Brussels, 05/03/2002 (Agence Europe) - On the fringe of the Ecofin Council on Tuesday, only Belgium and Greece officially designated a candidate for the post of Christian Noyer on the Executive Board of the European Central Bank (ECB) - but not necessarily to take over from Mr Noyer as vice-president of the ECB, a post that will be available from 1 June this year. The Greek candidate is the governor of the central bank of Greece, Lucas Papademos. Belgium proposes Paul de Grauwe (Flemish Liberal), Academician, who is chair of the finance commission of the Belgian Senate. The other Member States interested, namely Italy, Luxembourg and Ireland, have reservation about the possibility of proposing a candidate. The subject of Mr Noyer's succession should be discussed during the European Council in Barcelona, but there is reason to believe that the choice of candidate is to be finalised during he informal meeting of the Ecofin Council in Oviedo (12 and 13 April). A hearing of the candidate before the European Parliament could thus take place end April. Belgian Minister for the Economy and Finance Didier Reynders remarked that the ECB should not be left in the hands of central bankers and that it should look "outwards" more.