The COVID-19 crisis is expected to accelerate the consolidation of the banking sector in the Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) in the following years, as smaller players might not be able to weather the profitability and capital challenges, according to the latest edition of Deloitte CEE banking M&A study, conducted in 16 countries, including Romania. Robustness is paramount amid economic shocks and the CEE banking sector is still very fragmented, with a number of players with marginal market share, the study explains.