Wow, what an exciting autumn it has been for us at NFU. What I personally find so rewarding with working at NFU is the people that we work with, both in the Nordics and across Europe. Wherever your trip may take you (as we do travel a lot) we get to meet so many inspiring people to build important networks with for us and for NFU.

It has also been some stimulating months as I (temporarily) have a new position at NFU as Acting General Secretary and have had to learn and deal with many new things. What I really have appreciated at this position is the new view you get of NFU and all the activities that we manage to deliver. It makes me very proud of our organisation. Even though we have a small secretariat we can still make a difference and be influential.

Yes, we are “lucky” in terms of having resources, brilliant staff and engaged affiliates. And together we have managed a lot. I’m thinking both of regulatory matters, such as getting the EBA to back on their too narrow interpretation of collective bargaining, to contributing to achieving a joint declaration on digitalisation in the Insurance Social Dialogue and by starting a discussion on sales targets and performance measurement systems on EU level, and much more.

I just participated in a conference in Brussels on how to achieve more public participation in finance on EU-level. I was struck by the gloomy picture presented on how few civil society organisations (CSO´s) that were active on EU-level in finance and how little results academia found that CSO´s actually achieved. Me and others participants did not agree with that picture.

Yes, there are barriers and challenges with little resources and high complexity in EU’s finance legislation, but civil society and trade unions have achieved a lot on EU-level and will continue to do so. We will continue to build knowledge, staying influential and remain an asset for the European policymakers.

I know that we are making a difference and I am very proud over the things we have achieved in 2016 and plans we are making for 2017 – something I will get back to after the holidays.

On behalf of the NFU Secretariat I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!