Mr Chairman, Honourable members of the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee, Ladies and gentlemen, It is a pleasure to be back at the European Parliament before your Committee. Ten years ago, the euro area entered a severe recession. That crisis exposed structural weaknesses and forced us to address them. The work is not yet over, but we are reaping the benefits of our efforts: growth has been positive for more than five years, and the unemployment rate is at its lowest level since November 2008. In my remarks today, I will discuss the current economic environment and the role that the ECB’s monetary policy plays ... (full story)