@article{2025:sluis:who_needs_,
title = {Who needs accountability?},
year = {2025},
note = {Accountability is a central concept in legal studies of the European
Central Bank (ECB). It is seen as necessary to improve the democratic
legitimacy of the bank. This article presents two arguments why the
emphasis on (democratic) accountability is problematic with regard to
the ECB. First, accountability does not offer a clear normative
standard, as it is not constitutionally embedded. The discussions on
ECB accountability therefore do not engage with the issue that a low
level of accountability is itself the result of democratic
decision-making. Second, accountability-studies neglect the
intertwinement of tasks of the monetary and fiscal policy makers and
thereby neglect the key mechanism through which an independent central
bank is connected to other public entities.},
journal = {ZEuS Zeitschrift für Europarechtliche Studien},
pages = {310--334},
author = {Sluis, Marijn van der},
volume = {28},
number = {2}
}