OREANDA-NEWS. March 25, 2010. In Brussels, Prime Minister Andrus Ansip met with Josй Manuel Barroso, the President of the European Commission.
The main topics under discussion were economic and financial issues.
Prime Minister Ansip introduced the efforts made by Estonia towards fulfilling the Maastricht criteria required for joining the Eurozone. “Our journey towards the Euro has been facilitated by the fact that Estonia’s budget policy has been conservative," said Ansip. “We will continue with the same consistent fiscal policy in the future as well.”

According to Ansip, Estonia has sustainably fulfilled all criteria serving as prerequisites for accession.
European Commission President Barroso praised Estonia’s economic policy and added that all these efforts will bring Estonia closer to the Euro.
“I share Prime Minister Ansip’s wish that Estonia would join the Eurozone in 2011,” said Barroso. “I believe that Estonia is moving in the right direction.”
He also noted that Estonia’s wish to join the Eurozone is a specific example of how important the Euro is for everyone in the European Union.

The new strategy for increasing the competitiveness of the European Union was also discussed in more detail (Europe 2020).
At the meeting, Prime Minister Ansip said that Estonia generally supports the five main strategic goals provided by the European Commission and was hopeful that, at the European Council starting tomorrow, an agreement would be reached on these.

Barroso thanked Estonia for its support of the strategy prepared by the Commission and also emphasised the need for an agreement between Member States.
Both Ansip and Barroso declared that the cooperation between Estonia and the European Commission has been close and fruitful.