difficulties are caused by natural disasters, the Council shall act by
qualified majority. The President of the Council shall inform the
European Parliament of the decision taken.
ARTICLE 104
1. Overdraft facilities or any other type of credit facility with the ECB or
with the central banks of the Member States (hereinafter referred to as
"national central banks") in favour of Community institutions or bodies,
central governments, regional, local or other public authorities, other
bodies governed by public law, or public undertakings of Member
States shall be prohibited, as shall the purchase directly from them by
the ECB or national central banks of debt instruments.
2. Paragraph 1 shall not apply to publicly-owned credit institutions
which, in the context of the supply of reserves by central banks, shall
be given the same treatment by national central banks and the ECB as
private credit institutions.
ARTICLE 104a
1. Any measure, not based on prudential considerations, establishing
privileged access by Community institutions or bodies, central
governments, regional, local or other public authorities, other bodies
governed by public law, or public undertakings of Member States to
financial institutions shall be prohibited.
2. The Council, acting in accordance with the procedure referred to in
Article 189c, shall, before 1 January 1994, specify definitions for the
application of the prohibition referred to in paragraph 1.
ARTICLE 104b
1. The Community shall not be liable for or assume the commitments
of central governments, regional, local or other public authorities,
other bodies governed by public law, or public undertakings of any
Member State, without prejudice to mutual financial guarantees for the
joint execution of a specific project. A Member State shall not be liable