Von der Leyen calls for agreement on EU budget

Von der Leyen calls for agreement on EU budget

Agreement
Brussels, March 9, 2020 (dpa/NAN) European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Monday urged EU member states to come to agreement over the union’s budget plans in the face of its current crises.

The EU has to find solutions for the refugees already in Greece, those in Syria and at the Greek-Turkish border as well as the spread of the coronavirus and the economy, von der Leyen said in a speech to mark her 100th day in office in Brussels.

“But without a new budget, we won’t be able to react to these issues.

“This is why I call on the member states to come to an agreement,’’ the commission president said.

Von der Leyen also warned that time was already scarce as all financial issues for the next seven years have to be resolved by the end of 2020.

The leaders of the 27 EU member states had failed to agree on a financial plan for the coming years during a special summit in Brussels two and a half weeks ago. (dpa/NAN)

ACO/TA

Edited by Abiodun Oluleye/Tajudeen Atitebi