Informal video conference of economic and finance ministers, 16 February 2021

Summary:

EU Ministers responsible for financial and economic matters (ECOFIN) held an informal videoconference on 16 February 2021. The agenda included the following items:

• Update on the economic situation and outlook in the European Union (EU), based on presentations of the Commission's latest economic forecast and of the ECB on matters relating to financial stability;
• Briefing on the European Commission's borrowing operations under SURE;
• Briefing on the state of play concerning the ratification of the Own Resources Decision (ORD);
• Exchange of views on the financing and policy priorities for the recovery of low-income countries in the framework of an EU Global Recovery Initiative;
• Preparation of forthcoming meetings of G20 finance ministers and central bank governors;
• Update on ongoing legislative files in the field of financial services;
• Adoption of conclusions concerning the guidelines for the EU's 2022 annual budget;
• Adoption of Recommendation on discharging the European Commission concerning the implementation of the 2019 annual budget.

Official

General Secretariat of the Council: Background Brief for the informal Economic and Financial Affairs Council, 16 February 2021 https://www.consilium.europa.eu/media/48413/210216_ecofinvtc_background_2.pdf

European Commission: Remarks by Executive Vice-President Dombrovskis at the informal ECOFIN press conference (16 February 2021) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/speech_21_648

---