Keravnos attends EU finance meetings in Dublin

Dublin, Ireland. Cypriot Finance Minister Makis Keravnos travelled to Dublin on Thursday to attend the Eurogroup and informal meeting of EU finance ministers, where economic pressures, banking competitiveness, financial innovation and artificial intelligence are due to be discussed.

The meetings are taking place on September 18 and 19 as part of Ireland’s presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Eurogroup agenda

The Eurogroup meeting on Friday will include an exchange of views on recent economic developments and economic policy priorities, with the participation of the chair of the European Parliament’s Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee.

Ministers will also discuss measures to improve productivity and competitiveness in the euro area, based on a presentation by OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann.

Banking and financial innovation

The informal meeting of EU economy and finance ministers will examine the competitiveness of the European banking sector, based on a recent European Commission report.

The discussion will address the current state of the banking sector and policy priorities ahead of an expected package of legislative measures from the European Commission.

Finance ministers and central bank governors will then discuss the future of financial innovation in Europe, based on a discussion paper prepared by the Irish presidency.

The session will include presentations by Patrick Collison, chief executive of Irish financial infrastructure company Stripe, and Pablo Hernández de Cos, general manager of the Bank for International Settlements.

Artificial intelligence

The programme will continue on Saturday with a session on the impact of artificial intelligence on European economies, based on a presentation by International Monetary Fund managing director Kristalina Georgieva.

Ministers will examine AI’s effects on the labour market, the public sector, energy and the geopolitical environment.