Ministers of Finance to Hold the First Meeting of the Ecofin Council in 2009

Prague, 16th January 2009

On 20 January 2009 Brussels will hold its first meeting of the Economic and Financial Affairs Council (Ecofin) under the auspices of the Czech Presidency.

On the eve of the meeting a regular gathering of ministers of the Eurogroup will take place.

Czech Finance Minister Miroslav Kalousek will open the meeting and present the Ecofin Council programme during the Czech Presidency. This part of the meeting is open to the public and a recording (and live broadcast) will be available at the Council website.

The ministers will then discuss the tasks following from the conclusions of the European Council meeting which took place on 11–12 December 2008 in Brussels. They will mainly focus on the European Economic Recovery Plan.

Another point on the agenda is the strategy for the 2009 economic and budgetary policy with regard to the current economic and financial situation, as well as the implementation of the European Economic Recovery Plan. The results of the discussion will represent an important input for the assessment of the stability and convergence programmes of the EU Member States, as well as for the progress of the Lisbon Strategy. They will also be important background material for the preparation of the document on key economic and financial issues for the Spring European Council.

The Council will then be informed about the introduction of the euro in Slovakia.

The ministers should also consider the report on the state of progress of the Western Balkans Investment Framework, the initiative aimed at creating the necessary infrastructure for harmonisation and coordination of instruments of financial assistance for the region.

Radka Kohutova,
Spokeswoman of the Ministry of Finance