Eurozone
EU agrees cross-border payment plan
EU finance ministers on Tuesday 27 March agreed a plan to make cross-border payments more efficient throughout the 27-nation bloc and set new rules to limit political interference in banking takeovers.
ECB's Stark on the public sector
In the speech 'Fit for the future? Towards a lean and efficient public sector' given on 23 March Jurgen Stark of the ECB said eurozone countries need to cut public spending to 30-35 pct of GDP if they are to be competitive.
ECB's Tumpel-Gugerell on payment systems issues
In the speech 'Regulatory framework and payment systems issues' given on 23 March Gertrude Tumpel-Gugerell of the ECB said within the European Union, it will be important for the proposed Payment Services Directive to be adopted and written into national…
EU's Almunia says stop attacking ECB
EU economic and monetary affairs commissioner Joaquin Almunia said Monday 26 March in an article that French politicians should stop attacking the euro and the European Central Bank.
Bini Smaghi says ECB must remove inflation risks
European Central Bank board member Lorenzo Bini Smaghi said Monday 26 March the ECB still needs to take action to eliminate remaining inflation risks in the eurozone.
Gaspari says eurozone inflation under control
Outgoing European Central Bank council member Mitja Gaspari said in an interview published Friday 23 March inflation in the 13 euro nations is ``under control'' and it's not yet time to talk about further interest-rate increases.
Quaden on the cash single shared platform
In the speech 'CashSSP - the cash single shared platform' given on 16 March Guy Quaden of the National Bank of Belgium said the Eurosystem has established itself as a sound system capable of taking well-founded monetary policy decisions.
EU report warns on further ECB rate hikes
The European Commission said in a report quoted by Bloomberg News on Thursday 22 March that further interest-rate increases by the European Central Bank may threaten economic growth in the 13 nations sharing the euro.
ECB's Trichet on monetary policy
In testimony to the European Parliament given on 21 March Jean-Claude Trichet of the ECB said eurozone interest rates are now moderate but remain slightly accommodative.
ECB's Bini Smaghi on the world economy
In introductory remarks at Internationaler Club Frankfurter Wirtschaftsjournalisten given on 14 March Lorenzo Bini Smaghi of the ECB said Asia not only makes a strong contribution to world economic growth but also plays a "shock-absorbing" role in the…
ECB's Gonzalez-Paramo on globalisation, mon policy
In the speech 'Globalisation and monetary policy' given on 15 March Jose Manuel Gonzalez-Paramo of the ECB said globalisation does not affect the central role and overriding responsibility of central banks to preserve price stability.
Markets not pricing risk well says ECB's Weber
Global financial markets may not be adequately pricing risk even after their recent sharp corrections, European Central Bank governing council member Axel Weber said on Thursday 15 March.
ECB Monthly Bulletin, March 2007
The European Central Bank published its March 2007 Monthly Bulletin on Thursday 15 March. In the report the ECB said it expects euro zone growth to moderate in the first quarter and then continue around its potential rate.
Bini Smaghi says more data needed on growth
European Central Bank (ECB) executive board member Lorenzo Bini Smaghi said Wednesday 14 March the eurozone economy is showing signs of self-sustaining growth but the ECB still needs additional data to confirm it.
Market tumult a warning on risk: ECB's Garganas
The recent turmoil in financial markets is a timely reminder that risks to the global economy cannot be shrugged aside, European Central Bank governing council member Nicholas Garganas said on Thursday 15 March.
Tumpel-Gugerell on European financial markets
In the speech 'The competitiveness of European financial markets. An economic framework for effective policy-making' given on 12 March Gertrude Tumpel-Gugerell of the ECB said greater integration of mortgage markets among European economies would allow…
ECB's Bini Smaghi says rates depend on growth data
Interest rates "must adjust" to combat inflation if economic growth continues, European Central Bank executive board member Lorenzo Bini Smaghi told Italian daily La Stampa in an interview published Sunday 11 March.
Liebscher says ECB job not finished yet
European Central Bank council member Klaus Liebscher said in an interview published Monday 12 March the bank can't consider its job done after seven interest-rate increases because inflation remains a threat.
Trichet says ECB may not be done yet on rates
European Central Bank president Jean-Claude Trichet said Thursday 8 March he is not saying that ECB interest rates are necessarily at a peak after increasing interest rates.
ECB paper on globalisation and euro area trade
As a major player in world trade, the euro area is strongly influenced by globalisation, but is far from being a passive spectator, according to the ECB Occasional Paper "Globalisation and euro area trade - Interactions and challenges" published March…
ECB's Trichet on governance and convergence
In the speech 'Governance and convergence: the state of play in the euro area' given on 28 February Jean-Claude Trichet of the ECB said the bank's monetary policy must be credible in ensuring price stability.
Bini Smaghi on the governance of the euro area
In the speech 'The governance of the euro area (eight years on)' given on 27 February Lorenzo Bini Smaghi of the ECB said eurozone finance ministers should exercise greater discipline in their comments on exchange rates.
ECB's Stark continues to see inflation risks
European Central Bank board member Juergen Stark told Die Welt Wednesday 28 February that although eurozone inflation will probably slow this year, medium-term price developments remain a concern.
Garganas says price risks growing
European Central Bank council member Nicholas Garganas told Bloomberg in an interview that economic growth may prove stronger than the ECB forecasts and inflation risks are increasing.