Looking back over the last decade it can be said with some justification that sig nificant progress has been achieved on the way towards fully integrated financial markets in Europe. The 1993 Internal Market initiative and the Euro introduction in 1999/2002 constitute important milestones. The integration process has further been intensified by market developments like the surge in mergers and acquisi tions and by technological innovations like internet based distribution. As a result, some market segments today do no longer have a national character. Nevertheless, this success should not obscure the fact that integration of financial services markets is still a long way from the level of integration that exists within national markets. Particularly for retail financial services national borders still constitute a considerable de facto barrier. The absence of frequent direct cross border links between financial service providers and retail consumers holds true despite the fact that the Euro has made product comparisons easier and that the internet has reduced information costs to a considerable extent.

The incomplete European market for financial services, the obstacles to its integration and the potential benefits from more integration are subject of this book which is largely focussing on retail markets. The analysis can be regarded as a modernised follow-up to the financial market part of the famous 1988 Cecchini Report "The cost of non Europe". Even in the Euro age, retail financial markets in the EU are heavily fragmented and the consumers pay a large price for this fragmentation. This also weakens the growth perspective of EU and its international role. Explanations originate both from natural and policy-induced factors. Priorities for future policies are the dismantling of tax discriminations and further harmonisation in consumer protection and financial supervision.

This volume examines how the completion of the Single Market has been held back in the varied implementation of European Union competition policy, variation in national policies on services, corporate law, telecommunications, energy, taxation, and gambling, and the EUAE's uneven transportation network.

The global financial crisis that reached its peak in late 2008 has brought the importance of financial services regulation and supervision into the spotlight. This book examines the governance of financial services in the EU, asking who governs financial services in the EU, how and why, and explaining where the power lies in the policy-making process. It covers the main financial services: banking, securities, payments systems, clearing and settlement. Addressing the politics and public policy aspects of financial market integration, regulation and supervision in the European Union, this book conducts a theoretically-informed and empirically-grounded analysis of financial services governance from the establishment of Economic and Monetary Union (1999) and the launch of the Financial Services Action Plan (1999), to date. It also assesses the EU responses to the global financial crisis. Providing a reliable and unique insight into the politics of financial services regulation in the EU based on an extensive programme of interviews with policy makers and stakeholders across Europe, the book will be of great topical interest to students and scholars of European Union studies, political science and political economy.

The European Union has long sought to create a single financial area across Europe where consumers in one country benefit from financial markets and activities in other countries. With the emergence of the Internet as a platform for the provision of online banking services, the creation of a pan-European market for banking services appeared a realistic proposition. In practice, however, this has not happened. This book asks why and argues that the creation of banking markets via the Internet relies on both available technologies and appropriate laws and regulations. The institutional and legal framework for online banking services in the single European market are examined, as is the level of legal harmonization achieved in the UK, France and Germany under the influence of the EU Directives pertaining to online banking activities.

The SDN elaborates the case for, and the design of, a banking union for the euro area. It discusses the benefits and costs of a banking union, presents a steady state view of the banking union, elaborates difficult transition issues, and briefly discusses broader EU issues. As such, it assesses current plans and provides advice. It is accompanied by three background technical notes that analyze in depth the various elements of the banking union: a single supervisory framework; a single resolution and common safety net; and urgent issues related to repair of weak banks in Europe.

Theory of incompl. markets/M. Magill, M. Quinzii. - V.1.