Eurozone
Include price stability in constitution says ECB
The ECB has called for price stability to be made an explicit goal of the EU in the new EU constitution which is under negotiation.
EU lacks imagination: Bank of Finland
The Bank of Finland has blamed a lack of confidence and imagination in the economic polices by single currency countries for the weak growth in the euro zone, reports AFP.
ECB officials split on pace of recovery
ECB officials remain divided over the pace and strength of the economic recovery, says the Financial Times. Eugenio Domingo Solans said the eurozone should start showing signs of recovery soon, but it was possible the upturn had already started. But…
Stark on The Euro Area as an Economic Entity
Speech titled 'The Euro Area as an Economic Entity' by Vice President Jurgen Stark of the Bundesbank to the CEPR/ESI conference, Eltville, 12 September. In the speech Stark said "my experience tells me that central bankers and academics alike are willing…
Duisenberg on changing fortunes and world growth
In a speech on 'Changing fortunes: financing world growth' given on 5 September Wim Duisenberg of the European Central Bank said he is convinced that economic activity in the euro area can only be lifted to a new, structurally higher, level by far…
Central bankers see a global upswing
Jean-Claude Trichet said on Monday 8 September that he was "very encouraged" by developments and the accumulation of signs in the major economies in the world, Reuters reports. Speaking at a news conference after a bi-monthly central bankers' meeting at…
Germany in recession as Eurozone stagnates
The German economy fell into a technical recession after data showed a second successive quarter of negative growth in the three months to the end of June, Reuters reports.
Undue pessimism is driving the eurozone recession
This article by Paul De Grauwe in the Financial Times says that the ECB was wrong to blame the eurozone recession on structural factors and scold eurozone politicians for doing nothing to liberalise labour markets and modernise welfare systems. "It is…
Europe cashes in on its forgotten money
European governments are rubbing their hands with glee at the prospect of a windfall of up to €13 billion from their forgotten national currencies, CentralBankNet discovers in this week's Monday Special Feature. This is the amount of lire, guilder,…
Commission divided on relaxing pact rules: Solbes
Pedro Solbes said on Friday 18 July that fiscal deficit limits should remain a "key element" of the stability and growth pact but conceded there were different opinions with the European Commission, Reuters reports.
'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…
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.
Germany's Schroder calls on ECB to reduce rates
German chancellor Gerhard Schroder has questioned the ECB as to "whether they have done enough to stimulate growth", according to a report in the Financial Times. He told Pedro Solbes, EU monetary affairs commissioner, on Tuesday that Germany would…
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…
Bundesbank dampens rate cut speculation
Bundesbank chief Ernst Welteke poured cold water on further ECB rate cut talk on Monday 16 June, according to AFP, suggesting it was now up to governments and politicians to get their economies in order.
Duisenberg on structural reform and mon policy
In a speech on 'Structural reform and its implications for monetary policy' Wim Duisenberg of the European Central Bank said labour market reforms are urgently needed if euro zone economic growth is to recover strongly as some countries are hampered by…
Smits on Consitutional Position of the ECB
In his inaugural address as Amsterdam University's new professor of law of economic and monetary union, Dr Rene Smits considers the strange legal status of the European Central Bank.
Transformation of the European Financial System
Based on an ECB conference held in October, "Transformation of the European Financial System" examines how the switch to the euro has affected European financial markets.
ECB economist - Deflation concerns are excessive
Otmar Issing of the European Central Bank said on Wednesday 28 May that deflation concerns are excessive and that currently, this is like a Pavlovian reflect, according to a report by Reuters.
ECB Monthly Bulletin: erozone inflation limited
The European Central Bank published its May 2003 Monthly Bulletin on 15 May. In the report the ECB said that eurozone inflation risks were limited and that the economy would pick up later this year and accelerate in 2004.
ECB officials give conflicting signals on rate cut
Speaking separately this week two ECB Governing Council members gave conflicting views on what a fall in inflation below the ECB's 2 per cent target would mean for interest rates, according to Bloomberg report.
EC report casts doubt on eurozone benefits
The European Commission's spring forecast published on Tuesday 8 April said growth rates in euro member countries was lower than for EU members outside the single currency, the Financial Times reported.
ECB's Issing on eurozone growth
In testimony to the European Parliament Otmar Issing of the ECB said eurozone economic growth is expected to be only moderate this year, and inflation is forecast to fall below 2%, although developments continue to be overshadowed by the war in Iraq. He…
ECB's Issing downbeat on 'sluggish' euro growth
Speaking to the EU Parliament, the ECB 's chief economist, Otmar Issing observed that economic growth in the eurozone is expected to be 2% for the year, thoough this will put downward pressure on inflation, according to Reuters