Europe
ECB's E-payments in Europe conference summary
The European Central Bank held a conference on "E-payments without frontiers" on 10 November 2004. A detailed summary of the event was published by the ECB on Tuesday 15 March, together with documentation of the individual presentations by speakers.
ECB's Tumpel-Gugerell on policies in the new EU
In a speech on 'Monetary and financial policies in the new integrated Union' given on 9 March, Gertrude Tumpel-Gugerell of the ECB pointed out that the success of fiscal adjustment and reform crucially hinges on political and public support.
Trichet sees continued relatively moderate growth
European Central Bank president Jean-Claude Trichet told the European Parliament on Monday 14 March that he expects continued moderate eurozone growth this year and next.
Net loss widens for ECB on euro
The European Central Bank published its annual accounts for 2004 on Monday 14 March, saying that its net loss more than tripled last year as the falling dollar lowered the value of the bank's foreign-currency holdings.
ECB's Trichet on European financial integration
In a speech on 'European financial integration: the view of the ECB' given on 10 March, Jean-Claude Trichet of the ECB said the ECB attaches the utmost importance to progress in European financial integration.
Bini Smaghi formally proposed to ECB board
Eurozone finance ministers on Tuesday 8 March formally proposed Lorenzo Bini Smaghi, a senior Italian economics official, as the next member of the European Central Bank's executive board.
Issing: ECB will act on money supply if necessary
European Central Bank chief economist Otmar Issing said in an interview that high liquidity in the eurozone has not yet proved a sufficient reason for the ECB to raise interest rates, but it will act if money supply growth starts to fuel inflation.
ECB Monthly Bulletin, March 2005
The European Central Bank published its March 2005 Monthly Bulletin on Thursday 10 March, saying that recent weakness in euro zone economic growth is likely to prove short-lived.
Stability pact talks making "good progress"
EU Finance Ministers called an emergency negotiating session in the early hours of Tuesday morning, 8 March, on the stability and growth pact rules after marathon talks broke up without an agreement.
ECB's Tumpel-Gugerell on collateral markets
In a speech on 'Integration and efficiency in collateral markets - a central bank perspective' given on 1 March, Gertrude Tumpel-Gugerell of the ECB said the introduction of the euro six years ago has accelerated the integration process in the euro area…
ECB cuts eurozone growth forecast
The ECB on Thursday 3 March lowered its forecasts for growth of the eurozone economy this year and next . At a press conference Jean-Claude Trichet also criticised the recent decision by the Ecofin council of European finance ministers to give Greece…
Publication of papers from ECB workshop
On 13 and 14 December 2004 the Directorate General Economics in co-operation with the Directorate General Research of the European Central Bank (ECB) held a workshop on "Monetary policy implications of heterogeneity in a currency area". The ECB published…
EU's Almunia confident on stability pact deal soon
The European Union commissioner for economic and monetary affairs, Joaquin Almunia, said on Wednesday 2 March that he was confident agreement would be reached "soon" on the Stability and Growth Pact.
ECB's Trichet on mon. policy stability
In a speech on 'Monetary policy and private expectations' given on 25 February, Jean-Claude Trichet of the ECB said a renewed fellowship between the academic community, the markets and central banks has allowed central banks to effectively deliver the…
Report on payment systems in accession countries
The European Central Bank published the latest addendum to the report entitled "Payment and securities settlement systems in the accession countries" (second edition) on Monday 28 February.
CGFS announces 4th central bank conference
It was announced on Wednesday 23 February that the European Central Bank in co-operation with the Bank of Japan and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, will host the fourth in a series of joint central bank research conferences on risk…
ECB's Caruana says inflation outlook favourable
European Central Bank governing council member Jaime Caruana said in a speech the eurozone's inflation outlook is relatively favourable and inflation should fall below 2 per cent in the coming months.
IMF's Rajan says Europe needs 'balanced' Pact
Europe needs balanced budget rules to boost economic growth, the IMF's Chief Economist Raghuram Rajan said in an interview published on Wednesday 23 February, referring to recent plans to revamp the European Union's Stability and Growth Pact.
Interview: Alexander Swoboda
Governments, not central banks, hold the future of the world economy in their hands. Without action, preferably coordinated, on both sides of the Atlantic and in Asia, the outlook is grim says Alexander Swoboda.
ECB's Wellink: Inflation expectations 'contained'
European Central Bank council member Nout Wellink said in an interview that inflation is under control and does not pose a threat to the eurozone economy.
ECB's new version of 'General Documentation'
The European Central Bank (ECB) published on Monday 21 February a revised version of the document entitled "The implementation of monetary policy in the euro area: General documentation on Eurosystem monetary policy instruments and procedures" (generally…
Interview with ECB's Papademos
In an interview published this week European Central Bank Vice-President Lucas Papademos told Handelsblatt that whenever possible, central banks should try to prevent the evolution of asset price bubbles. "In principle, prevention is better than cure."
Interview with ECB's Noyer
In an interview published on Wednesday 16 February, ECB governing council member and governor of the Bank of France Christian Noyer said there was no evidence of price pressures in the euro area that would warrant an immediate shift in monetary policy.
Interview with ECB's Padoa-Schioppa
Speaking in an interview published on Thursday 17 February, Tommaso Padoa-Schioppa of the ECB said channels of communication with Asia, and with China in particular, are open and the ECB itself has close bilateral ties with the Chinese monetary…