The European Association of Public Banks (EAPB) held its Evening Reception and General Assembly in Brussels on November 28 and 29. Mr. Philippe Mills, EAPB President and CEO of SFIL opened the Annual Reception. He stressed that the ECB has called policy-makers to do more for growth through the use of public finance. Public banks can be part of the answer to that call as they are tasked by their stakeholders to precisely promote growth through investments in local SME and their capacities to export products internationally as well as by investing in the necessary transport, public infrastructure, energy and digital equipment across Europe. Public banks are a cost-effective way of using this public finance.

Ms. Natacha Valla, Deputy Director for monetary policy at the European Central Bank (ECB) delivered the keynote speech on "ECB measures in the European macrofinancial and macroeconomic context". She focused in particular on the new monetary policy measures, which include an unchanged refinancing operations rate, a decreased deposit interest rate, a new round of bond purchase sand a two-tier system for reserve remuneration. Ms. Valla discussed with participants the macroeconomic efficiency of the monetary policy transmission chain and the impacts on European banks as well as the advantages and disadvantages of a greater ECB role in promoting green finance.

The event was attended by about 150 guests amongst which the CEOs and Board members of EAPB member institutions, partners at the European Commission, European Parliament and of European Associations similar to EAPB

Pictures from the Evening Reception are available here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/eapb/albums/72157712029078598