Covid-19: despite the divisions, the European Commission responsible for presenting a recovery plan

The 27 leaders of the European Union instructed the Commission, Thursday, April 23, to prepare a plan to end the crisis, postponing until later the decisions on the solidarity efforts, demanded by the countries of the South to those of the North.

This plan should include a budget proposal for the period 2021-2027, including a fund to revive the economy after the coronavirus pandemic, according to concordant sources.

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According to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, it should be presented in "the second or third week of May".

But French President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged Thursday evening that there was "no consensus" between EU countries on transfers to "the regions and sectors" most affected by the crisis of the new coronavirus, while Italy and Spain, which have suffered the most from the pandemic, are demanding more solidarity from the countries of the North.

Declaration following the European Council dedicated to the fight against COVID-19. https://t.co/RaA4qgPWZu

The French president pleaded for a vast revival plan including "not only loans but" also these financial transfers, estimating that "if one drops part of Europe, all Europe will fall".

Paris wants a recovery plan in the order of 5 to 10 points of GDP (from 800 to 1.6 trillion euros) on which, according to him, there is an agreement in principle within the EU. But, on the modalities, it wishes the emission of debts with "a common guarantee" in order to finance "budgetary transfers towards a region or a particularly affected sector, with very clear rules and governance and accepted by all".

"If we drop part of Europe, all of Europe will fall"

On this, "there is no consensus today. Nevertheless, it is an answer that we will have to provide and I believe that our Europe has no future if you do not know how to provide this answer" , he launched.

"The single market benefits certain states or regions which are the most productive because they produce goods which they can sell to other regions. If we abandon these regions, if we drop part of Europe, all of Europe will fall, "he warned, describing" blocking countries "like Germany and the Netherlands as" frugal "countries.

The latter, less affected by the virus, are reluctant to pay for States to which they criticize their budgetary indiscipline during the years of growth.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, however, promised on Thursday, "in a spirit of solidarity", "much greater contributions" from her country to the EU budget, over "a limited period". But it once again ruled out any pooling of national debts, demanded, in various forms, by Madrid, Rome - which has since moderated its expectations - and Paris, which has often been summed up by the term "coronabonds".

This summit, which lasted less than five hours, was a first round table. The recovery plan for the European economy should reach, in everyone's opinion, several hundred billion euros.

With AFP

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