French President Emmanuel Macron called for a decisive response to the US climate and social package worth billions. The EU must react "much faster and more strongly" to the US subsidies. This requires new European community funds, which could be provided in the form of guarantees, loans or subsidies.
In a letter to the heads of state and government, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that she would present a plan for a new "sovereignty fund" by the summer. Macron said this is going in the right direction but is not fast enough. By January, von der Leyen's authority will now also examine how investment conditions can be improved and "national and European instruments" can be mobilized.
The federal government strictly rejects new debt-financed community aid. Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) emphasized on Wednesday after the EU-ASEAN summit in Brussels that there were still "quite a lot of undistributed funds" that Europe could use. Among other things, he referred to the 750 billion euros from the Corona reconstruction fund. According to earlier information, Berlin wants to prevent a "subsidy race" with the USA.
There was also no agreement at the summit in the month-long dispute over a gas price cap. The heads of state and government tasked energy ministers to find a solution at their next meeting in Brussels on Monday. At the summit, Scholz demanded that this must be done by consensus.
The federal government fears supply bottlenecks if the Europeans introduce such a price cap for the wholesale price of gas. Theoretically, Germany could be outvoted since unanimity is not required on the issue of EU rules.
The heads of state and government discussed additional aid for his country with the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj. "The fight for peace in Ukraine and across Europe should not depend on misunderstandings and controversies between some EU member states," Zelenskyy said in a video message to the summit.
At the summit, the EU states wanted to release further Ukraine aid amounting to 18 billion euros. In the meantime, Poland blocked the confirmation, which was actually considered a formality. According to diplomats, Warsaw then cleared the way.
In Brussels, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki initially spoke of "blackmail" because the 18 billion euros for Kyiv were linked to other issues such as the minimum tax for international corporations.
The Czech Republic, which will hold the presidency of the member states until the end of the year, had put together the Ukraine aid, the minimum tax and the funds for Hungary in a package in order to achieve a breakthrough on the controversial issues. According to diplomats, Warsaw was therefore angry with the Czech Republic and blocked the decision. Actually, Poland sees itself as the biggest supporter of Ukraine in the EU.
At the start of the summit, the heads of state and government discussed the affair with the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, over the alleged bribery of MPs by Qatar. Metsola then announced "far-reaching" reforms in parliament.
