Pál Gáspár holds a Ph.D. and currently works as the Director of the International Center for Economic Growth (ICEG) European Center. Besides that he is an Associate Professor at the Budapest University of Economics. His main areas of research are exchange rate economics, monetary and fiscal policy in transition and emerging economies, economic growth. His main are of lecturing is macroeconomics and growth economics. Besides his native Hungarian he is fluent in English, Russian and German and has some knowledge of Spanish.

Abstract of the speech:

The presentation deals with the banking sector restructuring and development in the acceding Central European economies. First, it presents some statistical evidence on the comparative level of banking and financial sector development in these countries pointing at the existing differences between them and the current Member States. Afterwards the presentation deals with the challenges facing banking sectors between EU accession and entry to the monetary union. The final part of the presentation presents some policy suggestions and conclusions.