EU Special Summit: Pressure Needed in the Dispute over the Rule of Law
3 Questions & Answers with Member of European Parliament (MEP) Moritz Körner
During the negotiations at the EU Special Summit of Heads of State and Government, every position and possible concessions are meticulously fought over. This is also a good sign - after all, finding compromises is at the heart of European policy. We talk with Moritz Körner (Renew Europe/FDP), Member of the European Parliament, about the current situation, to see what can be achieved through the negotiation package and which points leave room for improvement.
[For English Captions click on "CC" in the video bar]
The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, made several compromise proposals over the weekend: the overall size of the MFF was reduced, the ratio between loans and grants was adjusted. How crucial do you consider the final split between loans and grants to be?
https://youtu.be/K8o_aTkIlVsDiscussions on the rule of law mechanism have been slowed down in particular by Hungary, which has used the red pencil to delete corresponding passages in the proposal. Can Europe afford to simply put this issue aside?
https://youtu.be/opDussALSrgThe position of the frugal 4 or 5 (including Finland) is to demand control over the adherence to a reform course in the context of reconstruction grants. For a long time, demanding reforms was also considered a typically German position. Is it right that Chancellor Angela Merkel now allows more flexibility in this respect?
https://youtu.be/U4JshoDpcn4Interview by Jeanette Süß, European Affairs Manager @FNF Europe