Economic reforms top EPP meeting in Helsinki

European centre-right leaders meet in Finland’s capital.

The first in a series of meetings aimed at finalising reforms to economic governance in the eurozone will come tomorrow (Friday) when centre-right leaders from the EU’s member states meet in Helsinki.

Heads of state and government including Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, François Fillon, France’s prime minister, and Silvio Berlusconi, Italy’s prime minister, are expected to attend the summit of the European People’s Party (EPP).

In addition to the leaders of the member states, José Manuel Barroso, the president of the European Commission, and Herman Van Rompuy, the president of the European Council, will attend. The competitiveness pact which they drafted is at the top of the agenda.

Enda Kenny, the leader of Ireland’s Fine Gael party, who is expected to become the country’s prime minister after victory in last week’s general election, is also to attend the meeting. He will hope to raise the possibility of changing the conditions attached to Ireland’s loans from its eurozone partners and the International Monetary Fund. A spokesman for Merkel, who is against any move to alter the conditions, said that the chancellor did not plan to meet Kenny individually.

The Finnish government is particularly keen to reach agreement on eurozone reforms before parliamentary elections on 17 April.

Leaders are also expected to talk about developments in the Middle East and north Africa.

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