The aim of this study is to present the profile of the banking sector in selected countries and present policies and practices adopted by the relevant actors to counteract the crisis in each national setting. The study will explore to what extend social dialogue can assist a troubled sector get out of a difficult situation. The objective of the research is to study how much the sector has been affected, what measures have been put in place to address liquidity, employment and market problems; whether (and to what degree of success) have governments and social partners engaged into a national (or sectoral) debate and results; what are the concrete measures at company, sectoral, national level or even at supra- regulatory level (i.e. a country engaged into a debate over an international or cross border agreement to address the crisis). The study will cover nine European Member States: Germany, France, Netherlands, Spain or Portugal, Sweden, United Kingdom, Italy, Hungary and Estonia.