The debate that has started with the so-called Volcker rule on the organizational structure of banks and the need to separate traditional credit business from activity in the financial field has been recently reinvigorated at a European level by the reports of the Vickers Commission in the United Kingdom and the Liikanen Group for the European Commission.
On the domestic side, investment should be supported by the global environment, the very favourable financing conditions in the euro area, improved earnings and greater corporate efficiency gained through business restructuring. Furthermore, scope exists in the euro area as a whole for private consumption to strengthen, particularly once labour market prospects improve more visibly.