Schedules for the meetings of the Governing Council and the General Council of the ECB in 2012 and 2013


The Governing Council of the European Central Bank (ECB) has decided that in the years 2012 and 2013 its meetings will continue to be held, as a rule, twice a month on a Thursday. Exceptions to this rule are envisaged to accommodate special holiday situations and to ensure an efficient meeting sequence when Governing Council and General Council meetings take place in the same week as meetings of the General Board of the European Systemic Risk Board (ESRB).

As a rule, the Governing Council will continue to assess the monetary policy stance for the euro area only at the first meeting of the month. Accordingly, decisions on the key ECB interest rates 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 necessary, the Governing Council can assess the monetary policy stance and decide to change ECB interest rates at any time, regardless of previously scheduled meetings. The Governing Council’s meeting schedule for 2012 and 2013 also takes into account the fact that the reserve maintenance periods will start on the settlement day of the main refinancing operation following the Governing Council meeting at which the monthly assessment of the monetary policy stance is scheduled to take place.

In line with established practice, two meetings of the Governing Council will again be held outside Frankfurt in both 2012 and 2013. In 2012 the first one, on 3 May, will be hosted by the Banco de España and the second one, on 4 October, will be hosted by Banka Slovenije. In 2013 the first one, on 2 May, will be hosted by Národná banka Slovenska and the second one, on 2 October, will be hosted by the Banque de France.

The General Council of the ECB will continue to meet on a quarterly basis. It was decided that whenever a General Council meeting coincides with a Governing Council meeting, the Governing Council meeting will take place on Wednesday afternoon and the General Council meeting will take place on Thursday morning.

Finally, the current regime for holding regular ECB press conferences will continue, i.e. they will take place after the first Governing Council meeting of the month.

Meetings of the Governing Council of the ECB in 2012

12 January 2012

26 January 2012

9 February 2012

23 February 2012

8 March 2012

21 March 2012

4 April 2012

19 April 2012

3 May 2012 (hosted by the Banco de España)

16 May 2012

6 June 2012

20 June 2012

5 July 2012

19 July 2012

2 August 2012

6 September 2012

19 September 2012

4 October 2012 (hosted by Banka Slovenije)

18 October 2012

8 November 2012

22 November 2012

6 December 2012

19 December 2012

Meetings of the General Council of the ECB in 2012

22 March 2012

21 June 2012

20 September 2012

20 December 2012

Press conferences in 2012

12 January 2012

9 February 2012

8 March 2012

4 April 2012

3 May 2012 (hosted by the Banco de España)

6 June 2012

5 July 2012

2 August 2012

6 September 2012

4 October 2012 (hosted by Banka Slovenije)

8 November 2012

6 December 2012

Meetings of the Governing Council of the ECB in 2013

10 January 2013

24 January 2013

7 February 2013

21 February 2013

7 March 2013

20 March 2013

4 April 2013

18 April 2013

2 May 2013 (hosted by Národná banka Slovenska)

16 May 2013

6 June 2013

19 June 2013

4 July 2013

18 July 2013

1 August 2013

5 September 2013

18 September 2013

2 October 2013 (hosted by the Banque de France)

17 October 2013

7 November 2013

21 November 2013

5 December 2013

18 December 2013

9 January 2014

Meetings of the General Council of the ECB in 2013

21 March 2013

20 June 2013

19 September 2013

19 December 2013

Press conferences in 2013

10 January 2013

7 February 2013

7 March 2013

4 April 2013

2 May 2013 (hosted by Národná banka Slovenska)

6 June 2013

4 July 2013

1 August 2013

5 September 2013

2 October 2013 (hosted by the Banque de France)

7 November 2013

5 December 2013

9 January 2014