The Chairman of the Board Charles Michel – © POOL THIERRY ROGE – BELGA
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“We need more time“, recognized the president of the European Council Charles Michel. Like his predecessor Herman Van Rompuy in 2013, the Belgian will not have succeeded in reaching an agreement at the first summit of this great bargaining.
“We have worked hard, but unfortunately today we have found that it takes more time. It is a very difficult subject, especially after Brexit which left a hole of 60 to 75 billion euros“, commented the former Belgian Prime Minister.
He said he was convinced that this meeting was “useful and necessary“.”There was no reason to delay, when everything was on the table to go to the political debate. This debate made it possible to clarify many positions, and we can draw a certain number of conclusions to increase the chances of progressing towards an agreement.“, he added.
At his side, the President of the Commission considered that the 27 were “on the right track“.”Hurry up“, she repeated, while a possible next Council agreement will still have to be discussed with the Parliament and then translated into texts to prevent new programs from being postponed until early 2021.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel also noted that “the differences“were”still too big to reach an agreement“.”We’re going to have to look at it again“, she added, indicating that the date of a next meeting was not yet fixed.”It will be up to the President of the Council to decide“.
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