Brussels, 04/07/2007 (Agence Europe) - According to information obtained by the Financial Times Deutschland from the G7, there should be an agreement on the appointment of the Italian finance minister, Tommaso Padoa-Schioppa, to the head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Padoa-Schioppa will therefore be taking over from the former British Chancellor of the Exchequer and new prime minister, Gordon Brown, who until now presided over the IMF. The organisation meets twice a year to provide major orientations to the Bretton-Woods institution. According to the Wednesday edition of the German newspaper, this application is supported by Washington but the former member of the European Central Bank board of governors might find himself in an even higher post, that of the director general of the IMF. This position becomes vacant in October, following last Thursday's announcement by Rodrigo Rato from Spain, that for personal reasons he would be leaving two years before the end of his five year mandate. This announcement coincides with the arrival of Robert Zoellick, on Monday 2 July, at the presidency of the World Bank. By way of a tacit agreement, Americans and Europeans share out senior positions in these leading financial organisations between them. The dossier is not in any way closed and the Eurogroup is expected to tackle the question at its next meeting on 9 July. (ab)