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“This directive is a key text. Recent events have shown the urgent need to develop the tools necessary for a organised resolution of banks across the European Union”. Introductory remarks by Commissioner Barnier to the discussions on the proposal for a directive on bank resolution at the ECOFIN council.

Today the European Commission is hosting a meeting on Bank Structural Reform, in which financial industry, key actors of the real economy and representatives of the civil society will participate. This meeting will provide an opportunity to hear the views of a wide range of stakeholders on the key issues relating to this subject, which includes the scope of the reform and policy options.

The proposal for a directive presented today by the Commission will finally give all European citizens access to a basic bank account. By making it easier to compare fees and change bank accounts, we also hope to see better offers from banks and lower costs.

"To help empower our investors and creative minds (…) Europe needs to put in place a seamless, integrated Single Market for Intellectual Property Rights. We need a robust, economically efficient and coherent 'Intellectual Property infrastructure', covering proper legal recognition, simpler and more affordable registration, facilitated exploitation and effective enforcement of intellectual property rights". Statement by Commissioner Barnier on the occasion of the World Intellectual Property Day 2013.

The European Financial Stability and Integration Report (EFSIR), presented today by the Commission at a joint conference with the European Central Bank, shows that, despite improvements, the financial crisis continued to exert a significant impact in holding back economic growth in 2012.

The Commission published today a report on progress made in the implementation of the e-commerce action plan it adopted in January 2012. Achieving the Digital Single Market is one of the most promising growth and jobs enhancers in the years to come.

“The financial crisis started with the subprime debacle in the United States. (...) We have seen similar excesses in Europe, for example with the housing booms and the inevitable busts which followed in Spain and Ireland. (...) This Directive will help put an end to these excesses and foster responsible lending practices“.
17/05/2013: Commissioner Barnier meets Mr Peter VICARY-SMITH, President of the European Consumer Organisation
23/05/2013: Michel BARNIER reçoit Mme Bernadette SEGOL, Secrétaire Générale de l’ETUC (The European Trade Union Confederation)
24/05/2013: Michel BARNIER reçoit M. Seok Pil KIM, Président de Samsung Electronics Europe
24/05/2013: Michel BARNIER reçoit M. Philippe VANNIER, PDG de Bull
25/05/2013: Michel BARNIER participates in the Global Conference on Sustainability and Reporting, organised by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) (Amsterdam)
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