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25 years of the ECB

The ECB has been, and will continue to be, a reliable anchor of stability.

President Christine Lagarde

On 1 June 1998, the ECB was established to launch the euro and safeguard its value. Today, more than 346 million Europeans across 20 countries use the euro every day. 

An anchor of stability

25 years ago, on 1 June 1998, the European Central Bank started operating as custodian of the euro with a clear mandate to maintain price stability.

Watch our journey!

The euro: a symbol of our unity

The euro is more than a currency, says President Christine Lagarde. It is the strongest form of European integration and stands for a united Europe that works together, protecting and benefiting all its citizens. And the ECB will always be a cornerstone of that effort.

The ECB Blog

The story of the euro

In times of change in both Europe and the world, the euro has offered us stability, sovereignty and solidarity, says President Christine Lagarde. It is up to all of us, as Europeans, to write the next chapter in the euro’s story. 

Read the speech

Celebration marking our 25th anniversary

Watch the celebrations 

Together with distinguished guests from across Europe, we celebrated our anniversary in Frankfurt.

The ECB Podcast featuring the President's speech

As part of the celebrations for the ECB’s 25th anniversary, President Christine Lagarde looks back at a quarter of a century of pursuing price stability and working for a better Europe, and explores what might lie ahead.

Listen to the podcast

Photos

Check out the photos from our anniversary event in May 2023.

Visit the Flickr album

Additional remarks from the event

Additional multimedia content 

Footage for TV stations

Download footage of the event in HD format.

Video footage

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