At the same time, national or European bodies are not allowed to put pressure on Council members. These provisions reinforce the fact that we are in the ECB Council on a personal basis, and not to represent national or other interests. In a few years, the size of the euro area will probably increase significantly.
As you will all be aware, European history also lies behind our desire for enlargement. Most accession countries have announced that they want to join the euro area shortly after entry into the EU. Whether they should join the euro area so quickly is a point we could debate another day.