Det er ECB og medlemsstaternes centralbanker, i det følgende be nævnt »de nationale centralbanker«, forbudt at give fællesskabsinstitutioner eller -organer, centralregeringer, regionale, lokale eller andre offentlige myndigheder, andre organer inden for den offentlige sektor eller offentlige foretagender i medlemsstaterne mulighed for at foretage over træk eller at yde dem andre former for kreditfaciliteter, og det samme gælder ECB's og de nationale centralbankers køb af gældsinstrumenter direkte fra disse.
Overdraft facilities or any other type of credit facility with the ECB or with the central banks of the Member States (hereinafter referred to as 'national central banks') in favour of Community institutions or bodies, central governments, regional, local or other public authorities, other bodies governed by public law, or public undertakings of Member States shall be prohibited, as shall the purchase directly from them by the ECB or national central banks of debt instruments.