JENS LOWITZSCH is Lawyer and senior researcher at the Inter-University Centre at the Institute for Eastern European Studies of the Free University of Berlin, where he received his doctoral degree in law in 2002. Being a specialist in civil law, European law and financial participation of employees, he acquired an economic background in various research and consulting projects. His involvement in technical assistance in the transition countries of Central and Eastern Europe focuses on insolvency law, business law, and privatization law.

• Preface Foreword PART I: A EUROPEAN PLATFORM FOR FINANCIAL PARTICIPATION; J.Lowitzsch Introduction Objective and Context The Current Situation in Europe Towards a European Concept for Financial Participation Conclusions and Summary PART II: THE LEGAL BACKGROUND The Challenge: Functional Changes in Property Rights in Europe; H.Roggemann  & J.Lowitzsch Legal Framework for Implementing Financial Participation at the Supranational Level; J.Lowitzsch  & N.Spitsa Systematic Overview of Financial Participation; J.Lowitzsch  & A.Bormann The U.S. ESOP as an Example of an Advanced Model; J.D.Menke, S.Hanisch  & J.Lowitzsch PART III: EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE AND COUNTRY INFORMATION Benchmarking Financial Participation in the EU;  I.Hashi , R.Woodward  & J.Lowitzsch Country Profiles For Each Country (I.–XXIX.); J.Lowitzsch , N.Spitsa  & S.Hanisch