
The ECB’s January 2026 Consumer Expectations Survey shows median inflation perception falling to 3.0% and 12‑month inflation expectations dropping to 2.6%, while three‑year expectations hold at 2.6% and five‑year expectations ease to 2.3%. Nominal income‑growth expectations rose to 1.2%, driven mainly by the highest income quintiles. Home‑price growth expectations increased to 3.7% even as mortgage‑rate expectations stayed at 4.7%, and households reported tighter credit conditions with applications falling to 14.8%. Labour‑market outlooks remained stable, with unemployment expectations at 11% and modest optimism about job‑finding prospects.

ECB reported that 444,000 counterfeit euro banknotes were withdrawn in 2025, a 20% drop from the previous year and one of the lowest rates since the euro’s launch. The counterfeit rate fell to 14 per million genuine notes, with €20...

The European Central Bank’s Governing Council issued an opinion supporting the EU Council’s proposed candidate, Boris Vujčić, for the next Vice‑President. Vujčić, currently Governor of the Croatian National Bank, will assume the role on 1 June 2026 for a non‑renewable eight‑year term,...
Isabel Schnabel highlighted the euro area’s mounting fiscal pressures, noting that low debt levels often coincide with weak public investment. She examined Germany’s new defence and infrastructure package, showing it can lift GDP but also raise debt ratios under different...

The European Central Bank has signed a collaboration agreement with Spain’s ONCE Foundation to make the digital euro app universally accessible, especially for people with disabilities, older adults, and those with limited digital skills. The foundation will provide technical advice,...
ECB Executive Board member Piero Cipollone outlined the digital euro roadmap, confirming that the current preparation phase began in November 2025 and a pilot is slated for mid‑2027. The ECB aims for a first issuance in 2029, contingent on EU legislators...

On 14 February 2026, the ECB’s Governing Council approved an overhaul of the Eurosystem repo facility for central banks (EUREP). The revised framework introduces standing access for a broad set of non‑euro‑area central banks, provided they meet anti‑money‑laundering and sanctions...

In a February 2026 speech, ECB Executive Board member Piero Cipollone warned that Europe’s monetary sovereignty is threatened by growing dependencies on foreign payment systems and digital assets. He argued that control over the euro, both in cash and digital...

The European Central Bank appointed Thomas Broeng Jorgensen as Director General for Specialised Institutions and Less Significant Institutions, effective 1 March 2026. In this role he will directly supervise specialised banks and coordinate the oversight of less‑significant banks through national supervisors. Jorgensen succeeds Patrick Amis,...

ECB Vice‑President Luis de Guindos told Econostream that inflation has fallen to 1.7% headline and core inflation is edging toward the 2% target, while the euro‑area economy is proving more resilient than expected. He highlighted downside risks from geopolitical flashpoints and...

In a February 9, 2026 speech to the European Parliament, ECB President Christine Lagarde reaffirmed the central bank’s independence while emphasizing its accountability to elected officials. She reported that headline inflation has fallen to 1.7% in January and is expected...

European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde announced that François Villeroy de Galhau will leave his post as Governor of the Banque de France after an eleven‑year tenure. Lagarde highlighted Villeroy's realism, strong European convictions, and collaborative style as assets to...