In the capacity of Minister for the Treasury and Budget, Frieden was responsible for the successful introduction of the euro as replacement for the Luxembourgish franc. During the Luxembourg Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2005, he chaired the European Council of Ministers of Justice and Home Affairs (JHA). As Minister of Finance he represented his country at the European Council of Ministers of Economic and Financial Affairs (Ecofin) as well as at the Eurogroup and participated in the stabilization of the Eurozone and the shaping of the European banking union. For 15 years, Frieden served as Governor of the World Bank and acted as Chairman of the Board of Governors of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group in 2013.