Just in case someone is interested in the Eurogroup plans for the near future. Below is the official announcement after the meeting of July 9th 2012.
Eurogroup Statement on the follow-up of the 29 June Euro Summit
In line with the Euro Summit statement of 26 October 2011, the Eurogroup will prepare the Euro
Summit meetings and ensure their follow-up. In doing so, as is presently the case, it will deliver
on its role to ensure ever closer coordination of economic policies and to promote enhanced
economic and fiscal surveillance as well as financial stability in the euro area.
We reaffirm our strong commitment to do whatever is necessary to ensure the financial stability
of the euro area, in particular through the flexible and efficient use of existing EFSF/ESM
instruments for Member States respecting their Country Specific Recommendations and their
other commitments including their respective timelines, under the European Semester, the
Stability and Growth Pact and the Macroeconomic Imbalances Procedure.
As an immediate follow-up, the ECB and EFSF have today signed a technical agency agreement,
creating the possibility of an efficient conduct of market operations by the EFSF. As soon as the
ESM has been established, a similar agreement will be concluded between the ECB and ESM. In
addition, the Eurogroup has politically endorsed the ESM investment policy guideline. Thus, by
the time of the entry into force of the ESM treaty and the formal approval by the ESM governing
bodies, all ESM instruments will be fully operational so that their effectiveness and efficiency
would be ensured.
The Eurogroup has today reached a political understanding on the draft MoU underlying the
financial assistance for the recapitalisation of financial institutions for Spain, to be provided via
the EFSF until the ESM becomes available and then transferred to the ESM without gaining
seniority status. The Eurogroup envisages providing the final approval of the programme by 20
July, after national procedures have been completed. The Eurogroup supports the recently
adopted Commission recommendation to extend the deadline for the correction of the excessive
deficit in Spain by one year to 2014.
The Commission, in liaison with the ECB, and the IMF are currently conducting its seventh
review of the Irish adjustment programme, in the context of which discussions will be held on
technical solutions to improve the sustainability of the well-performing adjustment programme.
The Eurogroup will consider the issue again at its meeting in September. Similar cases will be
treated equally, taking into account changed circumstances.
The Eurogroup has requested the Troika to work together with the Portuguese authorities during
the fifth review mission that will start on 28 August so as to ensure that the adjustment process
remains on track.
The Eurogroup took note that a fully-fledged programme is expected to be negotiated with the
Cypriot authorities.
The Eurogroup welcomes the Commission’s intention to present proposals in early September,
notably on the basis of article 127(6) TFEU, for a single supervisory mechanism involving the
ECB. We expect the Council to consider these proposals as a matter of urgency by the end of
2012.
In order to break the vicious circle between banks and sovereigns, technical discussions on the
future ESM direct bank recapitalisation instrument
will also start in September so that the ESM
could, following a regular decision, have the possibility to recapitalise banks directly once an
effective single supervisory mechanism is established. (via Europe.eu)
