#EFPACongress26 | Palma de Mallorca
EFPA Europe welcomes the conclusions of the IX EFPA Congress, held this week in Palma de Mallorca, as a powerful reaffirmation of the values and mission shared across the entire EFPA family.
Brussels/Palma de Mallorca, 12 May 2026 — EFPA Europe commends EFPA Spain on the outstanding success of the IX EFPA Congress, held at the Palau de Congressos in Palma de Mallorca under the theme “From Savings to Investment: The Power of Financial Advice”. Gathering over 800 financial professionals, the event once again demonstrated why EFPA Spain stands as the largest and most dynamic national member association within the EFPA family — a benchmark and source of inspiration for associations across Europe.
The Congress brought together leading voices from Spain’s financial, regulatory and institutional landscape — alongside a strong contingent of international speakers — to address the central challenge of our time: mobilising Europe’s vast pool of private savings into productive, long-term investment. This is a mission that resonates deeply across all EFPA member associations, and one that sits at the heart of EFPA Europe’s broader agenda.
A Clear Message for Europe
Opening the Congress, EFPA Spain President Santiago Satrústegui reflected on the association’s evolution — from a pioneer in voluntary self-regulation, to the leading certification body with over 35,000 accredited professionals, and now into a new chapter focused on accompanying advisers through an increasingly complex future. His words carry relevance well beyond Spain’s borders.
“During many years we practised self-regulation when nobody required it of us,” Satrústegui noted, highlighting the professional ethos that has defined the EFPA community. “Our advisers are fully trained, demonstrate their continuing education every year, and uphold a strict ethical code that ensures the client’s interest always comes first.”
This commitment to competence, ethics and continuous professional development is the foundation upon which EFPA Europe was built — and EFPA Spain’s 35,000-strong community of certified professionals is its clearest embodiment.
Regulators and Policymakers Align with EFPA’s Vision
The Congress attracted high-level institutional participation, underscoring the growing influence of the EFPA community in shaping the European financial advice landscape.
Carlos San Basilio, President of Spain’s securities regulator CNMV, stated that “the role of advisers is more relevant than ever, at a moment when the great challenge is to transform savings into investment to improve Europe’s competitiveness.” He outlined how regulatory bodies are working to adapt frameworks to facilitate retail investment — through simplification of procedures and the correction of regulatory burdens inherited from past financial crises — while maintaining strong investor protections.
San Basilio also identified three defining challenges for the sector: the growth of new asset classes such as crypto-assets; the integration of artificial intelligence into financial services — where, he stressed, ensuring a level playing field for all actors is paramount; and the rising influence of social media, which is reshaping how investors access and process information.
Antoni Costa, Vice-President and Councillor for Economy, Finance and Innovation of the Balearic Islands Government, emphasised the critical role of financial education and the indispensable contribution of financial advisers in channelling savings towards entrepreneurship, innovation and economic transformation.
EFPA Spain: The Flagship of the EFPA Family
EFPA Europe takes particular pride in EFPA Spain’s leadership within our network. As the largest national association by membership, EFPA Spain has consistently set the standard for member engagement, outstanding institutional presence, and unfailing exceptional service to its community of advisers. The IX EFPA Congress — with its record attendance, its international speaker line-up spanning leading figures from across Europe and beyond, its breadth of topics and the calibre of its contributors — is a vivid illustration of what a mature, ambitious and client-focused association can achieve.
The themes addressed in Palma de Mallorca — transforming savings into investment, the integration of AI in financial services, generational approaches to wealth, and the evolution of the regulatory environment — are shared priorities for the entire EFPA community. EFPA Spain’s ability to convene 800 professionals around these issues in a single forum is an example that inspires and challenges us all.
EFPA Europe’s Commitment
EFPA Europe reaffirms its commitment to supporting its member associations in delivering the highest standards of financial advice across the continent. As Europe faces a pivotal moment — with capital markets union, retail investment reform and the green and digital transitions all requiring a step-change in how European citizens invest — the role of certified, ethical financial advisers has never been more vital.
It was a particular honour that the majority of the EFPA Europe Board of Directors attended the IX EFPA Congress in person. We extend our warmest thanks to EFPA Spain for their generous hospitality, their masterful organisation of the event, and for welcoming the broader EFPA family to such a remarkable occasion.
For media enquiries, please contact EFPA Europe communications at info@efpa-eu.org
About EFPA: The European Financial Planning Association (EFPA) is the leading pan-European body for the certification and professional development of financial advisers and planners. Through its national member associations, EFPA represents over 100,000 certified financial professionals across Europe.