The European Union's single monetary policy made it necessary to create a specific institutional framework in the form of the European System of Central Banks (ESCB). This comprises the European Central Bank (ECB) and the national central banks (NCBs) of all the EU Member States. The Eurosystem is constituted by the European Central Bank and the national central banks of the Member States that have adopted the euro. Once all of the EU Member States have joined the single currency, the ESCB and Eurosystem will coincide exactly.

Having recalled its tasks and guiding principles, this section describes the system's general architecture, in particular its governing bodies, and gives details of its financial resources and the NCBs' shares in the ECB's subscribed capital.

To find out more, visit the ECB's website at the following address: www.ecb.int, or the websites of the NCBs in the ESCB, the links for which are given at the bottom of the list of site headings.

• ECSB / Eurosystem
• Governing bodies
• ESCB committees