The Eurosystem’s monetary, banking and financial statistics: some reflections on results and future steps

This paper summarizes the results attained by the Eurosystem in harmonizing the statistics used for the conduct of monetary policy. Since the creation of the euro area, in January 1999, significant progress has been made in the harmonization of data on banks’ balance sheets, central banks and money market funds; on interest rates on deposits and loans; on non-bank financial intermediaries, especially mutual funds and financial vehicle corporations engaged in securitization; and on financial accounts. The paper also outlines the debate on statistical information gaps that came to the fore after the 2007-08 financial crisis.