Meeting on 9-10 March, EU leaders assessed the economic situation in the EU and the euro area, concluding that reforms implemented by the Member States since 2008 are bearing fruit. The economic recovery is continuing with positive growth across Member States, and the outlook is encouraging, while unemployment is at its lowest level since 2009, public finances are improving and investment is growing. To sustain the economic recovery, the leaders called for structural reforms, strengthening of public finances and promotion of investment, including through the swift extension of the European Fund for Strategic Investments. They also called for rapid progress on the implementation of various single market strategies by 2018 and reiterated the need to complete the banking union in order to reduce and share risks in the financial sector. Lastly, as part of the European Semester – the EU’s annual economic policy coordination process – the leaders endorsed policy priorities for 2017, as set out in this year’s Annual Growth Survey, and the draft Council recommendation on the economic policy of the euro area for 2017. On 10 March, 27 EU leaders met informally to prepare for the 60th anniversary of the Treaties of Rome and discuss the main elements of the scheduled Rome Declaration. Leaders also conducted a debate based on the Commission White Paper on the future of the EU. Members of the European Parliament subsequently took stock of the outcome of the meeting of EU leaders during a plenary session from 13-16 March.