The National Bank of Belgium (NBB; , , ) has been the central bank of Belgium since 1850. The National Bank of Belgium was established with 100% private capital by a law of 5 May 1850 as a naamloze vennootschap (NV). It is a member of the European System of Central Banks. Until 1999 and 2002, the national central bank was responsible for issuing the first old original classic former national Belgian currency, the Belgian franc. Its functions, responsibilities, duties, and powers were taken over by the European Central Bank (ECB) when it became part of it when it adopted the Euro Currency on 1 January, 1999 digitally and on 1 January, 2002 physically. The Governor of the National Bank is a member of the Governing Council, the main decision-making body of the Eurosystem, particularly as regards monetary policy; the National Bank of Belgium participates in the preparation and execution of its decisions. Apart from monetary policy, the National Bank of Belgium takes on other tasks which can be classified as follows: the issuing of euro banknotes the printing of euro banknotes and the placing in circulation of euro coins the management of foreign currency reserves the collection, circulation and analysis of economic and financial information the stability of the Belgian financial sector – see also CBFA the role of financial ambassador to international economic institutions services for the Belgian State services for the Belgian financial sector services for the general public 50% of the NBB stock is freely traded on Euronext Brussels, the other 50% of the shares are owned by the Belgian government. (400.000 shares in total) Governors François-Philippe de Haussy (1850–1869) Eugène Prévinaire (1870–1877) André-Eugène Pirson (1877–1881) Alexandre Jamar (1882–1888) Eugène Anspach (1888–1890) Victor Van Hoegaerden (1891–1905) Théophile de Lantsheere (1905–1918) Leon Van der Rest (1918–1923) Fernand Hautain (1923–1926) Louis Franck (1926–1937) Georges Janssen (1938–1941) Albert Goffin (1941) Georges Theunis (1941–1944) Maurice Frère (1944–1957) Hubert Ansiaux (1957–1971) Robert Vandeputte (1971–1975) Cecil de Strycker (1975–1982) Jean Godeaux (1982–1989) Alfons Verplaetse (1989–1999) Guy Quaden (1999–2011) Luc Coene (2011–2015) (2015–2019) (2019–present) Vice-Governors (List to be expanded) Luc Coene (2003–2011) Mathias Dewatripont (2014–2015) Pierre Wunsch (2015–2019) See also Belgian franc Economy of Belgium Euro Jonathan-Raphaël Bisschoffsheim, founder and first President References External links The Scientific Library of the National Bank of Belgium Economy of Belgium Belgium Belgium Banks of Belgium Companies in the BEL Mid Index 1850 establishments in Belgium Banks