Queen Máxima to deliver speech at Ecofin dinner
Her Majesty Queen Máxima will deliver a speech at the dinner that is part of the informal meeting of finance ministers and presidents of central banks of the European Union at the Westergasfabriek in Amsterdam on Friday 22 April. The Netherlands holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union for the first six months of 2016.
The Economic and Financial Affairs Council - Ecofin - is meeting informally on Friday 22 and Saturday 23 April under the chairmanship of Dutch finance minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem. Ecofin's members are EU ministers of finance and presidents of the national central banks. They are responsible for matters including the economic policy and financial sector of the European Union. Several European Commissioners will also attend, along with representatives of the European Central Bank and financial institutions such as the European Investment Bank.
The informal Ecofin Council meets once every six months, in the country holding the EU Presidency. The dinner is a regular fixture. As holder of the EU Presidency, the Netherlands is working towards a Union that focuses on essentials, like dealing with migration, tackling terrorism and promoting growth and jobs.
Queen Máxima will be speaking in her capacity as the UN Secretary-General's Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development (UNSGSA) and as honorary chair of the Money Wise Platform. In the latter role, she focuses attention on the importance of financial education and managing money sensibly.