MNI EXCLUSIVE: ECB Says Sept Meeting Could Be In Person

--Covid Developments Permitting, Council Could Reconvene In Frankfurt

     FRANKFURT (MNI) - September's monetary policy meeting of the European

Central Bank's Governing Council could be the first to be held face-to-face

since lockdown conditions were imposed, an ECB spokesperson confirmed to MNI

Friday

     "The ECB is considering to begin holding physical Governing Council

meetings again as of September, but will err on the side of caution taking into

account Covid-19 developments," the spokesperson said.

     The Governing Council last met in person to discuss the ECB's response to

the crisis in March. Governors are now planning to travel to Frankfurt following

the August break, several eurosystem sources had said.

     While such a meeting is expected to take place in the autumn, "there would

be a general return to physical meetings only for the big Governing Council

meetings," one official told MNI. "Shorter meetings, which are just a Wednesday

afternoon, could continue in virtual format.

--MNI London Bureau; tel: +44 203-586-2225; email: les.commons@marketnews.com

[TOPICS: M$X$$$,MT$$$$,MX$$$$,M$$EC$]