Bailout programme for Greece

15.12.2016

Question for written answer E-009507-16
to the Council
Rule 130
Barbara Kappel (ENF)

The debt relief for Greece scheduled for early December 2016 has suffered a setback now that Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, without the agreement of the country’s creditors, has announced a single special payment of EUR 617 million for pensioners and the cancellation of a VAT increase for certain North Aegean islands. In response, a formal decision on debt relief by the euro bailout funds ESM and EFSF has been suspended. The creditors — the IMF, the Commission and the ECB — are now due to examine whether Greece’s payments for pensioners and its VAT measures contravene the current aid programme and its objectives.

1. Within what time frame does the Council expect this examination to reach a conclusive result, and what impact will this delay have in the context of the current second round of checks on compliance with the programme?

2. How does the Council view the Greek Government’s ongoing disagreements concerning compliance with reform measures to which it has agreed, and what impact will these have on the bailout programme?

3. To what extent have the measures and obligations already decided upon under the aid programme actually been implemented by the Greek Government?