The ECB's 25-member governing council is widely expected to hold interest rates at historic lows and leave its massive bond-purchasing schemes unchanged at the upcoming meeting.

But with a brighter outlook on the eurozone horizon as more people are vaccinated and businesses reopen, observers will be eager for clues on when the ECB might start winding down, or "tapering", its crisis bond buys.

The ECB's 1.85 trillion euros (US$2.2 trillion) pandemic emergency bond-purchasing program (PEPP), its main weapon in the fight against the virus fallout, is set to run until March 2022.

ECB president Christine Lagarde's Thursday press conference will likely be a tightrope walk between striking an upbeat tone about the region's recovery while stressing the need for ongoing support, observers said.

Lagarde will try to avoid "the T-word", according to ING bank economist Carsten Brzeski.

"Even if economic developments would in our view clearly justify at least having a first tapering discussion, the sheer mention of such a discussion could push up bond yields further and consequently undermine the economic recovery," he said.

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