Maastricht criteria
Gontareva on Ukraine’s funding, NBU policy and reconstruction
Ex-NBU governor talks about fund shortfalls, finstab challenges, the CBR and post-conflict rebuilding
Draghi strikes familiar chord on eurozone’s future
Bank of Italy governor Mario Draghi stresses importance of fiscal discipline, says monetary union is sound
Trichet to eurozone governments: take the lead on debt crisis
European Central Bank president Jean-Claude Trichet says debt crisis is within governments’ remit, hinting at support for extension of European Financial Stability Facility
Estonia nabs firms over euro leak
Bank of Estonia fines two companies for mishandling euro coins ahead of the currency’s launch in 2011; strong link to coin sale in neighbouring Latvia
Budapest sets sights on Hungary’s rate-setting council
Hungarian government seeks amendment giving a parliamentary committee full control over majority of appointments to central bank’s Monetary Council
Estonia upgraded on euro accession; Ireland knocked down on banks’ weakness
Fitch lifts Estonian credit rating two notches, citing benefits of eurozone membership and strong fiscal performance; Moody’s downgrades Ireland on poor growth projections, worries over bad bank
Maastricht criteria tough enough to contain crisis threat: Cyprus
Central Bank of Cyprus paper finds risk of default zero if debt-to-GDP and primary surplus ratios remain below limits set out in Maastricht Treaty; paper mentions Greece and Italy as states where there is a default risk n
Hungary defies government calls for cuts
National Bank of Hungary keeps benchmark rate flat at all-time low; decision will further anger new government, which has called for steeper cuts and easy money
Hungary’s Simor tells critical government to curb debt
National Bank of Hungary governor András Simor says high external and government debt levels must be corrected; central bank adds that growth cannot be financed through foreign borrowing anymore
Emerging Europe keen on euro despite Greek debt woe
Central and Eastern European countries remain drawn to the single currency despite Greek troubles
Czech fury at ECB negative capital view
Czech central bank objects to ECB's denigration of negative capital in its Convergence Report
Estonia poised for euro entry, exports lead recovery
Bank of Estonia sees output helped by export upswing the day before Brussels decides on euro accession
Trichet: economic, not monetary, reform of EMU necessary
ECB president Jean-Claude Trichet calls for broader economic reforms to mend Europe’s Economic Monetary Union (EMU)
S&P’s Greek downgrade puts collateral issue back on agenda at ECB
Standard & Poor’s downgrades Greece’s debt to junk, the implications mean collateral would be ineligible at the European Central Bank if Moody’s and Fitch followed suit
Portuguese rating takes double-notch beating
Standard & Poor’s downgrades long-term rating to A- and short-term rating to A-2 on concerns over deteriorating macroeconomic environment, credit default spreads stretch further
Skrzypek warns Poland against adopting the euro in final remarks
An article written by late president of the National Bank of Poland Slawomir Skrzypek warns against a premature euro entry, his death on Saturday may have implications on the central bank's stance on the single currency
Former Hungary governor “prepared” to return to government
Ex-National Bank of Hungary chief Zsigmond Járai says he is ready to accept a post in new government if opposition wins upcoming election
New rate-setters named in Poland
Poland’s president names three new members to the monetary policy council, newcomer says country has scant hope of meeting Maastricht criteria for euro adoption
Bank of Estonia leads the way in slashing budget
Estonian central bank sets an example by cutting costs by 10%, with EEK 1 m drop in staff costs; also expects income from reserves to fall
National Bank of Romania – Annual Report 2008
Central bank’s report finds that the country slipped backwards on Maastricht convergence criteria for euro adoption
Estonia to meet eurozone inflation target by end of 09
Baltic state “eager and willing” to fulfil Maastricht criteria, says central bank economist