Reforming the structure of the EU banking sector

Author (Corporate)
Series Title
Series Details November 2014
Publication Date November 2014
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The financial and economic crisis has been marked by the ‘Too big to fail’ problem – a number of financial institutions of a size large enough to pose a systemic problem to the economy required public support to continue operations. According to economic research this has led to implicit subsidies and a distortion of competition in banking markets.

As part of major reforms of the financial markets, the European Commission has launched a structural reform of the banking sector. In particular, this will ban Europe’s largest banks from carrying out risky proprietary trading activities, and empower national banking supervisory authorities with the ability to carry out systematic reviews of banking activities.

The Commission’s proposal has divided stakeholders’ opinion with the financial sector fiercely opposing it, while consumer groups and financial watchdogs consider the measures are not strong enough. A few Member States have already undertaken reforms of their banking sectors, raising questions of conformity with the Single Market under the new proposed rules.

This briefing written by Marcin Szczepanski.

Source Link Link to Main Source http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2014/542145/EPRS_BRI(2014)542145_REV1_EN.pdf
Related Links
ESO: Key Source: European Banking Union http://www.europeansources.info/record/european-banking-union-2/
European Central Bank: Banking supervision: Banking union http://www.europeansources.info/record/banking-supervision/
EurActiv, 24.11.14: French, British banks press EU to revise bank reform plans http://www.euractiv.com/sections/euro-finance/french-british-banks-press-eu-revise-bank-reform-plans-310271
ESO: Background information: Structural reform of the EU banking sector http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-structural-reform-of-the-eu-banking-sector/
EurActiv, 05.12.14: EU may scrap plan to separate bank trading activities http://www.euractiv.com/sections/euro-finance/eu-may-scrap-plan-separate-bank-trading-activities-310628
EUObserver, 05.12.14: British EU commissioner causes controversy on banking reform http://euobserver.com/economic/126801
EurActiv, 07.01.15: EU lawmaker seeks to dilute bank trading reform http://www.euractiv.com/sections/euro-finance/eu-lawmaker-seeks-dilute-bank-trading-reform-311073
EUObserver, 09.01.15: Lawmakers set for battle on EU bank trading ban http://euobserver.com/news/127151
EurActiv, 04.02.15: Lawmakers fail EU plans to split up large banks http://www.euractiv.com/sections/euro-finance/lawmakers-fail-eu-plans-split-large-banks-311778

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