10. Expresses concerns about the ongoing appreciation of the euro against most major foreign currencies; points out in this connection that Article 111 of the Treaty assigns responsibility for exchange rate policy to the Council, but without specifying how this responsibility should be exercised; calls on the Eurogroup, the Council and the ECB to exercise their respective competences in full and to coordinate their actions in the field of exchange rate policy more closely; observes that such appreciation has not been harmful to exports on the euro zone level so far, but that the effects vary among Member States ; underlines the risks ...[+++] associated with large global current account imbalances which could result in additional increases in the euro exchange rate; notes that there is now a broad consensus among policy makers on how to tackle the problem of global imbalances; notes that the efforts made by the international community and international financial institutions have been far from adequate; hopes that the implementation of these measures (the adoption of measures to reduce the budget deficit and promote private savings in the USA and to achieve greater exchange rate flexibility in a number of surplus countries in emerging Asia, in particular China), which is to be monitored by the IMF, will make a significant contribution to the gradual resolution of global imbalances;

9. Observes that the nominal appreciation of the euro exchange rate by 11,4 % against the US dollar, 12,4 % against the yen, and 8 % against the Chinese renminbi led only to a minor appreciation of the real effective exchange rate of 3,5 % in 2006, and has not been detrimental to exports and growth at the eurozone level so far; observes, however, that the effects differ among Member States depending on their economic structures and the elasticity of their real sector response to changes in the exchange rate; calls on the Member States to take steps to increase t ...[+++]heir adjustment capabilities; emphasises the need to take into account the effects that future increases of interest rates may have on the euro exchange rate and the competitiveness of the European economy;

8. Observes that the nominal appreciation of the euro exchange rate by 11,4 % against the US dollar, 12,4 % against the yen, 8 % against the Chinese renminbi led only to a minor appreciation of the real effective exchange rate of 3,5 % in 2006, and has not been detrimental to exports and growth at the euro area level so far; observes, however, that the effects differ among Member States depending on their economic structures and the elasticity of their real sector response to changes in the exchange rate; calls on the Member States to take steps to increase t ...[+++]heir adjustment capabilities; emphasises the need to take into account the effects that future increases of interest rates may have on the euro exchange rate and the competitiveness of the European economy;

9. Observes that the nominal appreciation of the euro exchange rate by 11,4 % against the US dollar, 12,4 % against the yen, and 8 % against the Chinese renminbi led only to a minor appreciation of the real effective exchange rate of 3,5 % in 2006, and has not been detrimental to exports and growth at the eurozone level so far; observes, however, that the effects differ among Member States depending on their economic structures and the elasticity of their real sector response to changes in the exchange rate; calls on the Member States to take steps to increase t ...[+++]heir adjustment capabilities; emphasises the need to take into account the effects that future increases of interest rates may have on the euro exchange rate and the competitiveness of the European economy;

10. Expresses concerns about the ongoing appreciation of the euro against most major foreign currencies; points out in this connection that Article 111 of the Treaty assigns responsibility for exchange rate policy to the Council, but without specifying how this responsibility should be exercised; calls on the Eurogroup, the Council and the ECB to exercise their respective competences in full; observes that such appreciation has not been harmful to exports on the eurozone level so far, but that the effects vary among Member States; underlines the risks associated with large global current account imbalances which could result in addit ...[+++]ional increases in the euro exchange rate; notes that there is now a broad consensus among policy makers on how to tackle the problem of global imbalances; notes that the efforts made by the international community and international financial institutions have been far from adequate; hopes that the implementation of measures to reduce the budget deficit and promote private savings in the USA and to achieve greater exchange rate flexibility in a number of surplus countries in emerging Asia, in particular China, which is to be monitored by the IMF, will make a significant contribution to the gradual resolution of global imbalances;

The Treaty refers to the exchange rate criterion as the observance of the normal fluctuation margins of the exchange rate mechanism (ERM) of the European Monetary System for at least two years without severe tensions and in particular without devaluing against the euro.