'...this book would be suited to lawyers and non-lawyers alike. In addition, it provides an interesting look at the EU banking system and the systems of Central and Eastern European countries.' - Ellie Palmer, Journal of International Banking Law and Regulation The eastwards expansion of the European Union is one of the most explosive economic and political issues of the early 21st century. Economic and financial stability combined with rising prosperity in the applicant countries are increasingly seen as necessary preconditions for European Union membership. This authoritative volume, written by scholars and practitioners from Central and Western Europe and the United States, confronts the issues involved in three of the countries most likely to be successful applicants to the EU - the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovenia. A spotlight is turned on the banking and financial industries, as they are crucial to the achievement of economic stability. The blend of expertise deployed, which draws on in-depth knowledge and extensive experience in central banking, financial and commercial law, business, practical policy making and economic analysis, ensures that this book is timely, relevant and insightful. The authors suggest that the role of the state in both creating and maintaining an effective financial sector is central. Furthermore, they argue that well-regulated commercial banks and strategic foreign investors are a must as, in practice, the attempt to skip straight to modern capital markets has been ruinous. This accessibly written volume will be of interest to students and scholars of economics, finance, law, political science, the sociology of economic life and European studies.

Basel II, the new risk-based capital framework based on an international accord, is being adopted by individual countries. It includes standardized and advanced approaches to estimating capital requirements. In the U.S., bank regulators have finalized an advanced approach rule that will be required for some of the largest, most internationally active banks and proposed an optional standardized approach rule for non-core banks that will also have the option to remain on existing capital rules. This report examines: (1) the markets in which banks compete; (2) how new capital rules address U.S. banks' competitive concerns; and (3) actions regulators are taking to address competitive and other potential negative effects during implementation. Illus.

This work presents a comprehensive history and evaluation of the role of the 100 percent reserve plan in the banking legislation of the New Deal reform era from its inception in 1933 to its re-emergence in the current financial reform debate in the US.

This text examines money, credit, and economic activity in the increasingly integrated global economy. It focuses on the problems afflicting the United States as it adapts to the transformation of the world economy.