Highlights - Consequences of the crisis - key publications by the Policy Departments - Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

The European Parliament’s Policy Departments have prepared a number of publications in relation to the crisis and its consequences. A wide range of issues are discussed, from the social effects of the crisis, to the impacts of the recession on public spending. The publications not only focus on the direct repercussions of the crisis (on employment, living conditions, mental health, SMEs, etc.), they also deal with its indirect outcomes, namely the reforms introduced at EU and national levels and the new instruments set up as a response to the crisis. The analysis goes even beyond: it is shown that, above all, the economic downturn has modified the way of considering policies and has raised fundamental issues such as EU governance. The study on "Consumer Protection Aspects of Financial Services" and a selection of other publications are available here.