Glossary

 

  • Payment systems

    Set of instruments, procedures, etc. and in general, systems for transferring funds between banks aimed at facilitating the circulation of money.

  • Price stability

    The Eurosystem’s key objective is to safeguard price stability. The ECB Governing Council defines it as an annual increase in the harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP) for the euro area of 2% in the medium term. The European Central Bank’s revised monetary strategy defines this inflation target as being symmetric, meaning that negative and positive deviations of inflation from this target are equally undesirable.

  • Primary market

    Market where new loans are issued.

  • Promissory note

    The promissory note only differs from a bill of exchange in that it is issued in the form of a promise of payment made by the debtor instead of an order or payment order by the creditor.

  • Protest

    Official statement by a bailiff of the non-payment of a commercial bill.