Brussels, 23/07/2008 (Agence Europe) - French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde and European Internal Market Commissioner Charlie McCreevy have welcomed the decision by the European Central Bank (ECB) to officially launch the Target2-Securities (T2S) project which seeks to set up a single technological platform for securities settlement in the euro area (see EUROPE 9673 and 9504). “T2S is of major economic significance and has the potential to make a very significant strategic and economic contribution to strengthening and integrating European securities markets and to economic growth for the benefit of European citizens. … We will continue to work closely with the ECB and market participants to ensure that T2S continues to contribute to the development of a more efficient and integrated post-trading environment in the EU,” they said in a joint press release. Target2-Securities services are available to Central Securities Depositories. (M.B./transl.rt)