Europe
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…
First Vice President of EBRD resigns
The First Vice President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Norin Doyle, announced on Thursday 17 February that she will not seek a second term when her current mandate expires in August.
ECB says Eurosystem currency reserves unchanged
The European Central Bank said net foreign currency reserves in the euro system were unchanged at 154.9 bln eur in the week ending Feb 11.
Reforming the Stability and Growth Pact
The IMF published a Discussion Paper "Reforming the Stability and Growth Pact" on Tuesday 15 February. The paper says that few changes to the rules seem necessary, but the Excessive Deficit Procedure needs a stronger focus on policies rather than…
ECB official says interest rates may have to rise
Christian Noyer suggested the European Central Bank is moving closer to raising interest rates, the International Herald Tribune reported on Tuesday 15 February.
Papademos: Price stability risk has risen recently
European Central Bank vice president Lucas Papademos has said medium-term risks for price stability in the eurozone have increased recently.
ECB's Wellink: rising real estate prices a concern
ECB Governing Council member Nout Wellink, also Dutch central bank president, said in an interview that rising asset prices in the real estate sector in the US and in some countries in the euro zone are a cause for concern.
ECB board selection process is too restrictive
In a letter published this week, Prof Francesco Giavazzi and Prof Charles Wyplosz said the selection process for ECB board members is seriously inadequate. According to them, members should be chosen solely on their own merits, irrespective of the…
IMF's Rato calls on ECB not to raise rates
International Monetary Fund managing director Rodrigo Rato asked the European Central Bank in an interview published on Friday 11 February not to raise eurozone interest rates.
ECB's TARGET2 Progress Report
The ECB published a progress report on TARGET2 on 8 February. The report considers three main issues - service, pricing and migration to TARGET2. These issues were decided upon by the Governing Council on 16 December 2004.
Juncker says stability pact changes to be limited
Euro group president Jean-Claude Juncker said at the weekend that reform of the EU stability pact will be limited and will not harm economic stability.
ECB press conference with questions and answers
The ECB kept interest rates on hold on Thursday 3 February; Jean-Claude Trichet said that economic conditions are likely to improve.
Banking structures in the new EU Member States
The European Central Bank published a report on Banking structures in the new EU Member States on Tuesday 1 January. The publication has been prepared by the Banking Supervision Committee of the European System of Central Banks.
Interview with ECB's Gonzalez-Paramo
In an interview published on Thursday 27 January, ECB Executive Board member Jose Manuel Gonzalez-Paramo describes working at the ECB as the pinnacle of a career devoted largely to central banking, after a decade spent working within the governing bodies…
Does Europe need stability or flexibility?
After long fighting a weakening of the stability and growth pact, it now appears as if Brussels is willing to play along. This article looks at the expected revamp of the pact and asks whether it will hurt or help Europe's economy.
Figures show counterfeit euro coins on the rise
Figures show that in 2004 there was a substantial rise in the number of fake euro coins removed from circulation, according to European Anti-fraud Office (OLAF).
ECB's Gonzalez-Paramo on financial integration
In a speech on 'Financial integration and economic growth. Lessons from the European experience' given on 28 January, Jose Manuel Gonzalez-Paramo of the ECB said in effectively promoting financial integration, Europe has shown that public policies can…
EU's Almunia says strong euro not posing problems
EU economic and monetary affairs commissioner Joaquin Almunia told a breakfast briefing held by the European Policy Centre think tank that the strength of the euro is not posing problems for Eurozone countries.
Eurosystem reserves up 0.9 bln eur to 155.8 bln
The European Central Bank said on Tuesday 25 January that net foreign currency reserves in the euro system rose 0.9 bln eur to 155.8 bln in the week ending 21 January.
ECB's Trichet on communication and transparency
In a speech on 'Communication, transparency and the ECB's monetary policy' given on 24 January, Jean-Claude Trichet of the ECB said hinted that a rise in eurozone interest rates was not likely in the immediate future, despite a pick-up in inflation as a…
Euro area balance of payments
In introductory remarks to a press briefing at the launch of a new set of statistics on the geograhical breakdown of the euro area balance of payments and international investment position on Friday 21 January, ECB Executive Board member Jose Manuel…
Trichet: Stability and growth pact needs improving
European Central Bank president Jean-Claude Trichet said that some aspects of the European Union's Stability and Growth Pact need to be improved.
The ECB's new premises
Jean-Claude Trichet, the ECB president, unveiled the bank's final choice for its new building at a press conference on Thursday 20 January, saying it will not only come to symbolise Frankfurt and European unity, but develop into a "global icon".