BRUSSELS, May 21 (Reuter) - The European Commission will open consultations on Wednesday aimed at ensuring consumers get a fair deal from the single market for financial services, EU officials said on Tuesday. A green paper set to be adopted by the Commission at its weekly meeting will point to a list of areas where consumers are currently inadequately protected by existing EU legislation, especially where distance selling is involved. The paper will cover areas like banking, insurance and securities trading. The Commission will ask for comments from interested parties such as banking and insurance groups and consumer associations by October 15 and will then decide in what way legislation needs to be improved. "The aim of this green paper is to ensure that consumers get a fair deal from financial services in the single market ... It's more difficult to do than say," said one official. Among the problems outlined in the green paper are the refusal by financial service providers to sell to non-residents, the r

efusal of one member state to allow interest-bearing current accounts and limits by host countries on the range of services. It also points to the poor quality of services and difficulties of enforcing contracts. Internal Market Commissioner Mario Monti and Consumer Affairs Commissioner Emma Bonino will comment on the green paper in a news conference in Strasbourg on Wednesday at 1215