Euro zone supports ESM credit line for Greece after bailout end-Eurogroup chief

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Euro zone finance ministers have expressed strong support for the option of granting Greece a precautionary credit line as back-up financing once the country exits its euro zone bailout at the end of this year, the chairman of the ministers said.

"There is strong support for a precautionary credit line in the form of an existing ESM tool called the ECCL -- Enhanced Conditions Credit Line -- and that is the path we will now further pursue and work on the conditions that will go with that," Jeroen Dijsselbloem told a news conference.

"There is also a broad understanding the IMF needs to continue being involved and a further discussion will have to take place on the exact form of this involvement," Dijsselbloem said after a meeting of euro zone finance ministers.

(Reporting By Jan Strupczewski; Editing by Alastair Macdonald)