Financial education is a key issue for Germany’s future stability. It is a key factor in Germany’s future, and so we must establish it as a core component of society in 2026.

The European Commission work programme for 2026 includes a plan to evaluate the Shareholder Rights Directive (SRD). The key to success is a targeted revision of Chapter Ia SRD II and the Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/1212 (Implementing Regulation).

The paper describes how banks act as a source of financing for the real economy and transformation—and why a competitive, risk-adequate regulatory framework is essential for this.