By Mark Smulian | 6 September 2013

Greece is likely to require additional help beyond that already agreed, Eurogroup president Jeroen Dijsselbloem has said.

He told the European Parliament's Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee yesterday that it was 'realistic to assume that additional support will be required for Greece beyond the programme'.

The country has already agreed two bailout deals with the IMF, the European Central Bank and the European Commission, which have seen it receive payments to meet obligations in return for cuts in spending and reforms. They  have received around €240bn from the deals.

MEPs asked Dijsselbloem when the next Greek bailout might be expected, as well as extra conditions could be imposed on the country, and what specific purposes the loan would be designed to meet. However, Dijsselbloem said in each case it was too early to speculate on the exact details.

Dijsselbloem did say the 'additional support' would not necessarily be a loan.

He was also asked by MEPs about the banking union being set up, and confirmed that the banks would have to pitch in before recapitalisations with public money could be considered.