ormation either from the competent national authorities or directly
from economic agents. For these purposes it shall co-operate with the
Community institutions or bodies and with the competent authorities of
the Member States or third countries and with international
organizations.
5.2. The national central banks shall carry out, to the extent possible,
the tasks described in Article 5.1.
5.3. The ECB shall contribute to the harmonization, where necessary,
of the rules and practices governing the collection, compilation and
distribution of statistics in the areas within its fields of competence.
5.4. The Council, in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article
42, shall define the natural and legal persons subject to reporting
requirements, the confidentiality regime and the appropriate
provisions for enforcement.
ARTICLE 6
International co-operation
6.1. In the field of international co-operation involving the tasks
entrusted to the ESCB, the ECB shall decide how the ESCB shall be
represented.
6.2. The ECB and, subject to its approval, the national central banks
may participate in international monetary institutions.
6.3. Articles 6.1 and 6.2 shall be without prejudice to Article 109(4) of
this Treaty.

CHAPTER III
ORGANIZATION OF THE ESCB
ARTICLE 7
Independence
In accordance with Article 107 of this Treaty, when exercising the
powers and carrying out the tasks and duties conferred upon them by
this Treaty and this Statute, neither the ECB, nor a national central
bank, nor any member of their decision-making bodies shall seek or
take instructions from Community institutions or bodies, from any
government of a Member State or from any other body. The
Community institutions and bodies and the governments of the
Member States undertake to respect this principle and not to seek to
influence the members of the decision-making bodies of the ECB or of
the national central banks in the performance of their tasks.
ARTICLE 8
General principle
The ESCB shall be governed by the decision-making bodies of the
ECB.
ARTICLE 9
The European Central Bank
9.1. The ECB which, in accordance with Article 106(2) of this Treaty,
shall have legal personality, shall enjoy in each of the Member States
the most extensive legal capacity accorded to legal persons under its
law; it may, in particular, acquire or dispose of movable and
immovable property and may be a party to legal proceedings.
9.2. The ECB shall ensure that the tas