The single European banking market: a dynamic panel estimation.

Abstract

Europe has made serious steps towards European Banking Integration. The creation of a Banking Union in Europe is crucial for the health of the European Economy and the completion of European Economic Integration. The operation of European Banks under the national regulation places significant limits to the goal that Europe wants to achieve. Previous researches point to the same regulations for all member countries and the adoption of the Euro as a single currency to enhance the progress of Banking Union. Does this argument hold true? In order to find out, 16 OECD countries between 1996 and 2008 are analyzed using System GMM (Arellano-Bover/Blundell-Bond one-step estimator). Bank foreign assets are regressed on the control variables (regulation and European dummies) in order to see their effect on European Banking Integration through the European Banking sector openness. The results indicate that the EMU membership and the implementation of banking regulation are significant determinants of the international banking activities.