Duties

Confidence in a smoothly operating financial system is essential to the functioning of our economy and, hence, our prosperity. For without it, enterprises and consumers would not be able to concentrate on economic activities like earning money and spending it. This is why financial stability is the principal object of our duties.

The core objective of monetary policy is price stability. If prices are prevented from going up (inflation) or down (deflation) too fast, this will protect the purchasing power of the euro. Price stability is said to exist if prices rise by just under 2 per cent per year in the medium term.

A stable financial system strongly depends on secure and reliable payment systems. Everybody must be able to pay without any problem in coin and banknotes, but also using their prepaid card and credit card, or via the Internet. And the millions of transactions executed by banks each day must be processed securely and without disruptions.

If you buy an insurance policy, you assume that the insurer will be able to pay up if you should have to file a claim. Pensioners assume their pensions will be duly paid into their accounts each month. And workers who have their salaries paid into a bank account should be able to rest assured that their money is in safe hands. De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) works for a reliable financial system in which institutions meet their obligations.

De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) acts as an adviser to the Dutch government. Also, it performs important functions in several consultative bodies. In offering independent economic advice, DNB contributes to sound economic policy-making on both the national and the international level. DNB is able to do so on the strength of its expertise, its reputation and its independent position.

To perform its duties adequately, DNB needs cutting-edge knowledge and information. Scientific research performed at DNB is therefore focussed on our core duties.