Commission launches work on establishing a Capital Markets Union

Summary:

The European Union's College of Commissioners held its first orientation debate on the Capital Markets Union (CMU) on 28 January 2015.

Further information:

The President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker first announced the establishment of a Capital Markets Union in his Political Guidelines, presented in July 2014. It is aimed at helping businesses to tap into diverse sources of capital from anywhere in the European Union (EU) and offer investors and savers additional opportunities to put their money to work. It aims to create a single market for capital for all Member States  by removing barriers to cross-border investment and lower costs of funding within the EU. It is expected that well-functioning capital markets also facilitate the mobilisation of private financing in the context of the Investment Plan for Europe.

The orientation debate was reportedly positive and supportive of the concept, and focused on the key challenges and priorities for the integration of capital markets. Commissioners concluded that a Green Paper should be adopted to consult all stakeholders on the way forward and concrete areas for potential action.