The Ministry plays a major role in European financial policy. It formulates and coordinates Germany’s positions on matters involving the budget and finances of the EU.
The Eurogroup and ECOFIN Council meet in Luxembourg on 17–18 June. The EU ministers for economic and financial affairs discuss issues such as the economic recovery after the corona pandemic, shaping the transformation to a carbon-neutral economy, as well as a global minimum tax and the banking union.
The Eurogroup and ECOFIN Council convene in Lisbon on 21–22 May. This will be the first in-person meeting of EU ministers for economic and financial affairs in quite some time. Two issues vital for Europe’s future are high on the agenda: the economic recovery and shaping the transformation to a carbon-neutral economy and society.
Approximately 337 million people in 19 EU countries use the euro as legal tender. The single currency is the most far-reaching outcome of European integration to date and benefits citizens, companies and EU member states.
The single market of the European Union is the world’s strongest economic area. Not only are EU citizens free to travel, live, study, work and shop in any member state, they can also do business and invest anywhere they like in the European Union.
The banking union is creating a common market for banking services. The banking union protects taxpayers by means of a single European banking supervision system and – in the event of a crisis – a single bank resolution mechanism.
For more than 50 years, the European customs union’s standardised system for the trade in goods has been ensuring that goods can circulate freely within the EU.
The capital markets union will strengthen the European economy and promote capital market financing to complement bank-based loans. It is intended to deepen and expand the EU’s single market with regard to capital and financial services
