Merkel: EU Must Form One Front to Emerge Stronger From Crisis

The European Union must emerge stronger from the corona crisis and will be able to do so if it draws a line and forms a single front.

That is what Chancellor Angela Merkel said in the European Parliament, where she explained her government’s priorities for the EU presidency in the next six months.

Berlin’s motto for this is Together for Europe’s recovery.

Brussels is Merkel’s first foreign destination since the corona outbreak. From 1 July to 1 January, Germany manages the European agenda for meetings and chairs the councils of ministers.

According to Merkel, the focus is on the economic recovery, the digitization and sustainability of the EU, migration and asylum, the future relationship with the United Kingdom and the EU’s relations with superpowers such as China, Russia and the United States.

She said that Germany would pull hard at Brexit negotiations to reach a (trade) treaty this year, but warned that the EU should prepare to make no good deals with the British.