Merkel, Macron aim for eurozone plan by March

By Ayhan Simsek

BERLIN

The leaders of Germany and France have announced they are aiming to develop a common vision until March to strengthen the eurozone.

Speaking at a joint news conference in Brussels on Friday with the German Chancellor, French President Emmanuel Macron said they agreed on a number of issues to boost the eurozone.

"In the months to come, we will have a political and strategic discussion as to what we want to do within five or ten years for the Eurozone,” Macron said.

“We want to approve a road map, for the short, mid and long term,” he added.

The French president said he expected an agreement with Germany by March next year.

Merkel, who was still trying to convince Germany’s Social Democrats to form a “grand coalition” government after elections in September, spoke optimistically about reaching an agreement on the eurozone.

“I have talked about this with the French president yesterday and said that we would bring together our positions by March,” she stressed.

The eurozone is made up of the 19 EU states which use the single currency.

The French leader had proposed earlier major reforms in the eurozone, and suggested creating a eurozone budget, and the post of a eurozone finance minister.