About
The European Central Bank is the central bank for the euro area
The European Central Bank (ECB) is the central bank of the 19 European Union countries which have adopted the euro. Our main task is to maintain price stability in the euro area and so preserve the purchasing power of the single currency.
What kind of organisation is the ECB?
The ECB is an official EU institution at the heart of the Eurosystem as well as the Single Supervisory Mechanism for banking supervision. Find out how we are organised and learn who is who in the Governing Council, the main decision-making body.
The mission of the ECB
Our mission is to serve the people of Europe by safeguarding the value of the euro and maintaining price stability. Find out more about the mission of the ECB, the Eurosystem and the Single Supervisory Mechanism.
What are our tasks?
We define and implement monetary policy for the euro area and carry out a number of other tasks, including banking supervision.
Accountability towards the people of Europe
We work for the people of Europe and are formally accountable to them through the European Parliament. The European Union Treaties specify the different channels of accountability, which include the publication of an Annual Report.