Asset Securitization in Europe

Formerly an exclusively US finance technique, asset securitization is gradually gaining ground in Europe. The extent to which this technique has been introduced and developed in European countries varies, depending on economic and legal or institutional factors. Asset securitization is defined as the process of transferring certain receivables, such as bank loans, credit cards, receivables, or trade receivables from their owner to a separate entity which in turn issues and sells such securities representing interests in such receivables.

After a description of the term, the situation pertaining to a number of legal and regulatory issues in five European countries is depicted. Finally there are a few observations of a more general nature which conclude this twentieth edition of Forum Internationale.