmes, from basic literacy courses to digital upskilling initiatives. It also calls for innovative learning environments, such as family literacy projects, workplace training, or community-based workshops, where financial education can be tailored to diverse learners. 

For EPALE’s community, this strategy is a reminder that empowering adults with financial competences is not only about money management, but about strengthening resilience, inclusion, and participation in Europe’s social and economic life.

Editor’s Pick: EPALE’s latest Financial Literacy content

• From Financial Anxiety to Financial Literacy (blog post by Saskia Eschenbacher)
• Beyond Digits – Financial Literacy for Neurodivergent Adults in the Digital Age (blog post by Angeliki Louloumari)
• Financial Literacy Inclusion Toolkit by Davit Budagyan
• A Methodological Framework for Digital Financial Literacy and Socioeconomic Inclusion (a resource item by Manuel Zaballa Gutierrez)

Useful links

• Official press release
• Factsheet
• Communication of the Commission on the Financial Literacy Strategy for the EU