摘要：In the next few years, the Italian financial system will face the challenges of an increasingly competitive environment. The need for change is however constrained by the traditional structure of the Italian economy (with large numbers of small firms and marked regional disparities). This paper focuses on the role and on the future prospects of local financial systems. We identify and address four sets of problems: (a) the relationship between the real and the financial sectors at the regional level; (b) the integration between central and peripheral financial markets; (c) the role of local banks; and (d) the introduction of financial innovations consistent with different levels of regional development. JEL Codes: G20, E44, R10 Keywords: Regional
