Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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165. To ask the Minister for Finance the discussions he has had with his ECOFIN colleagues regarding eurozone governance structures proposed by President Emmanuel Macron of France; if the matter will be discussed at the next ECOFIN meeting on 16 September 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38040/17]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The proposals on future Eurozone governance structures as outlined by the French President are part of a wider debate that is taking place on the Future of Europe.

On 1 March 2017, the European Commission published a White Paper on the Future of Europe. As part of this White paper, the European Commission published five reflection papers on topics such as Globalisation, Future of EU Finances, the Social Dimension of the EU and the future of EU defence. One of these Reflection papers entitled, “The Reflection Paper on the Deepening of Economic and Monetary Union (EMU)” was published on 31 May 2017 and contains a number of potential ideas for the future direction of the Economic and Monetary Union.

These potential ideas will be discussed at the Informal ECOFIN meeting taking place on 15-16 September in Tallinn which I will be attending.