In some cases capital strengthening on the market will need to continue, as is already happening for some large banks; experience has shown that if requests for new capital are based on clear, ambitious and, at the same time, credible plans, then they are likely to be successful, even in tough market conditions.
In other cases, especially for medium-sized banks, mergers are necessary to achieve cost savings and increase operational efficiency. The success of these mergers crucially depends on the ability to streamline banks’ organizational arrangements and to improve corporate governance, also in terms of market perception.