repurchase of the hived-off assets

S. whereas Parliament has for the past two years warned of the social risks of deflation in a context of low growth, high unemployment and downward pressure on wages; whereas the European Central Bank (ECB) has forecast low inflation in the long run, and has warned of the consequences of this on internal demand, growth and employment; whereas deflation has become a reality since August 2014 in eight Member States (of which six are in the eurozone); whereas demand and job creation in the EU is heavily constrained by the prevailing weakness of credit provision to SMEs and the need to reduce excessive public and private debt with special regard ...[+++]s to mortgage loans; whereas the drop in inflation rates significantly increases these difficulties, by raising real interest rates and the real debt burden, and could lead to a vicious circle of economic depression; whereas the ECB reacted to all these aspects on 22 January 2015 by implementing an expanded asset purchase programme, with combined monthly asset purchases amounting to EUR 60 billion, to be carried out until at least September 2016;

S. whereas Parliament has for the past two years warned of the social risks of deflation in a context of low growth, high unemployment and downward pressure on wages; whereas the European Central Bank (ECB) has forecast low inflation in the long run, and has warned of the consequences of this on internal demand, growth and employment; whereas deflation has become a reality since August 2014 in eight Member States (of which six are in the eurozone); whereas demand and job creation in the EU is heavily constrained by the prevailing weakness of credit provision to SMEs and the need to reduce excessive public and private debt with special regard ...[+++]s to mortgage loans; whereas the drop in inflation rates significantly increases these difficulties, by raising real interest rates and the real debt burden, and could lead to a vicious circle of economic depression; whereas the ECB reacted to all these aspects on 22 January 2015 by implementing an expanded asset purchase programme, with combined monthly asset purchases amounting to EUR 60 billion, to be carried out until at least September 2016;

S. whereas Parliament has for the past two years warned of the social risks of deflation in a context of low growth, high unemployment and downward pressure on wages; whereas the European Central Bank (ECB) has forecast low inflation in the long run, and has warned of the consequences of this on internal demand, growth and employment; whereas deflation has become a reality since August 2014 in eight Member States (of which six are in the eurozone); whereas demand and job creation in the EU is heavily constrained by the prevailing weakness of credit provision to SMEs and the need to reduce excessive public and private debt with special regard ...[+++]s to mortgage loans; whereas the drop in inflation rates significantly increases these difficulties, by raising real interest rates and the real debt burden, and could lead to a vicious circle of economic depression; whereas the ECB reacted to all these aspects on 22 January 2015 by implementing an expanded asset purchase programme, with combined monthly asset purchases amounting to EUR 60 billion, to be carried out until at least September 2016;

24. Takes note of the ECB’s expanded asset purchase programme which goes, once again, to the banking system; calls, therefore, on the ECB to optimise its potential to improve the real economy by providing credit in order to boost growth and tackle unemployment in the EU;