EU summit: Leaders reach landmark €1.82 trillion COVID-19 recovery deal and budget

Speaking to reporters, European Council president Charles Michel called it a "good deal", stating that "Europe is solid".

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, meanwhile, underlined important concessions made in the search for a compromise, saying she regretted the cuts to "modern policies" in research and innovation.

French president Emmanuel Macron called it an "historic day for Europe".

The recovery plan includes €390 billion worth of grants and €360 billion worth of loans due to a compromise with the so-called frugal four, now five, countries — Netherlands, Austria, Finland, Sweden and Denmark.

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EU summit: Leaders reach landmark €1.82 trillion COVID-19 recovery deal and budget | Euronews

EU summit: Talks entering 'crucial phase' as leaders meet for fourth day

Leaders left the marathon summit early Monday morning without an agreement and are set to resume talks at 16:00 CET. The summit was originally planned to end on Saturday.

Von der Leyen told reportershat "after three days and three nights of negotiation marathon, we're entering now in the crucial phase but I have the impression that European leaders really want an agreement."

"I'm positive for today, we're not there yet but things are moving in the right direction," she added.

Talks have focussed on a proposed €1.68 trillion package, a seven-year budget and a coronavirus recovery fund.

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EU summit: Talks entering 'crucial phase' as leaders meet for fourth day | Euronews

EU - Coronavirus latest: France, Germany propose vast recovery fund

Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron propose a major European rescue fund, to come from an increased long-term EU budget

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Coronavirus latest: France, Germany propose vast recovery fund | News | DW | 18.05.2020

The Netherlands: Almere Municipality ends up with a budget surplus of euro 300.000 in 2013

Kings Birthday Almere

Almere's city council and their civil servants spent 10 percent less in 2013 than was budgeted for that year The Almere annual report shows that just over 300.000 euros were saved. That money now goes back to the general funds of the municipality..

In total, the city council spent 2.8 million euros last year. Of this total, EUR 1 million was spent on the salaries of civil servants working for the municipality. The elected councilors received almost 1.4 million in salaries and fees for their work during that period.

The Almere municipal council met 36 times last year.

Almere is considered the newest  (became a municipality in 1976)  and  most modern city in Europe and presently has about 200.000 inhabitants

Gemeenteraad Almere houdt 3 ton over - Nieuws

Dutch government averts budget crisis with support of small parties - by Anthony Deutsch

The Dutch government on Friday won the support of several small opposition parties needed to push through a fresh round of austerity cuts, averting a budget crisis.

The centre-right coalition of Liberal Prime Minister Mark Rutte concluded several days of negotiations with an agreement to trim away an additional 6 billion euros ($ 8.12 billion)  in government spending in 2014.

Dutch news agency ANP said a deal was reached between the government, which lacks a majority in the Senate, and two small Christian parties - the Christian Union and the conservative SGP - as well as the right-of-centre Democrats 66.

The cuts are needed to bring the Netherlands in line with the European Union's 3 percent budget deficit target.

Dutch finance minister and Eurogroup head Jeroen Dijsselbloem cancelled a trip to the annual IMF meetings in Washington this week to focus on the negotiations.

Read more: Dutch government averts budget crisis with support of small parties - World | The Star Online