Pedro Sánchez claims that European leaders are "obliged to reach agreement" on Recovery Fund

Brussels (Belgium)

In a statement upon his arrival at the meeting of the extraordinary European Council to be held on Friday and Saturday in Brussels, the President of the Government of Spain highlighted that this is an historic event for the Member States of the European Union, since they are facing "the worst pandemic that humanity has suffered in the last 100 years".

The President of the Government recalled that it is the people who are suffering first-hand from the health, and also the social and economic, consequences of the pandemic. "And hence, we are all obliged to reach an agreement", he declared.

Pedro Sánchez added that this agreement must include a Recovery Fund that transforms "our economies into much more resilient, more digital, greener and more inclusive economies", including both territorial and social cohesion among its main goals.

Spain, stressed the President of the Government, is approaching the Council meeting "constructively" to achieve this agreement, and also with the intention of defending national interests in such fields as agriculture, the governance of the Recovery Fund and the policies on which it must focus.

Non official translation