The efficiency effects of a single market for financial services in Europe

This paper examines the potential efficiency effects of a single market for financial services in Europe. The topics covered include universal banking, the merger and acquisition process itself, cross-border ownership and management of financial institutions and the effects of consolidation of financial institutions on the supply of relationship lending services to informationally opaque small businesses. The research reviewed here suggests that the creation of a single market for the European financial services industry is not likely to bring about strong efficiency gains and that cross-border efficiency barriers may prevent the single market from becoming a reality.