Speaking ahead of the meeting, Minister Chambers said:
First of all, I would like to welcome the beginning of the Polish Presidency and wish them every success in advancing the many issues which affect the lives of EU businesses and citizens. In particular, I look forward to hearing from the Polish Presidency on their priorities for the next six months at ECOFIN on Tuesday.
Before that on Monday at the Eurogroup, we will also discuss the priorities and challenges for the euro area as a whole, which will give Ministers a chance to shape the work of the group over the new European policy cycle.
At ECOFIN on Tuesday, we will then resume discussions on an area of vital economic interest for Ireland, namely how we can work together to improve Europe’s competitiveness. We will also discuss the economic and financial outlook for Ukraine, the implementation of the next steps under the EU’s new fiscal rules and the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Facility.
At the Eurogroup, the priorities and challenges for the euro area will be discussed and the Commission will present their Euro Area Recommendations for 2025. Ministers will also be given an opportunity to hear about the latest innovations in wholesale payments and on the state of play on the Digital euro.
ECOFIN starts on Tuesday morning with a formal working breakfast and the usual updates on the economic situation as well as a debrief on the outcome from the Eurogroup the previous day. This month, the breakfast will also feature a discussion on the economic and financial impact of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
During the regular ECOFIN meeting, the Polish Presidency will outline its priorities and work programme in the fields of economic and financial affairs. Following this there will be an exchange of views on ensuring a globally competitive business environment in Europe.
Under the new economic governance framework, Finance Ministers will adopt recommendations on Member States’ medium-term fiscal-structural plans and the Excessive Deficit Procedure (EDP) and then approve amended recovery and resilience plans under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF).
