Public affairs and policy
With sustained public interest in how the cards industry manages its business and treats its customers, The UK Cards Association plays a vital role explaining to stakeholders and media what the industry does and why it does it. We work to promote public confidence in, and improve public perception of, the cards industry. We respond to criticism and seek to amend practices where appropriate; delivering real advances in best practice (in areas such as transparency, responsible lending and data sharing) and promoting these changes through an extensive media, public affairs and stakeholder engagement programme.
The UK Cards Association seeks to ensure that major legislative changes (such as the Consumer Credit Act; the Consumer Credit Directive; and the Payment Services Directive) and regulatory interventions (such as multilateral interchange fees) are balanced and meet the interests of both industry and consumers.
We look to forge close relationships with Government, both in Europe and the UK (and believe that a partnership approach with key bodies (such as the Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform, HM Treasury, the Home Office and the European Commission) will ultimately deliver the best results for our customers. Where deemed necessary, the Association lobbies for legislative change. Some notable successes achieved in the past include changes to the law of deception; the calculation of APRs; and the sharing of information between law enforcement agencies and industry
