diff --git a/matlab/@dates/char.m b/matlab/@dates/char.m
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..bdde032dc39e4353ee21c3e48c99bbdc07fcafe9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/matlab/@dates/char.m
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+function s = char(dd)
+
+% Given a one element dates object, returns a string with the formatted date.
+%
+% INPUTS 
+%   o dd   dates object with one element
+%
+% OUTPUTS
+%   o s    a string
+%
+% SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
+%   none
+
+% Copyright (C) 2014 Dynare Team
+%
+% This file is part of Dynare.
+%
+% Dynare is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+% it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+% the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+% (at your option) any later version.
+%
+% Dynare is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+% but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+% MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+% GNU General Public License for more details.
+%
+% You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+% along with Dynare.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+if length(dd)>1
+    error('The input argument must be a singleton dates object!')
+end
+
+s = date2string(dd.time, dd.freq);
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/matlab/@dates/subsref.m b/matlab/@dates/subsref.m
index 293ce41c686585a21c886ebe4c092d8e1b821e91..0cd0cd4014cc69be9c6a2d3d160ae21f24ae23f8 100644
--- a/matlab/@dates/subsref.m
+++ b/matlab/@dates/subsref.m
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ switch S(1).type
             error(['dates::subsref: ' S(1).subs ' is not a method but a member!'])
         end
         B = builtin('subsref', A, S(1));
-      case {'sort','unique','double','isempty','length'}% Public methods (without input arguments)
+      case {'sort','unique','double','isempty','length','char'}% Public methods (without input arguments)
         B = feval(S(1).subs,A);
         if length(S)>1 && isequal(S(2).type,'()') && isempty(S(2).subs)
            S = shiftS(S,1);