Schedules for the meetings of the Governing Council and the General Council of the ECB and the related press conferences in 2002

The Governing Council has agreed that in the year 2002 its meetings will continue to be held, as a rule, on alternate Thursdays. As in 2001, exceptions to this rule are envisaged in order to accommodate special holiday situations. Two meetings will again be held outside Germany. As already announced, the Governing Council will meet on 7 February 2002 in Maastricht and on 4 July 2002 in Luxembourg. These meetings will be hosted by De Nederlandsche Bank and the Banque centrale du Luxembourg, respectively.

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 August.