4. The ECB shall be consulted:

on any proposed Community act in its fields of competence;  by national authorities regarding any draft legislative provision in its fields of  competence, but within the limits and under the conditions set out by the  Council in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 106( 6 ).

The ECB may submit opinions to the appropriate Community institutions or bodies  or to national authorities on matters in its fields of competence.

5. The ESCB shall contribute to the smooth conduct of policies pursued by the  competent authorities relating to the prudential supervision of credit institutions and  the stability of the financial system.

6. The Council may, acting unanimously on a proposal from the Commission and  after consulting the ECB and after receiving the assent of the European Parliament,  confer upon the ECB specific tasks concerning policies relating to the prudential  supervision of credit institutions and other financial institutions with the exception of  insurance undertakings.

Article l05a

1. The ECB shall have the exclusive right to authorize the issue of banknotes within  the Community. The ECB and the national central banks may issue such notes. The  banknotes issued by the ECB and the national central banks shall be the only such  notes to have the status of legal tender within the Community.

2. Member States may issue coins subject to approval by the ECB of the volume of  the issue. The Council may, acting in accordance with the procedure referred to in  Article 189c and after consulting the ECB, adopt measures to harmonize the  denominations and technical specifications of all coins intended for circulation to the  extent necessary to permit their smooth circulation within the Community.

Article 106

1. The ESCB shall be composed of the ECB and of the national central banks.

2. The ECB shall have legal personality.

3. The ESCB shall be governed by the decision making bodies of the ECB which  shall be the Governing Council and the Executive Board.

4. The Statute of the ESCB is laid down in a Protocol annexed to this Treaty.

5. Articles 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 17, 18, 19.1,22,23,24,26,32.2, 32.3,32.4,32.6,33.1( a )  and 36 of the Statute of the ESCB may be amended by the Council, acting either by a  qualified majority on a recommendation from the ECB and after consulting the  Commission or unanimously on a proposal from the Commission and after consulting  the ECB. In either case, the assent of the European Parliament shall be required.

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