Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
The meetings of the European Economic and Financial Council (Ecofin) will begin this afternoon in Brussels and will last for two days. The meetings will be limited on the first day to the finance ministers of the member states of the single European currency area, and will expand the following day to include the rest of the ministers of the single European bloc.
On the first day, the Eurogroup will assess the macroeconomic developments and prospects in the Eurozone, based on the presentations made by the European Commission and the European Central Bank.
According to what was published by the federal institutions in Brussels, the ministers will exchange views on the coordination of financial policy in the Eurozone, and evaluate previous experiences in formulating and implementing financial plans.
Based on the issues note issued by the Eurogroup Secretariat, they will also discuss emerging budget challenges and their potential impact on the financial position of the Eurozone.
The new Austrian Finance Minister, Markus Marterbauer, will also be invited to present the policy priorities of his government.
In a comprehensive format
The President of the Eurogroup, Pascal Donohoe, will brief the ministers on the meeting of the G7 finance ministers and central bank governors in Cape Town.
In addition, the Ministers will discuss developments in crypto-asset activities and markets and their implications for the euro area and the European economy.

They will assess the current state of crypto-asset activities and how these markets have evolved, and discuss the opportunities and challenges they present.

President Donohoe will present the main elements of the message he will deliver in his personal capacity to the President of the Euro Summit, António Costa, focusing on the implementation of the Eurogroup Statement on the Future of the Capital Markets Union since its adoption in March 2024 and plans for the coming months.