For we are not of course entering the garden of Eden. There are plenty of dangerous-looking creatures lurking in the undergrowth, that always threaten to spoil the party. One of them, called Brexit, is just a few weeks. Over the past year you have been active in mapping out and managing Brexit-related risks.
Almost 7 million more people are now employed in the euro area than in mid-2013, which implies that all of the employment losses recorded during the crisis have been offset. The improving labour market combined with increasing household wealth, strong consumer confidence and favourable financing conditions should all support continued robust private consumption.