The European Central Bank (ECB) will hold its second conference on statistics on 22 and 23 April 2004 in Frankfurt on 'Statistics and their use for monetary and economic policy making'. The first ECB conference on statistics was held on 3 June 2002 under the heading 'Euro area statistics: challenges for the future'.

The purpose of these biannual conferences is to bring together statisticians, policy-makers, researchers and other users of euro area statistics to exchange views on current topics and on challenges and priorities for the future.

The aim of this year?s conference is to elaborate on the statistical requirements for central bank policy making. As statistics provide the foundation for economic analysis and policy-making, the availability of accurate and timely statistical information is a prerequisite to effectively and correctly assess the monetary and economic situation and prospects. The provisional programme of the conference is attached to this press release. All papers will be made available on the ECB's website closer to the date of the conference and summaries of the discussions will be put on the website after the conference. The ECB also plans to publish a book containing the research papers, discussants' comments and summaries of the discussions as part of its ongoing contribution to economic literature.

Attendance at the conference is by invitation only. For representatives from the press maximum 25 places could be reserved. Therefore journalists interested to follow the conference are kindly invited to inform the ECB?s Press and Information Division in writing via the following e-mail address: info@ecb.int. Access can be granted to one representative per media only and final participation is based on 'first come first served' basis. Further details about the conference can be found via the ECB?s Website (www.ecb.int), section 'Calendar and events'.