Housing Markets and Macroprudential Policies in Europe

Recently, real estate and notably housing markets have been found as the preferred area for testing the potentials of macroprudential policies. After an analysis of international experiences, the article assesses their benefits, but also highlights, with very limited hindsight, various limitations. The new European regime with the 2013 capital requirement directive and regulation, and the new powers granted to the European Central Bank as well as to the French High Committee for Financial Stability, could offer some responses to these questions.