ECB

A young EU institution

As the central bank for Europe’s single currency, the euro, we have two main tasks. First, we aim for stable prices in the euro area. We do this by setting the short-term interest rate and by working closely with the national central banks of countries that have adopted the euro. Stable prices are important for people and businesses to feel secure in making plans to invest for the future. Second, we supervise banks in the euro area. We do this by working together with national supervisors to review how banks conduct their activities and ensure rules are applied in the same way across Europe. This makes the banking sector more stable and trustworthy for people and companies.

Furthermore, we invest in new technologies to make the banknotes you use more secure and resistant to wear and tear. We coordinate their production and issuance with the countries that use the euro.

We keep the financial infrastructure running smoothly, meaning that when you pay for your shopping electronically or transfer money digitally, we’re there to help you. We manage and support the network behind the scenes – the market infrastructure – which helps money to flow smoothly and efficiently, within countries and across borders.

At the ECB, we believe diversity creates excellence – more diverse teams mean a wider range of opinions, leading to better and more robust results. We aspire to be an organisation in which diversity is welcomed and appreciated in all its facets. Enabling diversity is vital to our institution to deliver the best possible outcome for our staff and for Europe. The facets of diversity include – but are not limited to – gender, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, ethnic origin, age, cultural background and disability.