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Merkel: High expectations of the German EU Council Presidency

The German government sees the German EU Presidency beginning on July 1st as “particularly high expectations” in Europe. The tasks went far beyond dealing directly with the corona pandemic, said Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) on Saturday in her weekly video message.

“We want to meet these expectations by working to ensure that we all get out of the crisis well together and at the same time prepare Europe for the future,” said Merkel. Germany will take over the Croatian presidency on a rotating basis from Croatia next Wednesday.

According to the Chancellor, the German government wants to work on “three key challenges of our time” during this time: it wants to put climate protection at the top of the agenda in the Council Presidency, promote digitalization and work to make Europe more capable of acting externally. The aim is to act as an EU in a unified and uniform manner, especially in relations with strategic partners such as China, Russia, Turkey and the USA.

The German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said in an interview with the German Press Agency regarding the corona pandemic: “Europe has learned a lot in this crisis, about our deficits, but also about our strengths.” The SPD politician emphasized: “We have improved coordination and provided solidarity to one another in a pace and dimension that has never been seen before.”

For Maas, the most important goals of the German Council Presidency are the agreement on the multi-billion dollar corona reconstruction program and EU finances by 2027, the successful conclusion of the Brexit negotiations with Great Britain and the joint positioning of Europe in the major power competition between the United States, China and Russia. “We only have a chance to assert ourselves in this environment if we do it together as Europeans, otherwise we will become the game ball of others,” said Maas.

Merkel also emphasized in her podcast that it was important to agree on the new EU budget and the measures for economic reconstruction after the Corona pandemic as soon as possible. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen believes that the failure on 17/18. Special summit planned for July not excluded. It has to be seen whether an agreement can be reached in the first attempt, she told the “Handelsblatt”. You may need a second summit.

The EU Commission’s proposal specifically envisages raising 750 billion euros in the financial markets and then putting the money into an economic and investment program. 500 billion euros are to flow to the EU countries as grants, the rest as loans. The debts are to be paid off from the EU budget by 2058. The plan is being negotiated together with the next seven-year EU financial framework, for which the Commission is targeting 1.1 trillion euros.

At a video conference a few days ago, Merkel and several of her colleagues had expressed numerous criticisms of this proposal. The net payer alliance of “Frugal Four” – Austria, the Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark – only wants to use repayable loans. Germany criticizes, among other things, the criteria for the allocation of funds.

Merkel told the Süddeutsche Zeitung (Saturday): “I work to convince the countries that have so far approved loans but refused grants.” When asked if the numerous crises were not about the continued existence of the EU, she replied: “We shouldn’t ask the question of existence too often, but do our work.” It is in the very best interests of all members to maintain a strong European single market and to be united in the world. “I am betting that in such an exceptional situation, the Member States have a great interest in common ground.”

Merkel said in the interview that the willingness to multilateral cooperation and to seek common answers to crises has decreased significantly. “The tone is currently rough internationally.” Everything must be done not to fall into protectionism. “If Europe wants to be heard, it has to set a good example.”

Quelle: What / Dpa

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