Dijsselbloem in Polen en Letland om economische situatie eurozone te bespreken (en)

On 30-31 October, the President of the Eurogroup Jeroen Dijsselbloem visited Poland and Latvia where he met the ministers of finance of Poland and Latvia and the heads of state or government of the three Baltic states.

(from right) Jeroen Dijsselbloem with the President of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaitė, the President of Latvia Andris Bērziņš and the President of Estonia Toomas Hendrik Ilves

The aim of the visit was to discuss the economic situation in the euro area, the preparations for the adoption of the euro in Latvia, the creation of the banking union and the steps that needed to be taken to accomplish it.

In Poland, Mr Dijsselbloem held meetings with the Polish Minster of Finance Jan Vincent-Rostowski. In Riga, he met the President of Latvia Andris Bērziņš and the Latvian Minister of Finance Andris Vilks.

On 31 October, Mr Dijsselbloem attended the annual conference of the presidents of the three Baltic states, which was held this year at Bīriņi castle in Latvia, where he met the President of Estonia Toomas Hendrik Ilves and the President of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaitė. Mr Dijsselbloem concluded his visit with a meeting with the Prime Minister of Latvia Valdis Dombrovskis.

At the annual conference of the presidents of the Baltic states Mr. Dijsselbloem stressed the importance of the good cooperation that he had been enjoying with all three countries. Lately, he had had more contacts with Lithuania, owing to the latter's current presidency of the EU.

Mr. Dijsselbloem also expressed his appreciation of Latvia's preparations for the introduction of the euro on 1 January 2014.