Europe
ECOFIN to discuss Italian growth plan and Trichet
EU finance ministers will hold their first Council session under the Italian Presidency on 15 July, EurActiv reports. During the Euro group meeting on Monday, the ministers will launch proceedings to appoint Bank of France Governor Jean-Claude Trichet to…
'Absurd criteria for new EU members'
An article in the Financial Times says that, fortunately, such a disastrous scenario as a deflationary spiral in the eurozone is unlikely. But that is not true of the problems that low or negative inflation within the eurozone could pose for the…
Dogfighting over the ECB
The European League for Economic Cooperation (ELEC) has issued aresolution betraying unease that appointments to the ECBexecutive board could degenerate into a more or less continuous politicaldogfight.
Duisenberg presents the ECB's Annual Report 2002
Presenting the ECB's Annual Report 2002 to the European Parliament Wim Duisenberg of the ECB said emphasised the need for Member States to respect the Stability and Growth Pact and said the ECB believes that the tools chosen by the ECB to communicate and…
Tumpel-Gugerell on financial markets volatility
In a speech on 'The volatility of financial markets' Gertrude Tumpel-Gugerell of the ECB said the increasing importance of technology and quantitative methods in the financial markets present new challenges. There are probably no solutions which involve…
Duisenberg silences ECB rate cut talk
Wim Duisenberg put the onus on national governments to stimulate growth on Thursday 3 July, according to Reuters, telling the European parliament that governments can no longer hide behind the ECB to cover up their failure to enact urgently required…
New risk control framework for eligible assets
In the context of the regular assessment of the risk control framework applicable to eligible assets used in Eurosystem credit operations, the Governing Council of the ECB has approved changes to the risk control framework, 2 July.
ECB meeting and press conference schedule for 2004
The Governing Council of the ECB has agreed that in the year 2004 its meetings will continue to be held, as a rule, on a Thursday in the first and third week of each month. As in 2003, the meeting schedule of the Governing Council also accommodates…
ECB's Issing upbeat on eurozone recovery
The ECB has "cautious optimism" that the eurozone economy would improve soon with the recovery in equity markets, BizWorld reports chief economist Otmar Issing as saying.
Accession country central banks observe ECB meet
The ECB's General Council meeting of 26 June was attended for the first time by central bank presidents of the ten EU accession countries. The ECB decided last September to invite presidents and experts of the accession countries' central banks to attend…
ECB won't follow Fed on rates - Duisenberg
Speaking on German TV, Wim Duisenberg said euro zone interest rates were currently appropriate, Reuters reports, and that the ECB would not follow the lead of the US Federal Reserve by cutting interest rates soon.
ECBs Solans says uncertainties cloud rates outlook
In an interview with the Financial Times, Eugenio Domingo Solans of the ECB said the current level of interest rates in the eurozone was favourable for a recovery. But the situation would be reassessed at the next meeting as the outlook was still clouded…
EU to keep Duisenberg at ECB until October
Wim Duisenberg will remain in his post until October, the Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis has said according to Bloomberg News. Trichet got the backing on Thursday 19 June of leaders of Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and Portugal, as well as Greece's…
ECB public consultation announced
The European Central Bank has announced a public consultation aimed at improving the collateral framework of the eurosystem, 11 June.
Duisenberg on the first lustrum of the ECB
In a speech on 'The first lustrum of the ECB' Wim Duisenberg of the European Central Bank said the Convention on the Future of Europe has not taken over our suggestion to incorporate somewhere in the text the notion of Eurosystem, which stands for the…
ECB Succession: Randzio-Plath welcomes judgement
Statement by the Chair of the European Parliament's Committee of Economic and Monetary Affairs Christa Randzio-Plath on the judgement in the Credit Lyonnais case, 18 June.
ECB's Issing not worried by euro rise - Report
Rather than being overvalued the euro is, in European Central Bank chief economist Otmar Issing's view, "above all" a correction of its previous undervaluation, he told Der Spiegel magazine.
Duisenberg soldiers on
No central bank takes kindly to politicians tampering with their business, and the ECB is no exception. In advance of its long-awaited rate cut this week, the ECB was told by Belgian finance minister Didier Reynders to be more active: "It is about time…
Duisenberg soldiers on
No central bank takes kindly to politicians tampering with their business, and the ECB is no exception. In advance of its long-awaited rate cut this week, the ECB was told by Belgian finance minister Didier Reynders to be more active: "It is about time…
Duisenberg on key issues in payment systems
In a speech on 'Key issues for the ECB in the field of payment systems' Wim Duisneberg of the European Central Bank said the euro area would greatly benefit from an integration and consolidation of its securities clearing and settlement infrastructure…
"Do not impose a currency crisis on Europe"
In an article in the Financial Times Charles Wyplosz asks which exchange rate band should apply to the EU's accession countries aiming to qualify for membership of the euro. The narrow exchange rate mechanism band of 2.25 per cent may apply but the new…
Duisenberg testimony to European Parliament
In testimony before the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs of the European Parliament Wim Duisenberg of the European Central Bank said that despite the rise of the euro in the last year, the exchange rate of the European currency accurately…
ECB's Tumpel-Gugerell sees no deflation risk
The ECB's newest council member Gertrude Tumpel-Gugerell has said she sees neither symptoms of deflation nor the risk of deflation, reports Frankfurther Allgemeine Zeitung.
ECB Monthly Bulletin halves growth forecast
The European Central Bank published its June 2003 Monthly Bulletin on 12 June. It halved its growth forecast for the eurozone this year to just 0.7 per cent from 1.6 per cent. Inflation was projected at 2.0 per cent this year, slightly above earlier…