The topic of financing long-term investment is on the top of the agenda of economic policy makers and it is among the priorities of the Italian Presidency of the European Union. The paper describes the main international initiatives in the field and highlights the three most promising courses of action:
- the revival of bank lending, also through the resumption of securitisation
- the promotion of non-bank finance, with incentives for risk capital, the development of specialised financial institutions and more detailed information on firms
- the efficient use of public resources, through loan guarantees, tax incentives and European financial instruments.
