France, Germany plan billions in pandemic recovery spending

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — France and Germany together laid out plans for billions in spending from the European Union's pandemic recovery fund aimed at fighting climate change and boosting the use of digital technology across the economy.

The finance ministers of the EU's two biggest economies on Tuesday underlined their joint determination to use the spending to transform Europe's economy and get the continent growing again as it lags behind the U.S. and China in rebounding from the pandemic recession.

Under the fund's formula, France should get around 40 billion euros ($48 billion) while German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz said his country planned about 30 billion euros ($36 billion) in spending. Scholz said that half the money would go to environmentally friendly projects and a quarter to spreading the use of digital technology. He said the fund would build on domestic relief and stimulus measures already passed by the German government

He called the fund “a groundbreaking step for Europe.”

French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire urged the European Commission, the EU’s executive branch, to quickly evaluate the plans so that money can start flowing to members states from the 750 billion euro ($906 billion) fund as early as July, noting that the U.S. and China have recovered faster. He said that since the fund was approved “we have lost too much time” and that “Europe must remain in the race.” Last year, France’s economy shrank by 8.3% amid the virus crisis, the worst slump since World War II, according to national statistics institute INSEE.

They said the new spending, funded by shared debt, would avoid mistakes made in the wake of the 2008-2009 global financial crisis and recession, when countries focused excessively on cutting spending and closing deficits. Le...