The European banking industry is in a state of turmoil. The pace of mergers and acquisitions has accelerated across different banking sectors and within the same sector. At the same time, the demise of banks already in trouble has accelerated. While it is helpful to examine the U.S. experience in recent decades, the European situation is complicated by the presence of 'nationally segmented' markets.This report first analyzes what lies behind the historic segmentation of EU financial markets because a clear view about these issues is needed to predict the changes that EMU will bring about. The Monetary Union confronts these changes with no clear strategy for regulation and prudential supervision and the ECB claims it will not be involved in those activities--they will remain the responsibility of national governments and national central banks. The authors examine the policy implications of these changes and propose measures to address the problems that may be encountered.
Jeane-Pierre Danthine is professor of economics and finance at the University of Lausanne (Switzerland), Managing Director of the Swiss Finance Institute, and CEPR Research Fellow. Francesco Giavazzi is is professor of economics at Bocconi university in Milan and a Regular Visiting Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Xavier Vives is professor of Economics and Finance, Abertis Chair of Regulation, Competition and Public Policy, and academic director of the Public-Private Research Center at IESE Business School, and adjunct professor at Universitat Pompeu Fabra. Ernst-Ludwig von Thadden is Professor of Economics and FInance at Universität Mannheim.