And heterogeneity becomes a factor in assessing low inflation in the euro area. In terms of the monetary policy response, the key issue is timing. We have to be mindful of mismatches between the various trends: the rise in demand for credit; the repair of bank balance sheets; and the development of capital markets as a complement to bank lending.
At this point of the cycle, these considerations feature prominently in the discussions of the Governing Council members. There is no debate about our goal, which is to return inflation towards 2% in the medium-term, in line with our mandate.