Europe
New security features for euro banknotes planned
A new series of euro banknotes with improved security features to combat forgery will be issued by the end of the decade, the Bundesbank board member responsible for banknotes, Franz-Christoph Zeitler, told Focus magazine.
ECB information on the counterfeiting of the euro
In the first half of 2004, a total of 307,223 counterfeit euro banknotes were withdrawn from circulation, the European Central Bank (ECB) said on 22 July.
ECB's Weber: No inflation pressure in medium-term
The European Central Bank "does not currently see inflationary pressures in the medium term" in the 12-country eurozone, Bundesbank President Axel Weber said in a newspaper interview published on Thursday 22 July.
ECB's Issing sees stronger eurozone growth
European Central Bank chief economist Otmar Issing said he expects next year's growth in the euro area will gain further strength and the inflation rate would be below 2pc.
ECB Memoranda of Understanding
The ECB issued a news release on Wednesday 21 July announcing the adherence of the central banks and banking supervisors of the New Member States to the Memoranda of Understanding on High Level Principles of Co-operation in Crisis Management Situations…
EU Commission says EMU has brought stability
The European Commission has said in a report that the first five years of economic and monetary union have resulted in economic stability, but not sustained growth.
Eurozone inflation eases to 2.4% in June
Eurozone inflation fell slightly in June to 2.4 percent on a 12-month basis from 2.5 percent in May, final data from the EU's statistical office Eurostat showed on Friday 16 July.
Issing says ECB must check inflation expectations
European Central Bank Chief Economist Otmar Issing said it's important for the bank to prevent expectations of inflation from rising excessively, the Nihon Keizai newspaper said, citing an interview with Issing.
ECB on Court of Justice decision on Pact
The European Central Bank (ECB) said in a statement released Tuesday 13 July that it takes note of the judgement by the Court of Justice on the Council's actions of 25 November 2003.
European Parliament on Pact decision
Christa Randzio-Plath, outgoing chair of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs of the European Parliament, expressed her views on the Stability and Growth Pact issue in this press release, 13 July.
No need for ECB to hike rates: Buba's Weber
Bundesbank president and European Central Bank governing council member Axel Weber said in an interview published at the weekend that available information indicates the ECB will not need to change its interest rates in the foreseeable future.
Decision on 'Mr Euro' delayed to September
Finance ministers from the 12-country eurozone have deferred until September a decision on creating a "Mr Euro" as the political face of the single currency.
Trichet: The current state of the European economy
In a speech on 'The current state of the European economy and the ECB's monetary policy concept' given on 9 July, Jean-Claude Trichet of the ECB said it has only been possible to achieve low levels of market interest rates in the eurozone because of the…
ECB Monthly Bulletin, July 2004
The European Central Bank published its July 2004 Monthly Bulletin on 8 July. The high unemployment rate in the eurozone is likely to limit pressure for wage increases and thus prevent the recent rise in oil prices spilling over to other consumer prices…
Sarkozy calls for more transparency at ECB
French finance minister Nicolas Sarkozy has called on the European Central Bank (ECB) to publish records of its debates and votes when setting interest rates, in the interests of transparency.
ECB's Issing on sustained economic growth
In a speech on 'Sustained economic growth and central banking' given on 6 July, Otmar Issing of the ECB said central banking activities can impact on longer run growth through a number of potential channels. These include the role of central banks in…
ECB's new HQ begins to take shape
The construction of the new European Central Bank headquarters in Frankfurt moved one step closer this week with demolition work on the former site of the Grossmarkthalle (wholesale market) due to begin on Thursday 1 July.
The development of statistics for EMU - ECB book
The European Central Bank published a book on 2 July recording the work to develop statistics for Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). Part A of the book concerns the preparatory work in the years 1992 - 98. Part B describes the numerous enhancements made…
Trichet on European financial sector integration
In a speech on 'Integration of the European Financial Sector' given on 29 June, Jean-Claude Trichet of the ECB said the financial system plays an essential role in the transmission of monetary policy and integrated European financial markets facilitate…
Will ECB independence threaten ECB independence?
The Federal Reserve is about to join the club of central banks that has embarked on a course of normalizing short-term interest rates, this article says ahead of the Fed's much awaited FOMC decision. And with the ECB meeting on Thursday it describes the…
New version of the ECB's website
The European Central Bank (ECB) launched a new version of its website (www.ecb.int) on Saturday, 26 June. The site's design has been modernised and the contents restructured in order to make it more user-friendly, the ECB said.
ECB board bypass Frankfurt
Apparently none of the Frankfurt based European Central Bank's board members actually live in Frankfurt, the FT revealed this week.
Trichet shown red card for speaking English
French deputies walked out of the Council of Europe's parliamentary assembly on Monday 21 June when ECB chief Jean-Claude Trichet began addressing a meeting in English, according to Reuters.
EU proposes easing of stability pact
At its regular meeting on Thursday 24 June, the European Commission recommended that a country's economic situation should be taken into account when applying the stability and growth pact, Deutsche Welle reported.