With a population of some 5.5 million, there is a whole lot that Finland and Singapore have in common. Never mind the fact that in Singapore’s case the whole population lives in an area that is equal to the Helsinki metropolitan region!
Anyway, we can both be proud of a high-quality education system and a skilled labour force that support an economy which is largely based on high-tech, innovation and R&D activity. In my opening remarks I will discuss the global economic outlook with a particular focus on the euro area and the ECB monetary policy.