Eurogroup News

Eurogroup chief Jeroen Dijsselbloem has dismissed as "intellectually impossible" the notion that Britain could retain unfettered access to the European single market while also cutting down on EU immigration.

Greek lawmakers on Sunday adopted fresh cuts and tax hikes ahead of Tuesday`s Eurogroup meeting expected to unlock much-needed bailout funds for the debt-ridden country.

Eurogroup chief Jeroen Dijsselbloem on Thursday said Greece had "fully accepted" that the International Monetary Fund take a role in its third bailout programme despite Athens earlier saying the fund is no longer needed.

Eurozone ministers approved the launch of Greece bailout talks and the ECB boosted its cash lifeline to the crisis-hit country Thursday after lawmakers in Athens grudgingly passed a tough reform package demanded by creditors.

German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble has not raised the possibility of Greece exiting the euro zone at crisis talks in in Brussels discussing aid for Athens, Greek government officials said on Saturday.

Eurozone finance chiefs warned that last-ditch talks Saturday on a bailout deal to stop Greece crashing out of the euro would be "extremely difficult", blaming a collapse of trust in the government in Athens.

Talks between eurozone finance ministers on Greece`s last-ditch bailout request will be "quite difficult" given the crucial need to rebuild trust with Athens, Eurogroup chief Jeroen Dijsselbloem said Saturday.

"We have to make a major decision. Whichever way," Dijsselbloem, who is also the Dutch finance minister, told reporters ahead of a cabinet meeting in The Hague.

An emergency Eurogroup meeting in Brussels on the Greek debt deal ended inconclusive on Tuesday, with lenders saying that they expected to discuss Greece`s proposals on Wednesday during a Eurogroup teleconference.

"The Eurogroup will discuss the situation following the referendum in Greece that was held on 5 July 2015. Ministers expect new proposals from the Greek authorities," said.

Greece`s `No` vote in its bailout referendum is "very regrettable" and the economy faces tough measures to recover, the head of the Eurogroup of eurozone finance ministers, Jeroen Dijsselbloem, said Sunday.

"No one can ignore the will of the people to live, to live with determination, to take its destiny into its own hands," Tsipras, appearing relaxed and wearing an open-necked white shirt, said after casting his ballot in Athens.

The rest of Europe, and international investors, will be watching intently, unsure of the outcome that could greet them on Monday. Polls suggest both the `Yes` and `No` camps are neck-and-neck.

Eurozone finance ministers declined to extend Greece`s bailout Tuesday just hours before its expiry and a possible IMF default, but talks will continue Wednesday after Athens asked for a new aid plan, officials said.

"The Eurogroup just finished. We will continue tomorrow morning to allow finance ministers to examine the proposals of the Greek government," the source said.

"The Greek government has apparently rejected our last proposals... that is a sad decision for Greece because it has closed the door for further talks where the door was still open in my mind," the Dutch finance minister said as he arrived for talks with his eurozone counterparts.

Eurozone finance ministers` talks broke up without an agreement on a Greek debt deal on Thursday, Finland`s Alexander Stubb said, with sources saying they were likely to meet again on Saturday.

The Greek government`s new proposals to its EU-IMF creditors represent an "opportunity" for a bailout deal this week, Eurogroup head Jeroen Dijsselbloem said Monday.

A meeting of eurozone finance ministers to prepare the ground for a leaders summit on Greece later Monday has ended without agreement, and another round of talks is expected in coming days, officials said.

The election of the next president of the Eurogroup of eurozone finance ministers has been delayed until July because of the Greek crisis, current head and candidate Jeroen Dijsselbloem said Wednesday.