Memo: Preparation of Eurogroup and Economic and Finance Ministers Council, Brussels, 21 and 22 January 2008 (Amelia Torres, Oliver Drewes

Eurogroup ministers will meet on Monday 21 January. Joaquín Almunia, Commissioner responsible for Economic and Monetary Affairs will attend as will European Central Bank Governor Jean-Claude Trichet. A press conference is expected to take place after the meeting.

Eurogroup ministers will first have a discussion on the working programme for the first six months of 2008. They will then turn to the adoption of the euro in Cyprus and Malta on the 1st of January this year. They will hear presentations by Ministers Michalis Sarris (Cyprus) and Lawrence Gonzi (Malta), who have attended Eurogroup meetings since the euro adoption decision was taken by ECOFIN in July 2007.