03/12/2008 (Agence Europe) -The European Central Bank (ECB) decided on Monday 1 December to launch a number of new calls for tender for the selection of a principal contractor for the construction of its new premises (on the current site of the Grossmarkthalle in Frankfurt am Main). In June of this year, the ECB decided to close the international call for tenders launched in 2007, as the responses it received were all far higher than the budget laid down for the construction of its future headquarters. The sum initially earmarked for the construction of the buildings (around 500 million euros on the basis of 2005 prices) remains valid in any case, the ECB States in a press release. The Board of Governors will take stock of the call for tenders process towards the end of 2009 and will decide whether to continue with the project. If plans are approved, the work will continue in 2010 with a date for the finalisation of the project set for 2014. (A.B./trans.fl)