At the University of St Gallen, where he had studied in his time, the Chairman of the Governing Board of the Swiss National Bank, Hans Meyer, discussed monetary policy for the coming year for the last time before his retirement. He commenced his talk with some considerations concerning the National Bank's task and reiterated the main elements of the monetary policy concept, which had been adjusted at the beginning of 2000.

Hans Meyer then sketched the economic development in the past twelve months and dealt in some detail with the positive experience gained so far with the adjusted monetary policy concept. Following some further remarks on the euro and the Swiss franc, he turned to the economic prospects and the monetary policy intentions of the National Bank.