EU leaders concluded their June virtual summit with still significant divisions on the massive €1.85tn recovery package, composed of the revamped 2021-2027 MFF of €1.1tn and new €750bn Next Generation EU instrument. It was suggested by the Commission on 27 May, as a strong response to the socio-economic upshots of Covid-19 pandemic.

The European Council meeting dedicated to the huge recovery package that should help European economies to upsurge from the coronavirus shock, was kicked off as a videoconference on Friday morning. It is clear from the outset that no final outcome can be expected from this sitting, but the hopes are that the divisions will turn less severe. 

Three main items topped the agenda of the Eastern Partnership leaders' meeting held on Thursday via video conference - Covid-19 and the consequences of the crisis, the strategic partnership and EaP’s future. The virtual summit brought together the heads of state and government of the EU 27 member states and the leaders from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine.

European countries are slamming the Trump administration's withdrawal from negotiations on a major digital services tax. French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire, speaking on France Inter, called it a “provocation” and said France will still implement the tax regardless of the US change of heart.

The Council adopted on Monday a decision adapting the EU position on the reference period to be used for measuring the growth of CO2 emissions in international aviation, to take account of the unprecedented drop in air traffic due to the coronavirus crisis.

With improving the health situation, the majority of EU countries plan to lift the controls at their internal borders and the travel restrictions by 15 June, and the others will do so until the end of the month. At a videoconference on Friday, organised by the Croatian Presidency, the EU Home Affairs ministers discussed the response to the Covid-19 pandemic in the field of internal border controls and the free movement of persons.

A regulation that will set out uniform rules to designate which national law should determine the ownership of a claim after it has been assigned on a cross border basis was discussed during the videoconference of EU Justice Ministers on Thursday, convened by the Croatian Presidency.

The role of research and innovation for the economic recovery and for strengthening of societies’ resilience following the crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, were among the key points of the discussion of the EU research ministers, held on Friday and led by the Croatian Presidency of the Council.

Two important messages voiced European Council President Charles Michel at a news conference, he gave after the EU-Japan virtual leaders’ meeting on Tuesday. Saying that it was very productive discussion, he underscored that the partnership between EU and Japan is very “strong and vibrant” and the two sides are working hard together in order to face the Covid-19 crisis.

A temporary amendment to the rules on air services to support airlines and airports in the face of a sharp drop in air traffic due to the coronavirus pandemic, was endorsed by the Council on Monday using a written procedure.