Meeting – Eurogroup, 16 February 2015 / Eurozone talks on Greek debt end without deal

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Series Details 16.02.15
Publication Date 16/02/2015
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The Eurogroup continued the discussion on the 16 February 2015 on the situation in Greece, in the context of the imminent expiry of Greece's current economic adjustment programme at the end of February 2015.

News sources after the meeting reported that the talks between Greece and its eurozone partners on how to manage Greek debt broke down after Athens rejected a eurozone demand to extend its bailout.

'The best way forward is the extension of the current programme', said Jeroen Dijsselbloem, Eurogroup President at the press conference following the meeting. He went on to highlight that there was a degree of flexibility within the programme, which could be negotiated between Greece and the institutions.

These negotiations could start when the Greek authorities submitted a request for an extension of the programme accompanied by a clear set of commitments outlined by the ministers during the meeting.

Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis expressed confidence that a deal on different terms was possible within the next few days.

News sources reported on the 18 February 2015 that Greece would submit a request to the eurozone on the 19 February 2015 to extend a 'loan agreement' ('technical extension to the existing Master Financial Assistance Facility Agreement') for up to six months.

Separately, news sources also reported on the 18 February 2015 that the European Central Bank had reportedly agreed to raise the emergency funding available to Greek banks to €68.3bn. The €3.3bn increase in the so-called Emergency Liquidity Assistance (ELA) was critical for Greece's banks.

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Also discussed at the Eurogroup meeting on the 16 February 2015, Eurozone finance ministers was the economic situation in the euro area and the European Commission's winter forecast, which was published on 5 February 2015.

They also discussed Portugal's plans for early repayment of a part of the financial assistance received from the International Monetary Fund.

There was also a discussion on the state of play regarding the ongoing economic adjustment programme in Cyprus.

The Eurogroup was briefed on the results of the informal EU summit held on 12 February 2015, in particular regarding the discussion on the Economic and Monetary Union.

Source Link http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/meetings/eurogroup/2015/02/16/
Related Links
ESO: Background information: Meeting - Eurogroup, 11 February 2015 [The situation in Greece] http://www.europeansources.info/record/meeting-eurogroup-11-february-2015/
ESO: Background information: Informal European Council, Brussels, 12 February 2015 http://www.europeansources.info/record/informal-european-council-brussels-12-february-2015/
ESO: Background information: Preparing for Next Steps on Better Economic Governance in the Euro Area. Analytical Note http://www.europeansources.info/record/preparing-for-next-steps-on-better-economic-governance-in-the-euro-area-analytical-note/
BBC News, 16.02.15: Greece rejects EU bailout offer as 'absurd' / Greece will do 'whatever it takes' to reach a new deal http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-31485073
Deutsche Welle, 16.02.15: Eurozone talks on Greek debt end without deal http://dw.de/p/1Ecdf
EurActiv, 17.02.15: Greece rejects bailout and seeks credit http://www.euractiv.com/sections/euro-finance/greece-rejects-bailout-and-seeks-credit-312163
EUObserver, 16.02.15: Greece continues to refuse bailout extension https://euobserver.com/economic/127665
Kathimerini, 16.02.15: Eurogroup gives Greece only few days to sign extension http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_16/02/2015_547333
Kathimerini, 17.02.15: Juncker push for Greek compromise thwarted by finance chiefs http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_17/02/2015_547341
Deutsche Welle, 17.02.15: Opinion: Greece's kamikaze strategy http://dw.de/p/1Ecgl
Blog: Open Europe, 16.02.15: Eurogroup negotiations over Greece descend into farce http://openeurope.org.uk/blog/eurogroup-negotiations-greece-descend-farce/
The Guardian, 16.02.15: Greece bailout talks break down after Athens rejects 'unacceptable' eurozone demands http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/feb/16/greece-fails-rescue-package-eurozone-finance-ministers
European Commission: DG Communication: RAPID: SPEECH/15/4438, 16.02.15: Commissioner Moscovici's remarks at Eurogroup Press Conference http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_SPEECH-15-4438_en.htm
Eurogroup: Statements and remarks, 16.02.15: Remarks by Jeroen Dijsselbloem at the press conference following the Eurogroup meeting of 16 February 2015 http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2015/02/150216-eurogroup-remarks/
Spiegel Online, 16.02.15: Grexit not a harmless scenario at all (via Euro|Topics) http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/aehnliche/archiv_article/ARTICLE158441-Grexit-not-a-harmless-scenario-at-all
Spiegel Online International, 16.02.15: Greek Finance Minister Varoufakis: 'Austerity Has Done Nothing to Solve Greece's Problems' http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/interview-with-greek-finance-minister-giannis-varoufakis-a-1018443.html
BBC News, 17.02.15: Greece is set to request a loan extension, reports say http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-31499815
Kathimerini, 17.02.15: Greece set to ask for extension to loan agreement, sources say http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_17/02/2015_547374
Euro|Topics: Main Focus, 18.02.15: Athens seeks new loan extension http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/archiv_dossier/DOSSIER158598-Athens-seeks-new-loan-extension
Kathimerini, 18.02.15: Greece to submit loan request to eurozone, Germany skeptical http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_18/02/2015_547402
EurActiv, 18.02.15: War of words rages between Athens and Berlin http://www.euractiv.com/sections/euro-finance/war-words-rages-between-athens-and-berlin-312216
Social Europe Journal, 17.02.15: What A Grexit Would Really Mean For The Eurozone http://www.socialeurope.eu/2015/02/grexit-really-mean-eurozone/
Kathimerini, 18.02.15: Greece prepares extension request for eurozone approval http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_18/02/2015_547433
Kathimerini, 18.02.15: ECB raises ELA funding ceiling by just 3.3 bln euros http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite2_1_18/02/2015_547431
EurActiv, 19.02.15: Greece, Eurozone seen reaching last-minute deal http://www.euractiv.com/sections/euro-finance/greece-eurozone-seen-reaching-last-minute-deal-312252
BBC News, 19.02.15: ECB offers Greek banks extra €3.3bn emergency cash http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-31517363
The Conversation, 19.02.15: Greece’s path out of the euro http://theconversation.com/greeces-path-out-of-the-euro-37772

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