Informal Finance Ministers’ Meeting
7 - 8 April 2017
Grand Master’s Palace, Valletta
MEDIA BACKGROUND NOTE
Informal Finance Ministers’ Meeting
7 - 8 April 2017
Grand Master’s Palace, Valletta
MEDIA BACKGROUND NOTE
Friday 7 April
9:00 – 12:00 Eurogroup (no media)
12:00 – 12:30 Eurogroup Press Conference (delivered by President of Eurogroup Jeroen Dijsselbloem
and Commissioner Moscovici)
12:30 – 14:00
Working Lunch – Ministers at Casino Maltese
Debriefing on Eurogroup meeting
Discussion on the Future of the Europe
Background
Ministers will be debriefed on the proceedings of the Eurogroup which will be held earlier. Afterwards,
Ministers are invited to discuss the challenges and opportunities faced by the Economic and Monetary
Union (EMU), on the basis of the progress made with respect to the Five Presidents’ Report, and the
Commission’s White Paper on the Future of Europe. Ministers will be able to provide their views and
political direction ahead of the reflection paper on the deepening of the EMU which is expected to be
published at the end of May. The discussion will be based on a Presidency Issues Note.
Proceedings
Working Lunch
15:00 – 16:30
Working Session I, Grand Master’s Palace – Non-Performing Loans
Background
Ministers and Central Bank Governors are invited to exchange views on the current situation of nonperforming loans in European banks. The high levels of non-performing loans in a number of Member
States underlines the importance of policy responses. The link between NPL resolution and insolvency
regimes will also be highlighted. The discussion will be framed by a Presidency Issues note and the
participation of the Chairperson of the NPL working group, Mr. Corso Bavagnoli.
[email protected]
Presidency Unit, The Grand Master’s Palace, Republic Street, Valletta VLT 1115,
Malta
2017 Maltese Presidency of the Council of the EU
+356 2540 2700
Page 2
Proceedings
Plenary
Participants
For this session, the Central Bank Governors will be invited to join the Council of Ministers.
Saturday 8 April
9:00 – 10:45
Working Session II, Grand Master’s Palace
Boosting private investment in North Africa and beyond – What role for the EU
Institutions
Background
Ministers are invited to discuss ways to encourage further private investment in North Africa
and beyond, given the importance of these neighbouring regions to the EU. The discussion will
be based on a Presidency Issues note prepared by Bruegel. The discussion includes the
participation of a number of actors in the region including the EIB, the World Bank and the
EBRD.
Proceedings
Plenary
11:00 – 12:45
Working Session III, Grand Master’s Palace
Tax Certainty in a Changing Environment
Background
Ministers are invited to reflect on the way that the international tax system has experienced
rapid changes in the past decade or so, aimed at creating a more robust environment for global
growth. The EU has played a pivotal part in shaping the global tax system we have today and
continues to do so.
[email protected]
Presidency Unit, The Grand Master’s Palace, Republic Street, Valletta VLT 1115,
Malta
2017 Maltese Presidency of the Council of the EU
+356 2540 2700
Page 3
Proceedings
Plenary
Press/Media Contacts
Malta (Primary contact during the informal Council)
Mr. Bernard A. Busuttil: +356 2599 8228; [email protected]
Brussels
Ms. Wendy Borg: +32 (0)470 993 811; [email protected]
Mr. Anis Cassar: +32 (0)497 647 311; [email protected]
[email protected]
Presidency Unit, The Grand Master’s Palace, Republic Street, Valletta VLT 1115,
Malta
2017 Maltese Presidency of the Council of the EU
+356 2540 2700
Page 4