At its monetary policy meeting on 10 December 2020, the Governing Council decided to recalibrate its monetary policy instruments.
While the rebound in economic activity in the third quarter was stronger than expected and the prospects for the roll-out of vaccines are encouraging, the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic continues to pose serious risks to public health and to the euro area and global economies. The resurgence in COVID-19 cases and the associated containment measures are significantly restricting euro area economic activity, which is expected to have contracted in the fourth quarter of 2020. While activity in the manufacturing sector continues to hold up well, services activity is being severely curbed by the increase in infection rates and the new restrictions on social interaction and mobility.
Inflation remains very low in the context of weak demand and significant slack in labour and product markets. Overall, the incoming data and the December 2020 Eurosystem staff macroeconomic projections suggest a more pronounced near-term impact of the pandemic on the economy and a more protracted weakness in inflation than previously envisaged. Against this background, the Governing Council decided to recalibrate its monetary policy instruments at its meeting on 10 December 2020.
