For these purposes it shall co-operate with the Community institutions or bodies and with the competent authorities of the Member States or third countries and with international organizations. 5.2. The national central banks shall carry out, to the extent possible, the tasks described in Article 5.1. 5.3. The ECB shall contribute to the harmonization, where necessary, of the rules and practices governing the collection, compilation and distribution of statistics in the areas within its fields of competence. 5.4. The Council, in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 42, shall define the natural and legal persons subject to reporting requirements, the confidentiality regime and the appropriate provisions for enforcement. ARTICLE 6 International co-operation 6.1. In the field of international co-operation involving the tasks entrusted to the ESCB, the ECB shall decide how the ESCB shall be represented. 6.2. The ECB and, subject to its approval, the national central banks may participate in international monetary institutions. 6.3. Articles 6.1 and 6.2 shall be without prejudice to Article 109(4) of this Treaty. CHAPTER III ORGANIZATION OF THE ESCB ARTICLE 7 Independence In accordance with Article 107 of this Treaty, when exercising the powers and carrying out the tasks and duties conferred upon them by this Treaty and this Statute, neither the ECB, nor a national central bank, nor any member of their decision-making bodies shall seek or take instructions from Community institutions or bodies, from any government of a Member State or from any other body. The Community institutions and bodies and the governments of the Member States undertake to respect this principle and not to seek to influence the members of the decision-making bodies of the ECB or of the national central banks in the performance of their tasks. ARTICLE 8 General principle The ESCB shall be governed by the decision-making bodies of the ECB. ARTICLE 9 The European Central Bank 9.1. The ECB which, in accordance with Article 106(2) of this Treaty, shall have legal personality, shall enjoy in each of the Member States the most extensive legal capacity accorded to legal persons under its law; it may, in particular, acquire or dispose of movable and immovable property and may be a party to legal proceedings. 9.2. The ECB shall ensure that the tasks conferred upon the ESCB under Article 105(2), (3) and (5) of this Treaty are implemented either by its own activities pursuant to this Statute or through the national central bank pursuant to Articles 12.1 and 14. 9.3 In accordance with Article 106(3) of this Treaty, the decision- making bodies of the ECB shall be the Governing Council and the Executive Board. ARTICLE 10 The Governing Council 10.1. In accordance with Article 109a(1) of this Treaty, the Governing Council shall comprise the members of the Executive Board of the ECB and the Governors of the national central banks. 10.2.