Il-Ministru għall-Finanzi pparteċipa f’laqgħa tal-EUROGROUP biex jintlaħaq ftiehim tal-Unjoni Ewropea li jindirizza l-isfida ekonomika u finanzjarja li ħalliet il-COVID-19
STQARRIJA MILL-MINISTERU GĦALL-FINANZI U S-SERVIZZI FINANZJARJI
Il-Ministru għall-Finanzi u s-Servizzi Finanzjarji Edward Scicluna, flimkien mal-Ministri tal-Finanzi tal-Unjoni Ewropea, ipparteċipa f’vidjokonferenza fil-15 ta’ Mejju 2020, sabiex ikompli jiġi diskuss x’għandu jkun ir-rispons ekonomiku għall-kriżi li qed tħalli warajha l-COVID-19.
Il-ministri ddiskutew punti pendenti fir-rigward tal-Fond Ewropew tal-Garanziji li se jvara l-Bank Ewropew tal-Investiment (EIB) u qasmu ħsiebijiethom dwar il-prijoritajiet għall-pjan ta’ rkupru ekonomiku tal-Unjoni Ewropea. Il-Kummissjoni Ewropea għarrfet ukoll lill-ministri dwar it-tieni emenda adottata fit-8 ta’ Mejju 2020 li testendi l-ambitu tal-Qafas Temporanju tal-Għajnuna Statali.
Il-Ministru Scicluna qal li, “l-istati membri implimentaw numru ta’ miżuri sabiex jitnaqqas l-effett tal-pandemija. Minkejja dawn id-diffikultajiet, l-istati membri bagħtu il-Programmi ta’ Riforma Nazzjonali u l-Programmi tal-Istabilità/Konverġenza, iżda minħabba l-mod kif is-sitwazzjoni qed tevolvi, jeħtieġ li naġġornaw il-pjanijiet u nintroduċu baġit ta’ rkupru.” Il-Ministru Scicluna enfasizza wkoll il-ħtieġa li jkun identifikat fejn għandhom ikunu ffukati l-isforzi u l-ħtieġa li tingħata spinta lill-kunfidenza u aktar koordinazzjoni fuq livell Ewropew.
Matul il-laqgħa, il-ministri tal-finanzi esprimew il-fehmiet tagħhom ukoll dwar il-prospetti ekonomiċi taż-Żona Ewro flimkien mal-President tal-Kumitat għall-affarijiet Ekonomiċi u Monetarji tal-Parlament Ewropew (ECON), Irene Tinagli.
EUROGROUP meeting to continue progressing to an agreed EU-wide response to the economic and financial Covid-19 challenge
Finance Minister participates in the EUROGROUP meeting to continue progressing to an agreed EU-wide response to the economic and financial Covid-19 challenge
PRESS RELEASE BY THE MINISTRY FOR FINANCE
AND FINANCIAL SERVICES
Minister for Finance and Financial Services Edward Scicluna, together with the Finance Ministers of the European Union, participated in a video conference on the 15th of May 2020 to continue discussing the economic response to the Covid-19 crisis.
Finance Ministers debated outstanding elements regarding the European Investment Bank’s pan-European Guarantee Fund, and shared views on the priorities for the EU’s economic recovery plan. The European Commission also briefed ministers on the second amendment adopted on the 8th of May 2020 to extend the scope of the state aid temporary framework.
Minister Scicluna said, “Member states have implemented a number of measures in order to lessen the effect of the pandemic. Despite these difficulties, member states have sent the National Reform Programmes and Stability/Convergence Programmes, but given the way the situation is evolving, we already need to update those plans and introduce a recovery budget.” The Minister also underlined the need to identify where the efforts should be focused on, as well as the need to boost confidence and coordination at the EU level.
During the meeting, Finance Ministers also held an exchange of views on the economic outlook of the euro area with the Chair of the European Parliament’s Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee (ECON) Irene Tinagli.
Sunday 17th May 2020