Speakers
Objectives
The objective of this session is to discuss the major financial risks at the EU level in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. The panel will assess the risks posed by the very high levels of public and corporate indebtedness in many Member States, the financial vulnerabilities raised by lasting very low interest rates (search for yield, asset bubbles, pressure on bank and insurance profitability, development of zombie firms…) and the Euro area banks’ financial stability prospects with the expected increase in credit risk in the wake of the pandemic for certain SMEs.
Then, the session will discuss the main priorities of monetary, fiscal and prudential policies to address these risks.
The panel will not cover the risks related to climate change or those of the EU investment funds sector (liquidity issues, interconnectedness…) as these will be addressed on other sessions of the Lisbon seminar.
Points of discussion
- What are the main vulnerabilities in the financial sector at the EU level given the Covid -19 pandemic and in the context of lasting very low interest rates, active fiscal policies and the deterioration of credit risk?
- How to phase out existing temporary policy measures once the Covid crisis is under control in Europe? What should be the priorities regarding the evolution of monetary, fiscal policies and prudential regulatory policies to appropriately address these risks?