France and Spain want the leaders of the Eurogroup to meet ahead of Thursday's European Union summit to discuss economic governance issues linked to the Greek crisis, president Nicolas Sarkozy said today.
"We agree to request a meeting of the heads of state and of the Eurogroup just before the European Council to talk about economic governance in Europe and in the euro zone," Mr Sarkozy said, alongside Spanish prime minister Jose Luis Zapatero.
France has long pushed for a form of economic government to better coordinate policy within the euro zone, but faced resistance from Germany, which fears such a forum could be used to exert pressure on the European Central Bank (ECB).
EU leaders are struggling to reach an agreement on how to support struggling Greece, whose debt load is seen hitting 120 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) this year.
Mr Zapatero said European leaders should use the meeting to help Greece.
"Europe and the Eurogroup must help Greece make progress," he said.
Speaking in Brussels, the spokesman for the head of the Eurogroup said that Jean-Claude Juncker would welcome a meeting to discuss Greece's fiscal woes ahead of the EU summit.
"It's the first time that I hear about such a meeting. Mr Juncker is part of those member states that favours that (meeting) but thinks it should not be institutionalised," spokesman Guy Schuller said.
Reuters