摘要：This paper provides a survey on recent and current developments in the European banking
industry. Traditional banking activities have diminished in relative terms, but banks remain the
predominant players in the euro area financial system. Economic and monetary integration in
the EU has strongly encouraged internationalisation and concentration. The share of foreign
assets and liabilities on the EU banks¡¯ balance sheets is still modest but sharply rising. So far,
mergers and acquisitions have mainly been of a domestic nature. Informational technology has
changed banks¡¯ production, products and markets, whereas the Internet may radically change
the way banks interact with customers. All these phenomena have strong effects on
concentration, competition and efficiency. Finally, we address the question whether the
observed consolidation and increased competition might have impaired financial stability.
关键词：banking, (des)intermediation, integration, internationalisation, informational
technology, internet, mergers and acquisitions, revenues, competition and financial stability
trade-off;
