French-German Recovery Plan Faces Tough Brussels Test
Alex Pigman, AFP, 19.05.2020
Quotes
The road to clinch an EU recovery plan remains difficult, officials warned on Tuesday, despite the surprise entente between Berlin and Paris to back a 500 billion euro rescue. [...]
But an optimistic Janis Emmanouilidis of the European Policy Centre, believes the "story is different" now, given the incredibly high stakes of the coronavirus pandemic.
"The support for those reforms was not as strong in Germany," he said.
The opposition from the Netherlands and others "played into the hands of those in Berlin who actually didn't want to go too far."
"I think what happened yesterday, the chances of getting a deal have increased immensely."
Read full article here
Latest media contributions
EPC Update / Post-summit Briefing: What does the Ankara NATO Summit mean for Europe’s security?
Online Briefing, YouTube, 09.07.2026
EPC Update / Post-summit Briefing: Will the June EU Summit provide strategic direction?
Online Briefing, YouTube, 22.06.2026
EU Democracy Reform Observatory: Two years on: Why Europe’s far right keeps growing
Online Briefing, YouTube, 11.06.2026
EPC Update: Can Europe lead when leadership is in short supply?
Online Briefing, YouTube, 29.05.2026
What are the sticking points for the EU's new budget?
Quotes, Deutsche Welle, 29.04.2026
EPC Update / Post-summit Briefing: Spring European Council: Can the EU meet the challenges of the new world disorder?
Online Briefing, YouTube, 26.03.2026
EPC Update / Post-summit Briefing: Informal leaders' retreat: New momentum for European competitiveness?
Online Briefing, YouTube, 16.02.2026
EPC Update / Post-summit Briefing: The Greenland crisis: A test for Europe's credibilitye need for strategic choices
Online Briefing, YouTube, 23.01.2026
EPC Update: EUrope in 2026: the need for strategic choices
Online Briefing, YouTube, 12.01.2026
EPC Update / Post-summit Briefing: The last EU Summit of 2025: a real moment of truth?
Online Briefing, YouTube, 19.12.2025