Search Options
Home Media Explainers Research & Publications Statistics Monetary Policy The €uro Payments & Markets Careers
Suggestions
Sort by
PRESS RELEASE

Schedules for the meetings of the Governing Council and the General Council of the ECB and the related press conferences in 2004

26 June 2003

The Governing Council 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 special holiday situations.

As announced on 8 November 2001, the stance of the ECB's monetary policy will continue to be assessed by the Governing Council, as a rule, only at the first meeting of the month. Accordingly, interest rate decisions will normally be taken during that meeting. Whenever it holds a second meeting in the month, the Governing Council will deal with issues related to other tasks and responsibilities of the ECB and the Eurosystem. Obviously, if warranted by the circumstances, the Governing Council can still decide to change the key ECB interest rates at any time, regardless of previously scheduled meetings. The meeting schedule of the Governing Council in 2004 also takes into account the decision of 23 January 2003 on the timing of the reserve maintenance period. These periods will start on the settlement day of the main refinancing operation (MRO) following the Governing Council meeting at which the monthly assessment of the monetary policy stance is pre-scheduled.

Also in line with established practice, two meetings of the Governing Council will again be held outside Frankfurt: the first one on 6 May 2004 will be hosted by Suomen Pankki – Finlands Bank and the second one on 7 October 2004 by the Nationale Bank van België/Banque Nationale de Belgique.

In addition, the General Council has agreed that the current practice of having quarterly meetings is to be maintained.

Finally, the current regime for holding press conferences will continue, i.e. they will take place after the first Governing Council meeting in each month, with the exception of the month of August.

Meetings of the Governing Council of the ECB in 2004

  • 8 January 2004
  • 22 January 2004
  • 5 February 2004
  • 19 February 2004
  • 4 March 2004
  • 18 March 2004
  • 1 April 2004
  • 22 April 2004
  • 6 May 2004 (Finland)
  • 19 May 2004 (Wednesday)
  • 3 June 2004
  • 17 June 2004
  • 1 July 2004
  • 22 July 2004
  • 5 August 2004
  • 2 September 2004
  • 16 September 2004
  • 7 October 2004 (Belgium)
  • 21 October 2004
  • 4 November 2004
  • 18 November 2004
  • 2 December 2004
  • 16 December 2004
  • 13 January 2005

Meetings of the General Council of the ECB in 2004

  • 18 March 2004
  • 17 June 2004
  • 16 September 2004
  • 16 December 2004

Press conferences in 2004

  • 8 January 2004
  • 5 February 2004
  • 4 March 2004
  • 1 April 2004
  • 6 May 2004 (Finland)
  • 3 June 2004
  • 1 July 2004
  • 2 September 2004
  • 7 October 2004 (Belgium)
  • 4 November 2004
  • 2 December 2004
  • 13 January 2005
CONTACT

European Central Bank

Directorate General Communications

Reproduction is permitted provided that the source is acknowledged.

Media contacts