Video conference of the Eurogroup, 7-9 April 2020

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Publication Date April 2020
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Summary:

The Eurogroup - in its inclusive format - held a video conference on 7 and 9 April 2020.

Further information:

Finance ministers from across the European Union worked on further measures for a coordinated response to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, as requested by the European Council in March 2020.

Media outlets reported on the ongoing tension between two factions within the Eurozone around the issuing of the so-called 'coronabonds' - shared debt to cover the financing of measures to address the sanitary crisis and consequent economic fallout. This was the reason why the video conference - initially scheduled to be held solely on 7 April - was later extended to 9 April. A report was eventually adopted by the Eurogroup, which outlines a set of proposals subject to endorsement by the European Council at a later date.

The Eurogroup also held a first discussion on a proposal for a temporary recovery fund to support European investments towards a "better, greener, more resilient and more digital economy".

The head of the Eurogroup discussed these measures with the European Parliament's economic and monetary affairs committee on 21 April.

Source Link Link to Main Source https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/meetings/eurogroup/2020/04/07-09/
Related Links
Official
Eurogroup: Remarks by Mário Centeno following the Eurogroup videoconference of 9 April 2020 https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2020/04/09/remarks-by-mario-centeno-following-the-eurogroup-videoconference-of-9-april-2020/
Eurogroup: Press Release, 09/04/2020: Report on the comprehensive economic policy response to the COVID-19 pandemic https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2020/04/09/report-on-the-comprehensive-economic-policy-response-to-the-covid-19-pandemic/
EIB: Media Centre, 09/04/2020: Statement by President Hoyer on Eurogroup's agreement for a joint response to COVID-19 https://www.eib.org/en/press/news/eib-group-welcomes-eurogroup-agreement-for-joint-eu-response-covid-19
European Commission: Remarks by Commissioner Gentiloni at the Eurogroup press conference (9 April 2020) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/speech_20_646
European Council: Statement by the President of the European Council Charles Michel following the agreement of the Eurogroup (10 April 2020) https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2020/04/10/statement-by-the-president-of-the-european-council-charles-michel-following-the-agreement-of-the-eurogroup/
European Parliament: Press Release, 21/04/2020: More ambition needed for EU recovery instruments, says majority of MEPs https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20200419IPR77414/

News
Politico, 08/04/2020: Eurogroup falls short of economic deal to fight coronavirus https://www.politico.eu/article/eurogroup-talks-to-save-eu-economy-gridlocked-over-credit-lines-corona-bonds/
Deutsche Welle, 08/04/2020: EU fails to agree on coronavirus recovery deal https://p.dw.com/p/3acKN
Reuters, 08/04/2020: EU ministers fail to agree coronavirus economic rescue https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN21Q0MJ
The Guardian, 08/04/2020: Eurozone fails to agree deal on €540bn coronavirus rescue plan https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/apr/08/eurozone-fails-to-agree-on-540bn-coronavirus-rescue-plan
RTÉ News, 08/04/2020: EU fails to reach deal on Covid-19 bailout plan https://www.rte.ie/news/europe/2020/0408/1129232-europe-bailout-fund-talks/
YLE News, 08/04/2020: Finland rejects joint EU debt to fight corona crisis https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/finland_rejects_joint_eu_debt_to_fight_corona_crisis/11297764
Kathimerini, 09/04/2020: Greece hopes Thursday’s Eurogroup will bridge differences on coronavirus aid https://www.ekathimerini.com/251520/article/ekathimerini/news/greece-hopes-thursdays-eurogroup-will-bridge-differences-on-coronavirus-aid
Deutsche Welle, 09/04/2020: EU ministers make breakthrough on coronavirus economic response https://p.dw.com/p/3aibq
France24, 09/04/2020: EU finance ministers reach agreement on coronavirus rescue deal https://www.france24.com/en/20200409-eu-finance-ministers-reach-agreement-on-coronavirus-rescue-deal
Jornal Económico, 09/04/2020: Eurogroup already has agreement for economic response to the coronavirus outbreak https://jornaleconomico.sapo.pt/en/news/eurogroup-already-has-agreement-to-respond-to-the-coronavirus-outbreak-574165
Euronews, 10/04/2020: Coronavirus: EU finance ministers agree on €500 billion emergency fund https://www.euronews.com/2020/04/09/coronavirus-eurogroup-finance-ministers-agree-on-500-billion-emergency-fund
EurActiv, 10/04/2020: Eurogroup agrees on €540 billion corona-package https://www.euractiv.com/section/economy-jobs/news/eurogroup-agrees-on-e540-billion-corona-package/
Politico, 10/04/2020: EU agrees on €500B of economic aid but no ‘corona bonds’ https://www.politico.eu/article/corona-bonds-fade-in-midst-of-eurogroups-e500b-economic-strategy/
EUObserver, 10/04/2020: Eurozone agreed €500bn cushion against virus blow https://euobserver.com/coronavirus/148046

Commentary and Analysis
Euro|topics, April 2020: Coronabonds: yes or no? https://www.eurotopics.net/en/238296/
Euro|topics, April 2020: EU in tug of war over corona aid https://www.eurotopics.net/en/237601/
Bruegel: Podcast, 10/04/2020: Did the Eurogroup save the day? https://www.bruegel.org/2020/04/can-the-eurogroup-save-the-day/
Reuters, 10/04/2020: Congratulations, it's a fudge: EU crisis deal leaves much unresolved https://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKKCN21S1JA
Social Europe, 13/04/2020: Not (yet) up to the task: how eurozone members are gambling away post-Covid economic recovery https://www.socialeurope.eu/not-yet-up-to-the-task-how-eurozone-members-are-gambling-away-post-covid-economic-recovery

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