In order to gain access to the ECB's euro foreign exchange reference rates (XML format file), your programme or script should indicate the following address: http://www.bank.lv/vk/ecb.xml/
When indicating this address, you will be provided with the actual (current) exchange rates.
In order to obtain any euro foreign exchange reference rate for a past date, the required date shall be indicated as a parameter in the "yyymmdd" format. For example, in order to obtain the euro foreign exchange reference rate for 23 March 2005, the address shall be written as follows: http://www.bank.lv/vk/ecb.xml/?date=20050323
Given that the ECB exchange rate updates are usually made available at midday (normally at 15:15 as a rule) and the information on exchange rates at some definite date and certain time is needed, the parameters shall be made up of the date in "yyymmdd" format and the time in "hhmmss" format. For example, in order to obtain the euro foreign exchange reference rates at the beginning (at 9:00 a.m.) of 23 March 2005, the address shall be written as follows: http://www.bank.lv/vk/ecb.xml/?date=20050323T090000. Provided that the parameters indicate time prior to 15:15, the reference rates of the previous business day are used, while starting with 15:16, the current business day reference rates are quoted.
The ECB's euro foreign exchange reference rates are available starting with 4 January 1999.
To view the structure of the data available, use web browser (entering http://www.bank.lv/vk/ecb.xml/ in the address bar/field) or press here.
The structure of an XML file corresponds to the following XSD scheme