This paper analyses some long-run macroeconomic effects of European financial integration. In particular we focus on the further reduction and abolition of crossborder barriers impeding the entry into the markets of banking and insurance products. We follow a theoretical as well as an empirical...

In this paper we analyse the current trend towards a higher degree of market integration in Europe and identify those aspects that are particularly relevant for Italy. The Italian involvement in this process appears comparatively modest: contributions from policy makers, practitioners and...

Market integration is a canonical topic in international finance. The question of whether and to what extent markets are integrated with the global economy has motivated one of the largest literature in this field. Given the vast literature, this survey focuses only on equity market integration...

This paper assesses the integration strategy of the European Union in regulated network markets. The paper argues that in these markets integration should not be an end in itself. In regulated markets the conventional gains from trade or freedom of establishment may be outweighed by significant...

Most observers have concluded that while money markets and government bond markets are rapidly integrating following the introduction of the common currency in the euro area, there is little evidence that a similar integration process is taking place for retail banking. Data on cross-border...

This paper outlines the importance of labor mobility for the improvement in allocating and distributing economic resources. We are faced with an increasing lack of skilled workers and a growing tendency of unemployment amongst the low-skilled. A central political objective for the future will...

The paper analyzes recent EU actions in order to develop banking regulation towards having a real and operational banking union. The role and the present policy of the ECB is also addressed. EU banking priorities are presented, emphasizing the transformation imposed by the global financial...

This paper investigates the sources and size of trade barriers at the industry level. We derive a micro-founded measure of industry-specific bilateral trade integration that has an in-built control for time-varying multilateral resistance. This trade integration measure is consistent with a...

This paper explores the economic consequences of the enlargement of the European Union with countries from Central and Eastern Europe. We focus on integration aspects that go beyond the reduction of formal trade barriers, namely accession to the internal market and free movement of labour. The...