EU Summit on the Recovery Fund: divided by numbers, conditionalities and discounts. Count: close by July

• Kurz: "Recovery Fund does not open to EU debt sharing" today
• Coronavirus, Sassoli: "On the recovery fund you have to start on the right foot"
• Merkel: Urgent recovery fund for cohesion Europe, also by July
• Denmark changes its mind: "Ok a Recovery for the most affected countries"
• Ecofin, clash over the Recovery Fund. Gualtieri: the Commission's plan should not be downsized

Share

It went as expected. No agreement today, the 27 heads of government have defined the perimeter of the consensus and divergences: the former are very general, the latter on matters of substance. The goal of hurrying is common, but there is the awareness that the road remains uphill. After all, the real negotiation begins now.

EU President Michel indicated the next 'physical' meeting of the Council in mid-July and bilateral contacts with heads of state and government will begin in the coming days.

"Today's meeting allowed to verify elements of consensus, but on some issues we must continue to discuss. Now we move on to another negotiating phase" on the EU budget and on the anti-crisis level, said EU President Charles Michel during the conference joint press with the President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. The next Council meeting in Brussels, no longer by videoconference, will be "in mid-July".

Figures, conditionalities and discounts between the divisive themes
On the Recovery Fund "there is a consensus that is emerging on several fronts and it is positive, but we should not underestimate the difficulties. On various issues it is necessary to continue to discuss" explained Michel. Topics such as 'rebates' will have to be negotiated, that is, the repayments of the EU's multi-year finance framework; conditionality of access to funds, which is "another difficult topic"; and "the criteria" for access, because some countries would like them "more closely linked to the consequences of Covid-19".

The President of the European Council declined to respond to journalists who asked him if it will be possible to keep the Recovery Fund at 750 billion with the current loan-subsidy ratio. "It is not my intention to negotiate in the press. I have explained what the difficult issues are. We must be innovative and creative to have the support of 27 Member States and make a decision," he said.

Von der Leyen: positive discussion, but divergences remain
"There are different opinions between the States on the overall size of Next Generation Eu, on the balance between grants and loans to States, on the keys to sharing, on the European Union's own resources and on the ' discounts to budget contributions "(for some countries), said Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, adding that" the discussion has been very positive. " There is "unanimous recognition that 'the severity of the crisis justifies an ambitious response that combines solidarity, investment and reforms" and that "many leaders have said that everything possible must be done to have an agreement before the summer break". Furthermore, he added that "there is support" for the 'green' and digital dimension of European action.

Conte: another step forward, all aware of the stakes
"The EU Council has just ended. The EU has taken another step forward. We are all aware of the stakes. We must reach an agreement in July" tweeted the prime minister . 

The European Council ended. The EU has taken another step forward. We are all aware of the stakes. We have to reach an agreement in July. #EuCo pic.twitter.com/ktmLgoTEdp

Amendola: EU Council in July will be decisive
"We are getting closer to the goal. The proposal of the EU Commission has been accepted in its fundamental principles. The EU Council in July will be decisive. We must be ambitious, like Italy and Europe", he writes on twitter the Minister for European Affairs, Enzo Amendola.

Merkel: the position of the 4 'known states' has not changed, but a good climate
"There hasn't been much talk about loans and aid. The four known states have expressed their skepticism about the fact that there is aid, and on this the position it hasn't changed. But there was an atmosphere and a situation has arisen in which to have a good start with the negotiations, "said Angela Merkel at the end of the board. "There were those who said that the volume was too high. There are those who would only like loans and those who want everything on guarantees," he continued. "But the legal construction has not challenged anyone," he added, "the fact that the commission issues bonds has not been challenged by anyone."