Pedro Sánchez calls for a "major" response from European leaders to calmly tackle crisis stemming from COVID-19

Europen Council, Brussels (Belgium)

Upon his arrival at the fourth day of the European Council, underway in Brussels since Friday, the President of the Government expressed his confidence in all the European leaders reaching an agreement on Monday on the Recovery Fund following the coronavirus and on the EU Budget 2021-2027, which is favourable for EU citizens, the productive sector and the financial markets.

Pedro Sánchez explained that Spain has maintained a position of dialogue and close attention, before and after the European Council, with all the political leaders, above all with those countries that are least receptive to the Commission's proposal in relation to the transfers advocated by Spain. "We are not talking about more or less pro-European countries, we are all pro-European but we have our own perspectives on what the response should be by the European Union to the challenge we face".

The President of the Government added that Spain has been empathetic, putting itself in the position of other countries, but wants others to see the reasons the Government of Spain has in advocating "a far-reaching proposal, such as the European Commission has brought to the table, which is the subject of dialogue and negotiation by the Member States".

Pedro Sánchez also urged Member States to employ determination in reaching an agreement in the coming hours and seek to offer a response that provides certainty, tranquillity, peace of mind and serenity to both companies and workers, and to all European citizens in tackling the pandemic with all due guarantees.

Non official translation