This study examines the role of non-bank financial institutions and capital markets in the financial sectors of the eight EU accession countries: Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovenia. It assesses the current state of development and prospects for future growth, and the likely impact of EU accession on these segments of the financial system. It also sets out a series of policy recommendations to help promote the future development of non-bank forms of financial intermediation.

The countries of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) have been recovering from the global financial crisis, but the recent political turmoil has interrupted the pace of credit and output recovery in many countries. The political turmoil in the MENA region reveals deep-seated frustrations and a sense of political, social, and economic exclusion, especially among the youth. The relatively weak growth performance reflects a combination of insufficient reforms and weak reform implementation, including financial sector reforms. The structural weaknesses of financial sectors imply that access to finance may remain restricted even with a full recovery of credit activity. Therefore, the region s countries face an ambitious reform agenda to revert two decades of relatively poor performance of output and employment growth. Financial development should be a central component of the region s growth agenda. This study reviews the region s financial systems, the severity of the limitations on access to finance, and the main factors behind such limitations. It goes on to provide a road map for expanding access and preserving financial stability.

Social Protection & Labor at the World Bank, 2000-2008 presents a progress review of the sector strategy by the World Bank, published in early 2001. The strategy proposed a new conceptual frameworkOCoSocial Risk ManagementOCoto review and reform existing interventions and propose new ones that better assist vulnerable people in addressing the many risks to which they are exposed."

The prospect of European integration presents huge opportunities and challenges for the development of non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs) in Ukraine. By most measures, the development of the NBFI sector in Ukraine lags far behind that of recent accession countries in Central Europe. To address the main impediments facing the development of the sector, the Ukrainian authorities need to implement a strategy based on six main pillars: 1) strengthen the capacity, independence, funding, and accountability of the NBFI regulators; 2) develop money markets, government bond markets, and municipal bond markets; 3) restructure equity markets; 4) accelerate the introduction of funded pension schemes, and improve transparency and consumer protection in the insurance industry; 5) radically transform corporate governance; and 6) broaden access of NBFI finance.

World Bank Technical Paper No. 369. Hydropower and irrigation projects involving reservoirs can displace thousands of people from their traditional lands and deprive them of their livelihoods. If poorly planned, they can also lead to environmental degradation. Solutions to these problems must be found--solutions that are technically feasible, sustainable, environmentally appropriate, and acceptable to the people who are resettled. This paper explains how the planned, integrated development of fishery ecosystems in reservoirs not only can mitigate the negative social consequences of dam construction, but also can enhance the economic benefits from hydropower and irrigation projects in many developing countries. The paper draws on the success of fish farming efforts in the Saguling and Cirata reservoirs in Java, which attests to the potential for creating employment in reservoirs that are in place and under construction around the world.

Capital Markets and Non-bank Financial Institutions in Romaniais part of the World Bank Working Paper series. These papers are published to communicate the results of the Bank's ongoing research and to stimulate public discussion. With only three years remaining before joining the European Union, Romania is working hard to improve its capital markets and non-bank financial institutions, which remain less developed than those in other accession countries. Strengthening these sectors has become a top priority for policymakers, whose primary objective is to ensure that the financial system is sufficiently developed to serve the growing demands of the Romanian economy. During 2003 and 2004, the Romanian authorities made significant efforts to draft, adopt, and enact new legislation to align Romania with EU financial directives. Despite these efforts, however, challenges remain in the area of supervisory capacity and the implementation of laws and regulations. This study assesses key issues and recommendations for development, and reviews the specific changes which are necessary in four areas: structural reforms, market institutions, and infrastructure; accounting, transparency, and disclosure; market infrastructure; and credit enhancements.

Financial industries in central, eastern and south-eastern Europe have undergone dramatic changes over the past decade. Foreign direct investment contributed to the development of market-oriented banking and financial systems able to support the rapid pace of economic growth in these countries. Policymakers, academics and private sector analysts have contributed to this volume with their stimulating insights on a broad range of issues, from recent credit booms to the cross-border integration of banking and capital markets. Anyone who wants to understand how finance, growth and financial stability interact in transition economies should read this book. Mario Draghi, Governor of the Banca d Italia and Chairman of the Financial Stability Forum This book highlights the achievements and challenges of the ongoing process of financial integration in Europe. The financial integration of Europe is both welcomed as an economic driving force and watched with concern as a source of potential stability. After all, changing financial, regulatory and corporate ownership structures are fuelling competition, capital mobility and financial intermediation, but at the same time creating new systemic risks. With a special focus on Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe, the contributors to this book explore a wide spectrum of underlying issues, including the finance-growth nexus, credit boom patterns, the implications of foreign bank entry modes, lessons learned from old EU member states and commercial bank strategies. Authoritative views from central bank officials and policymakers are complemented with a special focus on empirical and econometric evidence from academia as well as practical insights from key financial market players. This unique collection will be of great interest to economists and experts in the fields of financial markets and European integration from central, commercial and investment banks, governments, international organizations, universities and research institutes.