German's Merkel speaking ahead of the EU budget summit on Friday
Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel is on the wires saying:
- agreement on EU recovery plan is urgent
- differing views on recovery plan remain among EU states
Merkel is scheduled to meet with Spain's Sanchez. Yesterday she met with Italy's Conte where they both broadly back the aid package and urges EU leaders not to drag their feet over getting it approved. Merkel and France's Macron have led to push for the EU bloc to borrowers one to finance recovery.
Italy and Spain have been hit the hardest by the pandemic. They would be open to stricter criteria attached to grants and loans. This would appease countries like Austria and the Netherlands who are opposed to joint debt to finance recovery.
Merkel said yesterday that she was not sure an agreement could be reached at the meeting on Friday/Saturday.
