
The ƱAPP Blog
A European view on central banking and the economy
The ƱAPP Blog offers new insights on the economy and central bank policies based on our data, analysis and research - for the euro area and beyond. Posts are authored by ƱAPP staff and Executive Board members.
Subscribe to the ƱAPP blog18 April 2025
Low money market volatility benefits monetary policy transmission
Central banks usually seek to align very short-term interest rates in the money market with their own policy rate. But money market rates fluctuate also for reasons other than policy. This blog shows that monetary policy is more effective if such fluctuations are small.
Read more1 November 2024
The digital euro: what’s in it for you?
As they juggle various cards, apps and devices, most Europeans find that digital payments have fallen short of their promise to provide a convenient euro area-wide solution. The ƱAPP’s Piero Cipollone explains how a digital euro would blend the simplicity of cash with digital convenience.
25 June 2024
Maintaining the freedom to choose how we pay
A digital euro would combine the convenience of digital payments with cash-like features. ƱAPP Executive Board member Piero Cipollone explains how a digital euro would enhance Europeans’ freedom of choice when deciding how to pay.
8 June 2024
Why we adjusted interest rates
The ƱAPP has cut interest rates. President Christine Lagarde explains why and sets out what still needs to be done to bring inflation back to 2% over the medium term.
30 December 2023
Euro at 25: the value of unity in a changing world
25 years ago, on 1 January 1999, the euro came into force as the single currency for 11 EU Member States. It now serves the economy and eases life for 350 million people in 20 countries.
24 November 2023
Now is the time to climate-proof Europe’s economy
Europe must push the green transition forward if it wants to remain competitive in the world. New technologies and green energy aren’t just better for the environment, they also make good economic sense. To be successful, however, the transition needs to be just and inclusive.
28 June 2023
Why Europe needs a digital euro
Contribution by Fabio Panetta, Member of the Executive Board of the ƱAPP, and Valdis Dombrovskis, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission
24 May 2023
25 years of euro unity
The euro is more than a currency, says President Christine Lagarde. It is the strongest form of European integration and stands for a united Europe that works together, protecting and benefiting all its citizens. The ƱAPP, with its commitment to price stability, will always be a cornerstone of that effort.
9 March 2023
Channelling Europe's savings into growth
Europe must speed up its green and digital transition. For that, we need to complete the Capital Markets Union to provide effective financing. This is the plea made by the five Presidents of the ƱAPP, EIB, European Council, European Commission and Eurogroup in a joint post.
27 January 2023
Remembering the Holocaust: we owe it to the victims and to ourselves
The ƱAPP’s main building in Frankfurt stands on a site linked to the atrocities of the Holocaust. On International Holocaust Remembrance Day, we affirm that tyranny and state injustice must never again prevail. Building European unity is a cornerstone of this commitment.
23 July 2022
Ensuring price stability
Raising interest rates is a landmark moment on our journey towards lower inflation, writes President Christine Lagarde in The ƱAPP Blog.
8 July 2022
A catalyst for greening the financial system
The ƱAPP is reducing the carbon footprint in its portfolio and pushing banks to better manage climate risks. Within our mandate, we incorporate climate change considerations into our monetary policy and banking supervision, say Frank Elderson and Isabel Schnabel.
31 December 2021
Happy anniversary to euro cash!
Europe and the euro have become inseparable, President Christine Lagarde writes in The ƱAPP Blog to mark the 20th anniversary of euro banknotes and coins. She recalls her first encounter with a euro banknote, and reflects on how far the euro has come and what lies ahead.
4 November 2021
Charting a course for climate action
The COP26 summit is a vital opportunity to set out a clear path towards a zero-carbon world, President Lagarde writes in a blog post. While the road ahead may seem daunting, she argues that a credible transition path will need clear signposts to break it up into more manageable stages.
1 April 2021
Inflation dynamics during a pandemic
The recent volatility of inflation can largely be attributed to the nature of the pandemic shock, writes Chief Economist Philip R. Lane. The increase in inflation during early 2021 does not constitute the basis for a sustained shift in inflation dynamics.
18 March 2021
Shining a light on climate risks: the ƱAPP’s economy-wide climate stress test
The damage caused by more frequent and severe natural disasters far exceeds the costs of transitioning to a greener economy, writes Vice-President Luis de Guindos in his ƱAPP Blog post on our first climate stress test for banks and companies.
13 February 2021
Greening monetary policy
Climate change requires urgent action and we at the ƱAPP must be committed to doing our part, says Executive Board member Frank Elderson. The EU Treaties define clear obligations and limits. They provide substantial scope for the ƱAPP to take action on climate change.
2 October 2020
We must be prepared to issue a digital euro
We should be ready to issue a digital euro if and when it is necessary, writes Executive Board member Fabio Panetta. The euro is a currency that Europeans trust. We need to make sure that it is fit for the future.
19 March 2020
Our response to the coronavirus emergency
We are committed to playing our role in supporting every citizen of the euro area through this extremely challenging time, President Christine Lagarde writes in The ƱAPP Blog. Our temporary pandemic emergency purchase programme is designed to address the unprecedented situation our monetary union faces.