Van Rompuy postpones EU summit

The President of the European Union Herman Van Rompuy announced Monday that he has decided to convene the summit of the 27-member EU leaders a week later on Sunday 23 October in Brussels. Originally, the EU summit was planned to be held on 17 October and an additional summit of leaders of the 17-member Eurozone on 18 October. Now both summits will be held on the same day 23 October. "This timing will allow to finalise our comprehensive strategy on the Euro area sovereign debt crisis covering a number of interrelated issues," said van Rompuy in a statement. Further elements are needed to address the situation in Greece and the bank recapitalisation, he said. A meeting of EU economic and finance ministers will be held before the summit of 23 October.