Greece's Ministry of National Economy and Finance previews Eurogroup and ECOFIN agenda including selection of a new ECB vice-president

Greece's Ministry of National Economy and Finance published a briefing on Eurogroup President and Minister of National Economy and Finance Kyriakos Pierrakakis’ meetings in Brussels for the first Eurogroup and ECOFIN sessions of 2026, with discussion set to focus on euro area enlargement following Bulgaria’s accession and the selection of a new European Central Bank Vice-President. The Deputy Minister of Finance, Thanos Petralias, will represent Greece at Eurogroup meetings going forward. The Eurogroup agenda centres on choosing a new ECB Vice-President as Luis de Guindos’ term expires at the end of May, alongside a ministerial welcome for Bulgaria’s first official participation and a discussion on euro area priorities for 2026. ECOFIN, meeting on 20 January, will be briefed by the Cyprus Presidency on financial services initiatives linked to the Savings and Investments Union, Capital Markets Union and the EU Banking Union, as well as EU budget items covering implementation of the 2024 budget and guidelines for the 2027 budget, and tax initiatives on simplification and revising tobacco taxation. Ministers are also expected to adopt conclusions on the Alert Mechanism Report, starting the European Semester Macroeconomic Imbalances Procedure, and exchange views on the economic and financial impact of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, against the backdrop of an agreed EUR 90 billion EU budget-guaranteed loan to Ukraine for 2026–2027.