The Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS) launched on 4 December at the European Parliament the Banking Business Models Monitor 2014 for Europe (BBMM), a joint publication by CEPS, the International Research Centre on Financial Co-operatives and the International Observatory on Co-operatives at HEC Montreal. For the full Press Release, please click on READ MORE.
The EACB welcomes the results of this publication, which proves once again that co-operative banks have provided a liquidity and stability anchor to the real economy throughout the financial crisis.
The Monitor highlights how the co-operative banking sector has performed relatively well compared to savings and commercial banks. In particular, the sector has continued to suffer less during the financial crisis and the early stages of the economic crisis, to be more resilient to external shocks and to lend to the real economy.
Rym Ayadi, Professor of international banking and financial systems at HEC Montréal and Senior Research Fellow at CEPS, commented: ‘Co-operatives banks are a pillar of institutional diversity in the financial sector in Europe. The majority of these banks follow the retail and diversified banking business models. Generally the retail diversified oriented co-operative banks weathered well the financial and economic crises due to their high capitalisation levels, continued to lend to the real economy and overall remained largely resilient and robust. These banks are key to economic recovery in Europe.’
The EACB General Manager, Hervé Guider, said: ‘Thanks to their key characteristics – extensive network, with a presence even in the most remote areas, stable relationships with their members and clients, expertise and long-term horizon – co-operative banks are now in the position to foster growth for the benefit of society.’
For further information, please click on Download PDF.
For the publication ‘the Banking Business Models Monitor 2014 for Europe’, please click HERE.