MNI POLICY: Some ECB Governors May Not Travel to March Meet

--Post-Meet Press Conference Unaffected, To Proceed As Normal

By Luke Heighton

     FRANKFURT (MNI) - Some members of the European Central Bank's Governing

Council may not attend the March 12 monetary policy meeting in person, an

official spokesman told MNI Wednesday, shortly after the bank announced

restrictions on non-essential travel by Executive Board and staff members in

response to the coronavirus outbreak.

     Asked whether all 19 central governors would travel to the meeting, the

spokesman said it was possible some governors might choose to stay away, but

that plans were in place to conduct the meeting "as normal" by teleconference if

necessary.

     "The ECB's regular press conferences after monetary policy Governing

Council meetings are not affected by this decision," it continued.

     --TRAVEL RESTICTIONS

     A press release on Wednesday stated that "all travel by Executive Board

members and employees judged to be non-essential is restricted until 20 April

2020 when the situation will be re-assessed.

     "With today's measures, we are taking steps to ensure the safety and

well-being of our staff while maintaining a fully operational central bank and

banking supervision function," ECB President Christine Lagarde said. 

     "The measures build on existing internal guidelines and constant

communication with our staff, giving them advice about the virus and asking

those who had been to affected areas to work from home for two weeks."

     To date there have been no registered cases of ECB employees contracting

the virus.

--MNI Frankfurt Bureau; +49-69-720-146; email: luke.heighton@marketnews.com

--MNI London Bureau; +44 203 865 3829; email: jason.webb@marketnews.com

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

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