ECB monetary policy during COVID-19

Abstract

This paper aims to point out the monetary policy measures that the European This paper aims to point out the monetary policy measures that the European Central Bank has taken since the outbreak of the COVID-19 crisis. In the Eurozone, at the start of the COVID-19 crisis, financial conditions deteriorated sharply, potentially threatening to worsen the economic outlook, deepen market fragmentation, jeopardize monetary policy transmission, encourage a downward inflationary trajectory, weaken prices and undermine public and private stability. Aware of the new situation of the ECB, it responded quickly and efficiently with coordinated and ambitious measures to alleviate the perceived financial and economic difficulties. To maintain a flexible monetary policy stance, the ECB adopted an interim non-standard measured COVID-19 Asset Purchase Program (PEPP) to mitigate and improve financial conditions and restart an earlier Asset Purchase Program (APP) aimed at inflation expectations. At the same time, other measures have been strengthened and expanded, such as Targeted Long-Term Refinancing Operations (LTROs, TLTRO III, and PLTRO) aimed at providing liquidity ampleness to the real sector and collateral standards. The implementation of the adopted measures has influenced the stabilization of the economic and financial system of the EU and improved lending to corporate and household banks.