Bernard J. Durkan
Question:57 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Finance the measures, if any, he will take at EU level to promote EMU; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19668/97]
Written Answers. - Economic and Monetary Union.
I avail of any opportunity that presents itself at EU level to promote economic and monetary union, the most significant of which is, of course, the ECOFIN Council of Ministers. I am, with my colleagues on the ECOFIN Council, engaged in making appropriate preparations for the third stage of economic and monetary union on a range of issues. Currently, these include, in particular, a number of areas which the European Council in Amsterdam requested the Council to examine, namely, how to improve the process of economic co-ordination in stage three of EMU consistent with the principles and practices of the Treaty and effective ways of implementing all provisions of Article 109 of the Treaty, which relates to external aspects of the euro.