Brussels, 01/12/2005 (Agence Europe) - Having broadly prepared everyone for this change, the European Central Bank (ECB) decided to tighten up its monetary policy on 1 December, thus putting an end to two and a half years of interest rate stability in the euro zone. The Council of Governors increased its reference rates by a quarter of a percentage point, the minimum submission rate applicable to principal refunding operations will rise to 2.25%, that of the marginal loan facility to 3.25%...