Publication: "Financial sectors in EU Accession Countries"

The European Central Bank (ECB) is today releasing a publication entitled "Financial sectors in EU accession countries". This publication describes the structure and functioning of the financial sectors of the 12 countries that are currently negotiating accession into the European Union. These countries are Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia. The publication devotes one chapter to each of the countries and provides an overview of the structure and functioning of the banking system and financial markets.

Financial sector issues are of key interest to the central banks of the accession countries and the ECB owing to the important role that financial sector developments play in the process of real and nominal convergence – including the achievement of macroeconomic and financial stability – in which these countries are involved.

The publication is based on the proceedings of a workshop held by the ECB for representatives of the central banks of the accession countries and the Eurosystem, and the country chapters have been prepared by experts from the accession country central banks.

Copies are available free of charge and can be ordered by writing to the ECB's Press and Information Division (Fax: 00 49 69 1344 7404). Electronic versions of the individual chapters are also available on the ECB's website (PDF 1117 kB).