Taking account of this uncertainty is particularly important in the case of the euro area, whose “deep structural parameters” are somewhat uncertain to the extent that the inception of the euro may have been associated with a “regime shift”. More prosaically, this medium-term orientation of the single monetary policy recognises that it is impossible for a central bank to control price developments with accuracy over the short-term. The second implication is that the relevant indicators for monetary policy must reflect, almost exhaustively, the main sources of both short and long-term inflation. In the light of this, the monetary policy strategy seeks, as far as possible, to rely on a “full information approach”. This is what the concepts economic analysis and monetary analysis – also known as the two-pillar approach – used notably at the press conferences given by the ECB President following monetary policy decisions, reflect: - the economic analysis examines cyclical, economic and financial indicators related to the main determinants of short-term inflation;  4  BIS Review 4/2006  - the monetary analysis, is based on a monetary explanation of long-term inflation. It is signalled by the announcement of a reference value, which is not a committing target, of 4½% for the annual growth of the broad money aggregate. - The medium-term orientation of the single monetary policy makes necessary the cross-checking of these two complementary approaches. From this point of view, the ECB’s monetary policy strategy is more comprehensive than pure inflation or monetary targeting strategies.
Our analyses show that in the vast majority of instances the signals and complaints received at the BNB theoretically could have been resolved then and there, at the branches and divisions of your banks, as these did not need to get as far as the head offices and executive directors of the institutions. I would like to emphasize that the BNB had stated its position about the relations between commercial banks and their customers long before this became a hot topic in the media. Allow me to conclude my speech in literally the same words, which I used to speak to you here exactly 4 years ago (back then, in 2006, banking was on the upswing and nobody was talking about crises or difficulties in repaying loans): “…it is in the interest of both consumers and the banking industry to establish between the two sides of the process long-term relations based on transparency of financial services pricing, and on the strict observance of obligations by both parties.” In conclusion, allow me, on behalf of the BNB Governing Council and on my own behalf, to congratulate everyone of you on the occasion of our professional holiday, the Banker’s Day – 6 of December! I wish you a successful 2011 year and much health to your families as well as to the balance sheets of the banks you are running! Happy Banker’s Day, dear colleagues! BIS Review 169/2010  3