Bundesminister Friedrich Merz (CDU) is pressing for substantial decisions on European Union reforms to be made this year. After an informal EU summit in Belgium, he told reporters that the EU must act decisively and that this commitment was echoed unreservedly by all participants. “We have effectively commissioned a comprehensive and ambitious agenda” Merz said. The Commission has pledged to deliver a roadmap, to be adopted at the next European Council meeting in Brussels on 19 March. This roadmap is expected to outline a “comprehensive and ambitious competitiveness agenda”.
Agreement was broad, with the exception of the issue of common debt. Merz remains firm on this point. “I made it very clear this morning that, even if there are differing opinions, I cannot support EU projects financed through Eurobonds” he said. “If I wanted to, I still wouldn’t be able to-Germany’s Constitutional Court has set clear limits for our federal government”.
The debate on EU financing will continue over the coming weeks and months. “It will be a very difficult undertaking, but the next medium‑term financial framework will be up for vote in the coming months” Merz added. While this topic is fitting, it played only a peripheral role at the informal summit.