European Central Bank (ECB)
Trichet on euro statistics & their use at the ECB
In a speech on 'Euro area statistics and their use for ECB policy-making' given on 23 April, Jean-Claude Trichet of the ECB said the ECB attaches great importance to timely and reliable euro area statistics as a basis for policy-making. Statistics are…
Basel II talks over by end June - Caruana
Financial regulators expect to end talks to redraft global banking regulations, known as Basel II, by the end of June, Jaime Caruana, head of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, was quoted as saying on Tuesday 27 April.
Trichet testimony: ECB prepared for enlargement
In testimony before the European Parliament on the presentation of the ECB's Annual Report 2003 given on 27 April, Jean-Claude Trichet of the ECB said the ECB and the ESCB are well prepared both for EU enlargement itself and for the challenges that the…
Deficits remain obstacle for new EU members
The greatest hurdle preventing the EU accession countries from joining the euro quickly is the state of their public finances, European Central Bank executive board member Tommaso Padoa-Schioppa said in a newspaper interview.
Trichet on European Priorities: an ECB perspective
In a speech on 'European Priorities: an ECB perspective' given on 23 April, Jean-Claude Trichet of the ECB said that the ECB, its Governing Council, and the full body of the Eurosystem are doing all what they can for Europe to cope with its present…
Solans on statistics & their use by central banks
In a speech on 'Statistics and their use by central banks' given on 23 April, Eugenio Domingo Solans of the ECB said the business area in charge of statistics in the central bank should have an appropriate organisational level in order to fulfil the…
Padoa-Schioppa on financial markets in Asia
In a speech on 'The role of financial markets in sustaining economic growth in Asia' given on 20 April, Tommaso Padoa-Schioppa of the ECB said if it is to be expected that exchange rate flexibility is the long-term outcome of the growth process currently…
ECB's Trichet on structural reforms
In a lecture on the occasion of the receipt of the EFR-Business Week Award 2004 given on 20 April, Jean-Claude Trichet of the ECB said that European governments need to speed up economic reforms in order to improve the euro zone growth rate.
ECB's Papademos on policy-making in EMU
In the speech 'Policy-making in EMU: strategies, rules and discretion' given on 19 April Lucas Papademos of the ECB said there are many reasons for arguing that the ECB's strategy is well suited to the conduct of monetary policy in the euro area. One…
ECB's Papademos on Stability and Growth Pact
In a speech on 'Some reflections on the Stability and Growth Pact' given on 5 April, Lucas Papademos of the ECB said recent experience has taught us that there is room for improvement in the implementation of the rules. So it would help to strengthen…
ECB says stance in line with price stability aims
The European Central Bank published its April 2004 Monthly Bulletin on 7 April. The bank said its monetary policy stance remains in line with its target of maintaining price stability. "The low level of interest rates provides ongoing support to the…
Spain's Paramo gets ECB green light
Eurozone finance ministers decided on Thursday March 25 to propose Spain's Jose Manuel Gonzalez-Paramo to the European Central Bank's Executive Board.
ECB's Tumpel-Gugerell on an enlarged EU
In a speech 'Enlarged EU - Financial Strength and Weakness from a Global Perspective' given on 23 March, Gertrude Tumpel-Gugerell of the ECB said that while structural reforms, particularly of the labour markets, were needed in Europe, governments should…
Welteke sees eurozone recovery scenario intact
Bundesbank President and ECB Governing Council member Ernst Welteke said on Wednesday 24 March that the most likely scenario for Germany and the euro area is a moderate and gradual recovery. He also commented on remarks made by Guy Quaden earlier.
Padoa-Schioppa on the evolving financial landscape
In a speech on 'The evolving European financial landscape: integration and regulation' given on 22 March, Tommaso Padoa-Schioppa of the ECB provides an overview of the role of public policy in fostering integration and stability in the EU financial…
ECB Monthly Bulletin, March 2004
The European Central Bank published its March 2004 Monthly Bulletin on 11 March. The Bulletin reported that the main scenario of a continued gradual recovery in the course of 2004 and 2005 remains valid.
Trichet on the EU accession process
Speaking at the 'Paris seminar on the EU accession process' on 4 March, Jean-Claude Trichet of the ECB said that as European central bankers, our destiny is intertwined with the destiny of our continent. As Europe is being rebuilt and reunited, so we are…
Padoa-Schioppa on building on the euro's success
In a speech on 'Building on the euro's success' given on 26 February, Tommaso Padoa-Schioppa of the ECB said the rampant euro proved the eurozone was doing its bit to ease global imbalances and scalded Asia for fixed currency regimes. By operating a peg…
Raffarin says ECB should react to euro rise
Speaking on Thursday 26 February, French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin said he shared Gerhard Schroeder's views that the ECB should think about varying eurozone interest rates given the euro's strong rise against the dollar.
Tumpel-Gugerell: Central banks in an enlarged EU
In the speech 'Challenges for central banks in an enlarged European Union and euro area' given on 20 February, Gertrude Tumpel-Gugerell of the ECB said a new and changing environment requires new concepts and innovation in the field of central banking.
Papademos on the competition for new ECB premises
In his introductory statement at the Deutsches Architektur Museum given on 20 February, Lucas Papademos of the ECB said the ECB is very satisfied that the results of the international architectural competition have fulfilled its expectations.
ECB's Issing tries to deflate Greenspan's bubble
While Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan is taking his victory lap, other central bankers and private-sector economists are questioning what they see as a case of premature hubris.
Excerpt from interview with ECB's Otmar Issing
In an excerpt from an interview in the latest issue of Central Baking journal Otmar Issing, the ECB's chief economist, discusses potential weaknesses of inflation targetting and explains why money still matters in monetary policy.
Finland versus the ECB (continued)
Despite a climb down by the Finnish finance ministry on a move to seize almost €750m of Suomen Pankki's capital, the ECB is still far from happy with the ministry's final proposal for a new Bank of Finland act. It argues that the proposal still…