Financial Services

Financial markets are crucial to the functioning of modern economies. The more integrated they are, the more efficient the allocation of capital and long-run economic performance will be. Completing the single market in financial services is thus a crucial part of the European Commission's overriding objective of achieving more and better jobs in a more dynamic, innovative and attractive Europe.

The financial services sector includes three major areas for which similar European policies apply: banking, insurance and securities. In this section you will find detailed information on these subjects as well as on general financial services policy issues. Likewise, the Commission's political initiatives in the area of retail financial services, occupational pensions and payment services are presented. The European policies aimed at ensuring efficient financial markets infrastructures (such as well-functioning cross-border clearing and settlement processes), at promoting proper supervision of financial conglomerates and at preventing corporate and financial malpractice, are also covered in this section.

See also

Readers of this section may also be interested in consulting the topics related to Company law, Accounting and Auditing. These topics are classified under the heading Business environment.