The course aims to provide students with adequate instruments to understand and critically analyze banking sector from the legal point of view. We will examine banking regulation (with a focus on Italian law but looking also at the European and International levels) with reference, as an example, to the rules about the taking up and pursuit of banking activity, ownership of banks, supervision (e.g. regulatory supervision about governance, risk management, own funds, etc.), crisis management, etc. and regulation pertaining banking contracts (client protection, consumer protection, transparency) also with an overview of the main banking contracts. The above mentioned analysis will take into account the most recent developments and scientific debates within the sector, both nationally and internationally. Furthermore, the course will include seminars, where students will have the opportunity to analyze, under the guidance of the professor but at the same time developing their own research, analysis and presentation skills, the most interesting and relevant to banking law cases. Attendance is particularly recommended to foreign students in order to receive specific support by the professor. The professor is in any case available for questions and other requests.

Part I: Introduction and basic notions

1. The hisotry of banks 
2. The legal notion of bank and banking activity.
   1. Bank and banking activity in the law.
   2. Specialty of banks after the financial crisis
   3. Non-bank financial institutions: 106 TUB, payment institutions, e-money institutions and others.
   4. Types of activities reserved to banks, of bank permissible activities, prohibited activities.
3. Supervisory Architecture:
   1. Italian Banking Authorities. Banking Authorities within the Single supervisory Mechanisms and the Banking Union.
   2. Other authorities and division of competences
4. European and International Perspective
   1. Evolution of banking supervision and regulation in Europe (European passport, home country control, Banking Union) 
   2. International authorities: Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, FSB, etc.
   3. Future reforms

Part II: Regulation of banks as special firms 

1. Applicable law. Prudential regulation.
   1. Sources of law
   2. Authorisation process and requirements 
   3. Prudential supervision (eg capital requirements, corporate governance, containement of risks)
   4. Supervisory powers and measures 
   5. Banking groups
   6. Banking crises and resolutions; deposit guarantee schemes 
2. Types of banks and regulation 
   1. Mutual banks 
   2. Public banks and banking foundations 
   3. Ethical banks
3. Sanctions

Part III: Regulation of banks as contractual counterparty.

1. Applicable law.
2. General aspects and some particular clauses (unilateral modification, anatocism, interest rates and usury.
3. Cosumer protection
4. Special regimes: consumer credit and residential mortgages
5. Overview of different types of banking contracts