These measures mutually reinforce each other. Together, they also underpin our forward guidance that key ECB interest rates will remain at present levels for an extended period of time. To understand better the Governing Council’s most recent decisions, one has to understand the particular challenges that we, as monetary policy makers, are currently facing in the euro area.
We are committed to our price stability objective. This is not to suggest that we should opt for an early withdrawal of monetary support. The 1/2  BIS central bankers' speeches  premature rate hikes by the ECB in the midst of the euro crisis in 2011 serve as a reminder of the risks of a premature withdrawal.