If, on the basis of a reasoned estimate prepared by the Executive Board, and in respect of the amount due for the fourth quarter, the Governing Council expects that the ECB will have an overall annual loss or will make an annual net profit that is less than the estimated amount of its income on euro banknotes in circulation, the Governing Council shall decide before the end of the financial year not to distribute part or all of the ECB's income on euro banknotes in circulation in accordance with Article 2 to the extent necessary to ensure that the amount of the distributed income does not exceed the ECB's net profit for that year.
Če Svet ECB na podlagi utemeljene ocene, ki jo pripravi Izvršilni odbor, in z upoštevanjem zapadlega zneska za četrto četrtletje, pričakuje, da bo ECB imela skupno letno izgubo ali čisti letni dobiček, ki je manjši od ocenjenega zneska njenega prihodka iz naslova evro bankovcev v obtoku, potem mora Svet ECB pred koncem poslovnega leta skleniti, da ne razdeli dela ali celotnega prihodka ECB iz naslova evro bankovcev v obtoku skladno s členom 2, v višini, ki zagotavlja, da znesek razdeljenega prihodka ne presega čistega dobička ECB za tisto leto.