The following is the statement issued by euro zone finance ministers yesterday:

"The Euro-11 ministers and Commissioner, and the president of the ECB share the view that growth is very robust in the euro area; an increasing number of jobs is being created.

"The ECB is committed to ensure that this growth will remain non-inflationary.

"Ministers are determined to speed up ongoing fiscal consolidation and structural reforms towards a knowledge-based, full-employment economy according to the orientations set by the special European Council in Lisbon, thus increasing the growth potential of our economies.

"In this context, we share a common concern about the present level of the euro which does not reflect the strong economic fundamentals of the euro area."