Financial institutions have a fundamental role to play in market economies. They act as intermediaries in the provision of finance that enables companies to raise the amount of capital required in order to finance projects. Underpinning a successful market economy will inevitably be a range of financial institutions, from a fully functioning stock exchange offering a diverse portfolio of instruments, to regulated banks and other depository institutions and life insurance companies. Regulation and supervision of financial institutions is a major feature of successful economies. Regulation is present on many levels. It ranges from professional, self-regulation, through national and into regional and international levels. In the European Union context, the Council of the EU and the European Commission perform a regulatory role over all member states, and as many Central European countries anticipate joining the EU, both acquis communautaire and the procedures and mechanisms used by the Commission are of great relevance to this book. Financial institutions in the emerging market economies of Central and Eastern Europe are increasingly playing an influential role in shaping the economic landscape in both national and regional jurisdictions. These institutions have grown both in number, range and importance over recent years. Published at the start of a new century when the economies of Central and Eastern Europe are moving forward at a rapid pace and out of transition and into maturity, this book brings together a collection of papers by British, Hungarian, Irish and Polish researchers on this important topic. Each chapter considers a different aspect of financial institutions and the way in which these institutions impact on the economic environment of the region. The papers range in scope from specific issues that currently impact on a particular country or the region to broader issues that are likely to impact on the region in the future. A brief outline of the contents of each chapter is given below. Książka jest zbiorem opracowań naukowców brytyjskich, węgierskich, irlandzkich i polskich na temat działalności instytucji finansowych w państwach Europy Środkowej i Wschodniej. Próbuje odpowiedzieć na pytanie o rolę tych instytucji w rozwoju ekonomicznym krajów tego regionu. Książka napisana jest w języku angielskim.
