EU’s Michel Discussing EU Budget, Recovery and Brexit With MEPs

European Council President Charles Michel is meeting with members of the European Parliament on Friday. The discussion focused on finding an agreement on a long-term EU budget of 1.074 trillion euros and a recovery fund of 750 billion euros for the worst-hit countries by the coronavirus pandemic.

Reuters reported that the European Council President Charles Michel proposed maintaining the so-called rebate that these countries receive from their contributions to the budget, to make the bloc’s mass economic stimulus more palatable to thrifty northern member states.

Commenting on Brexit, Michel said that it’s becoming harder to avoid a hard Brexit at the end of the year. Adding that the committee could expand the € 5 B support from the Brexit Reserve Fund.