The Vice President of the European People’s Party (EPP) and Finnish Finance Minister Jyrki Katainen and French Economy Minister Christine Lagarde, chaired this morning the regular meeting of EPP Ministers of Economy and Finance. The EPP meeting prepared today’s scheduled Council meeting and gave impetus to EPP’s commitment for effective responses to the economic and financial crisis in Europe. Today’s EPP meeting focused on Greece’s economic difficulties and reviewed the concept of establishing a ‘European Monetary Fund’ (EMF). Eight EPP EcoFin Ministers plus the Internal Market and Services Commissioner and EPP Vice President Michel Barnier participated in today’s meeting. Greek opposition leader Antonis Samaras also participated as a special guest.

"Today’s EPP meeting was particularly important because two vital issues were on the table: Greece and the EMF concept. On the one hand, Greece’s measures to stabilize its economy have been well-received in Europe and abroad and this political support has staved-off speculators; the information offered by ND leader Antonis Samaras was quite useful for the EPP Ministers and we appreciate his constructive role in overcoming the Greek crisis. On the other hand, the Greek crisis has also put to the forefront the idea of setting-up a ‘European Monetary Fund’. From an EPP point of view, this idea should be seriously considered in the framework of better coordination in the EuroGroup,” Katainen underlined.

The EPP EcoFin Ministers’ meeting is part of a series of EPP Ministerial meetings such as Foreign Affairs, Employment, Industry, Energy, Defence, Justice and Home Affairs, Agriculture and Transport, organised and coordinated by the Party from its Brussels headquarters. The EPP Ministerial meetings underpin the horizontal activity of the Party with all the main EU institutions including the Council. 

For more information:

Kostas Sasmatzoglou, EPP Spokesman, Tel. +32-2-2854147 +32-2-2854147 

Javier Jiménez, EPP Press Officer, Tel: +32-475480446 +32-475480446