European Central Bank (ECB)
ECB paper on public sector procurement legislation
The ECB Working Paper "National central banks and Community public sector procurement legislation: a critical overview" finds that an examination of the Public Sector Procurement Directive reveals no substantive grounds on which to argue that NCBs should…
Tumpel-Gugerell on Europe's financial sector
In the speech 'Building the future - Integrating Europe's financial sector' given on 23 October Gertrude Tumpel-Gugerell of the ECB said the ECB will only pursue plans for its own securities settlement system if it can offer much lower settlement fees…
ECB's Wellink says rates still 'very low'
European Central Bank council member Nout Wellink said in an interview published Monday 23 October interest rates in the euro region are ``very low'' and the speed of economic growth could risk fueling inflation.
ECB should not look far ahead on rates - IMF
IMF chief economist Raghuram Rajan warned the European Central Bank on Wednesday 18 October not to have a predetermined plan for further increases in eurozone rates but to base decisions on economic data.
ECB 'attentive' to inflation risk- Gonzalez-Paramo
ECB board member Jose Manuel Gonzalez-Paramo refused to contradict market expectations of another eurozone rate hike in December, Expansion reported on Thursday 19 October.
How to save the young from the burden of pensions
According to this article by Lorenzo Bini Smaghi, published in the Financial Times on Wednesday 18 October, the introduction of an EU constitutional rule to prevent young workers being discriminated against in pension reforms is needed.
ECB's Liebscher sees December rate hike
European Central Bank governing council member Klaus Liebscher told the FAZ newspaper on Wednesday 18 October that market expectations of a December interest rate increase are accurate, but said the ECB has no pre-determined view on rates for 2007.
Trichet: How to elevate Europe's potential growth
In the speech 'How to elevate the potential growth rate of Europe' given on 16 October Jean-Claude Trichet of the ECB said the euro zone's growth potential is "mediocre" and structural reforms are urgently needed to boost economic growth.
ECB's Stark on the euro area's role
In the speech 'The euro area's role in the global economy' given on 13 October Jurgen Stark of the ECB said while EMU is a success story with respect to the single monetary policy a lot needs to be done in the areas of fiscal policies and structural…
Issing joins Goldman Sachs in adviser role
Otmar Issing, former chief economist of the European Central Bank, has confirmed that he had accepted an offer from Goldman Sachs to act as an international advisor to the investment bank.
Trichet endorses rate hike expectations
European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet on Thursday 12 October again endorsed market expectations of a further hike in euro zone interest rates by the end of the year.
ECB Monthly Bulletin, October 2006
The European Central Bank published its October 2006 Monthly Bulletin on Thursday 12 October. In the report the ECB said eurozone consumer spending is likely to make an increasing contribution to GDP growth in the coming quarters.
ECB's Trichet at the European Parliament
In testimony given on 10 October at the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee of the European Parliament Jean-Claude Trichet of the ECB said economic growth in the euro zone has strengthened significantly and interest rates will rise further to combat…
No softening of EU rules for euro bidders
European Union governments won't relax inflation criteria for countries seeking to adopt the euro, finance ministers said on Tuesday 10 October.
Noyer says ECB rate rise was necessary for prices
Bank of France governor Christian Noyer speaking on French radio on Friday 6 October defended the European Central Bank's decision to raise interest rates, saying it was necessary to curb inflation.
Payment systems, monetary policy in Europe
The first of two articles published by the Financial Times on Friday 6 October looks at the issue of central bank "plumbing" which, it says, is creating a stink for the ECB. The second article concerns a letter sent by a group of monetarist economists to…
T2S is 'only solution': ECB's Tumpel-Gugerell
The European Central Bank sees its proposal on securities settlement, called TARGET2 Securities, as offering an "efficient organisation of central bank money", says Gertrude Tumpel-Gugerell, a member of the executive board, in an interview in the autumn…
ECB's Wellink says growth 'back on track'
European Central Bank governing council member Nout Wellink said on Thursday 5 October in Mexico that economic growth in the eurozone is "really coming back on track," but inflation risks remain on the upside.
Trichet on bank transfer data from SWIFT
In a speech on the interception of bank transfer data from the SWIFT system by the US secret services given on 4 October Jean-Claude Trichet of the ECB said warned the European Parliament that any disruption to the SWIFT bank data sharing system could…
ECB not hamstrung by consensus decisions
According to this article published on Tuesday 3 October by Reuters, new information that the European Central Bank's Governing Council holds informal votes suggests it is not as clumsy and slow as some believed.
ECB says final decision on T2S in 2007
The European Central Bank will make a final decision on whether to proceed with its proposed Target 2 Securities settlement system in the first half of 2007, executive board member Gertrude Tumpell-Gugerell said Wednesday 4 October.
ECB paper on international portfolio flows
The European Central Bank Working Paper "The geography of international portfolio flows, international CAPM and the role of monetary policy frameworks," says that global equity markets might be more integrated than global bond markets.
Monetary policy in the media
This European Central Bank Working Paper, published 29 September, analyses the coverage which ECB monetary policy decisions receive in the print media, and the determinants of its extent and of its favourableness.
Almunia silent on date for Lithuanian euro entry
EU economic and monetary affairs commissioner Joachim Almunia declined to set a date for Lithuania to enter the eurozone in a speech Monday 2 October.