The recovery program called "Next Generation EU" is intended to help the EU countries get back on their feet after the pandemic.

For the first time, the EU Commission is incurring large-scale debt.

It's about a volume of 750 billion euros at 2018 prices. If inflation is taken into account, that's now more than 800 billion euros.

The countries receive part of the money as grants that do not have to be repaid, the rest as loans.

By the end of 2058, the debts should be settled at the latest.

In the summer negotiations, the federal government defended joint borrowing for the EU's reconstruction fund.

In the situation at that time in spring 2020, resolute joint action by the Member States was necessary.

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