France and Germany agree on ‘full time’ eurozone boss

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President François Hollande agreed on 30 May 2013 during a meeting in Paris to jointly push for the eurozone to have a full-time President for the Eurogroup of finance ministers, currently headed by Dutch finance minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem.

Merkel was supportive of the idea. "We need more economic policy coordination, especially in the Eurogroup," she said.

However, France and Germany also decided to delay plans for deepening the economic and monetary union until after 2014 European elections.

• Primary Source

EUObserver, 31.05.13: Merkel and Hollande call for full-time euro President http://euobserver.com/institutional/120328

ESO: Background Information: Hollande, Merkel bid to bridge divide over eurozone’s future http://www.europeansources.info/record/hollande-merkel-bid-to-bridge-divide-over-eurozones-future/

ESO: Key source: The Eurogroup http://www.europeansources.info/record/the-eurogroup/

ESO: Background information: Dutch minister leads eurogroup race http://www.europeansources.info/record/dutch-minister-leads-eurogroup-race/

France 24, 31.05.13: France and Germany agree on 'full-time' Eurogroup chief http://www.france24.com/en/20130530-france-germany-agree-full-time-eurogroup-chief-eurozone

EurActiv, 31.05.13: France, Germany kick plans for deeper union into the long grass http://www.euractiv.com/euro-finance/france-germany-kick-plans-deeper-news-528187

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