Europe
ECB member says central banks won't sway ECB
ECB Executive Board member Jose Manuel Gonzalez-Paramo said late on Thursday 23 June that although rate cuts are back on the agenda at major central banks, it would not influence the European Central Bank's monetary policy.
ECB's Mersch says rates 'perfectly appropriate'
European Central Bank council member Yves Mersch said current interest rates are correct and that Italian calls to leave the euro would be a recipe for turmoil.
Eurozone hampered by lack of reform, not rates
Bank of France governor Christian Noyer said it is not the level of European Central Bank interest rates which is hampering eurozone growth, but rather it is the lack of structural reform.
France's Noyer says no bias in ECB stance
Bank of France governor Christian Noyer told a news conference that the European Central Bank has no bias in its monetary policy stance and current ECB rates remain "exactly appropriate".
ECB's Trichet on EMU and member countries
In closing remarks at the ECB Workshop "What effects is EMU having on the euro area and its member countries" on 17 June ECB president Jean-Claude Trichet stressed the importance of a more competitive economy in the eurozone, reminding member states of…
Opening remarks to the ECB's Workshop
In introductory remarks to the ECB's Workshop given on 17 June Gertrude Tumpel-Gugerell of the ECB said more cross-border mergers in the financial sector are likely to take place in Europe in the future, partly driven by the limits reached in domestic…
ECB's Issing: A hawk a dove or just misunderstood?
This article looks at recent comments by European Central Bank chief economist Otmar Issing who has twice spooked financial markets in as many weeks by seeming to hint that an interest rate cut was possible some time in the future, it says.
Bulgarian & Romanian governors attend ECB meeting
The European Central Bank has said that the governors of the Bulgarian National Bank and National Bank of Romania attended the meeting of the ECB's General Council on Thursday.
ECB official sees more cross-border bank mergers
European Central Bank executive board member Gertrude Tumpel-Gugerell said on Friday 17 June that more cross-border mergers in the financial sector are likely to take place in Europe in the future, partly driven by the limits reached in domestic…
ECB's Papademos says structural reforms needed
European Central Bank vice-president Lucas Papademos said in a speech on Thursday differences in euro zone countries' growth rates result from structural factors and will have to be tackled by economic reforms in slow-growing countries.
Snow calls for Europe economic reforms
US Treasury Secretary John Snow urged Europeans on Thursday 16 June to better integrate their financial markets as a way to stimulate growth.
ECB rates appropriate says Trichet
ECB president Jeane-Claude Trichet said the ECB council believes its current interest rates are 'appropriate' and that membership of the euro is a win-win situation for member countries.
Noyer says no European government would leave euro
Banque de France President and European Central Bank governing council member Christian Noyer said in an interview he believes no European government would seriously consider leaving the euro.
ECB's Issing doesn't rule out rate cut
In an interview with German weekly magazine Der Spiegel, ECB chief economist Otmar Issing said he did not think the recent "no" votes in France and the Netherlands were adversely affecting the currency.
Brigita Schmognerova named EBRD Vice President
Brigita Schmognerova, a former minister in the Slovak Republic and senior figure at the UN, has been appointed the new EBRD Vice President, Human Resources & Administration.
Issing on the Lisbon process - a view from the ECB
In the speech 'The Lisbon process - a view from the ECB' given on 9 June Otmar Issing of the ECB said concerns that ECB monetary policy may not be suitable for all euro zone countries are misplaced.
ECB signs new premises contract
Lucas Papademos, Vice-President of the European Central Bank (ECB) signed the architectural contract for the optimisation phase of the new ECB premises in Frankfurt am Main on Thursday 9 June.
ECB Monthly Bulletin, June 2005
The European Central Bank published its June 2005 Monthly Bulletin on Thursday 9 June. The report says economic growth in the Eurozone will remain 'relatively subdued' in the second quarter of the year, but will pick up later.
EU's referendum failure leaves ECB as scapegoat
EU politicians in need of a scapegoat after the rejection of the proposed constitution may be tempted to cast the European Central Bank in that role, says this article. And recent comments from ECB policymakers suggest its defences may be about to crack,…
Duisenberg rallies to defence of euro
Wim Duisenberg, the former president of the European Central Bank, on Thursday 9 June rejected a call from an Italian minister for the reintroduction of its own currency, saying in an interview that the country had had a big boost from the adoption of…
Trichet on asset price bubbles and monetary policy
In the speech 'Asset price bubbles and monetary policy' given on 8 June Jean-Claude Trichet of the ECB said experience with past asset price boom episodes tells us that we should be very careful in calling a boom, which is observable, a bubble.
IMF's Rato says euro is a big success
IMF managing director Rodrigo de Rato told a news conference on Wednesday 8 June that monetary policy in Europe isn't to blame for recent weak economic growth.
Making the single currency a scapegoat
This article published on Sunday 5 June by Hamish McRae looks at the recent criticism of the single currency, and asks if the euro was a terrible mistake? The author says that while the eurozone is not going to collapse in the near future, 'it will…
Trichet says Europe needs reforms
Although Europe is poised for strong economic growth, it must continue with reforms if it is to fulfil its potential, ECB president Jean-Claude Trichet said in China on Tuesday 7 June.