A complete ban on roaming charges for using mobile phones abroad in the EU will take effect in June 2017 and clear rules on the right to internet access will become law following Parliament's final approval of the new telecoms package on Tuesday. "This abolition of roaming surcharges has been long awaited by everybody: ordinary people, start-ups, SMEs and all kinds of organisations” said the rapporteur, Pilar del Castillo (EPP, ES), in the debate before the vote. “Thanks to this...

All Europeans must be able to make real-time payments in euro across national borders, says Executive Board member Yves Mersch in a speech about innovation. The ECB is working with payment service providers and consumers on a roadmap for pan-European instant payments. Introduction I am sure that almost all of you in this room today have a smartphone in your pocket. With the smartphone, you feel as if you have the world at your fingertips: you can call or message anyone...

Since the start of 2015, the European Investment Fund (EIF) and equity funds across Europe have signed investment agreements worth over €1 billion which will provide equity financing for businesses. These agreements, which enable fund managers to invest in promising start-ups, SMEs and midcaps, have the full support of the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI), the heart of the Investment Plan for Europe. They are expected to result in overall investments of more than €12 billion across the EU. Speaking at an...

Market operations Adjustment of the purchase process in the asset-backed securities purchase programme On 17 September 2015 the Governing Council approved changes to the governance structure of the asset-backed securities purchase programme (ABSPP). The proportion of purchases by national central banks will be increased through the participation of the Nationale Bank van België/Banque Nationale de Belgique and a greater number of jurisdictions covered by the Banque de France, with both central banks acting as Eurosystem asset managers for purchases. A related...

As part of exceptional measures in support of the Greek economic recovery, the European Investment Bank (EIB) signed today a EUR 50 million loan to Greece for the co-financing of projects which also still receive funding from EU structural funds over the 2007-2013 period. Through its multiplying effect, the loan will support the recovery of the Greek economy and will accelerate transition to a smart, sustainable and inclusive growth path. It targets the priority areas that Greece has identified as crucial...

At today’s meeting, which was held in Malta, the Governing Council of the ECB decided that the interest rate on the main refinancing operations and the interest rates on the marginal lending facility and the deposit facility will remain unchanged at 0.05%, 0.30% and -0.20% respectively. Comment on the considerations underlying these decisions by Mario Draghi, President of the ECB, Vítor Constâncio, Vice-President of the ECB, Malta, 22 October 2015 Ladies and gentlemen, the Vice-President and I are very pleased to...

An International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission visited Bucharest October 13-21 to discuss recent economic developments and the 2016 budget plans. At the end of the visit, mission chief Andrea Schaechter issued the following statement: “Romania improved considerably its macroeconomic fundamentals in recent years, supported by three successive IMF, European Union and World Bank arrangements. It is critical now to safeguard these achievements as downside risks in the global economy, particularly for emerging economies, have heightened again. Key policy priorities include preserving...