Europe
IMF paper on the Stability and Growth Pact
This IMF Working Paper, Implementing the Stability & Growth Pact, analyses some key policy trade-offs involved in the implementation of the Stability and Growth Pact. Greater "procedural" flexibility in the Pact's implementation may improve welfare, it…
The ECB faces a fiscal fight with its governments
There hasn't been much evidence of stability in the Stability and Growth Pact, according to this article, and now it isn't even a pact any more. Expect to see a damaging fight between the ECB and its member states, which the whole European economy will…
Trichet voices concern on fiscal rule changes
European Central Bank head Jean-Claude Trichet voiced concern on Thursday 23 March about reforms to the European Union's stability and growth pact agreed by EU leaders this week.
BoE's King: 'Coach and horses' driven through pact
Bank of England governor Mervyn King criticised European Union leaders for loosening the fiscal rules that underpin the value of the euro on Thursday 24 March, saying restrictions on government spending in the region lack "discipline."
ECB Working Paper on central bank transparency
The ECB Working Paper "Central bank transparency and private information in a dynamic macroeconomic model" published on 15 March, investigates the role of economic transparency within the framework of one of Townsend's models of 'forecasting the…
Juncker rejects central bank concerns on pact
EU leaders have formally endorsed reforms to the stability and growth pact. Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker, current President of the European Council and President of the Eurogroupe, said the agreement was cleared after a "brief debate".
ECB's Trichet on the success of the euro
In a speech given on 18 March Jean-Claude Trichet of the ECB stressed that the maintenance of price stability and financial integration are key successes of the Economic and Monetary Union as well as fundamentals conditions to enhance sustainable…
ECB statement on Stability and Growth Pact
The European Central Bank's Governing Council released a statement on Monday 21 March on the ECOFIN Council's report on Improving the implementation of the Stability and Growth Pact.
ECB's Noyer says euro not pressuring markets
Christian Noyer, governor of the Bank of France and member of the ECB's governing council, said at an international conference on Monday 21 March that the euro is not exerting any pressure on global financial markets in spite of its growing influence and…
Interview with ECB's Trichet
In an interview published on Wednesday 16 March, European Central Bank president Jean-Claude Trichet said the bank continues to see moderate economic growth in the eurozone during 2005, despite recent signs of "greater dynamism" in investments and…
ECB opinion on new Executive Board member
At a meeting on Friday 18 March, the Governing Council of the ECB adopted an opinion on a recommendation from the Council of the European Union on the appointment of a new member of the Executive Board of the ECB.
Stability pact showdown expected
A showdown may be in the offing regarding the EU's stability and growth pact. The EU summit in Brussels next week is expected to discuss reform of the 25-nation bloc's fiscal rules.
ECB book on statistics and economic policy-making
The European Central Bank published a book entitled "Statistics and their use for monetary and economic policy-making" on 11 March. The book contains the proceedings of the second ECB conference on statistics held in Frankfurt am Main on 22 and 23 April…
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…