Two sides of the same coin?

Independence and accountability of the European Central Bank

Tuesday, 28 March 2017, 12:15 – 15:30

Location: Residence Palace, Brussels

Register here

The ECB has emerged as the main actor keeping the single currency together. It was able to take drastic action due to its independence and its status as the sole truly supranational institution in Eurozone governance.

But big questions about its democratic accountability continue to dog its actions. From its expansion into banking supervision, to ‘bailout’ reform surveillance and unconventional monetary stimulus, the ECB’s activities warrant greater scrutiny. Transparency International EU’s in-depth study assesses the trade-off between independence and accountability, its transparency, and integrity provisions.

The event will address these issues with Benoît Cœuré, Member of the ECB Executive Board, Bruegel Director Guntram Wolff, Financial Times Frankfurt Bureau Chief Claire Jones, the European Parliament’s ECB rapporteur Ramon Tremosa, the European Ombudsman’s Rosita Hickey and the study’s author Benjamin Braun, Harvard University.

The session will be followed by the first roundtable meeting of the informal watchdog network on EU economic governance, convened together with Finance Watch. The launch follows previous reports on the EIB and the ESM.

Register here