Pierre Moscovici: I hope we reach a deal on Greece in Malta on Friday

Commissioner addressed EP

The European Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs, Pierre Moscovici revealed that a high-level meeting would take place in Brussels, later Monday, with Greece on the agenda. Addressing the European Parliament in Strasbourg on the Greek issue, Mr. Moscovici informed the MEPs that the meeting aimed at bridging the current differences between Greece and its creditors to wrap up talks on the second Greek review and avert a debacle during Friday’s EuroGroup meeting in Malta. The French politician pointed out that the issues stalling a final agreement were the energy, the labour matters and the fiscal package that would permit the IMF to participate in the bailout program. “The program is reaching its end and we must think of what will happen after 2018. The goal is a balanced package”, he told the MEPs. He added that the EC supported collective bargaining and that Greece should uphold best practices like mass layoffs and unions. Meanwhile, the absence of EuroGroup President Jeroen Dijsselbloem, who had been invited to participate in the discussion, caused the outrage of European Parliament President Antonio Tajani, who criticised the head of the EuroGroup for not showing up.