The mood in the room is said to have improved significantly today from last night’s “crisp, tired and irritable” atmosphere.
That’s according to Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, who told reporters that he felt alone with other leaders more willing to compromise.
The rest left at midnight, with the masks on, without speaking to the press.
The main problem is the plan to raise € 500 billion (£ 455 billion, $ 571 billion) which will then be awarded as grants to countries most affected by Covid-19, such as Italy and Spain.
The Dutch want strict conditions, including the right of one country to veto a request for cash from another member state.
Bulgarian Prime Minister Bokyo Borissov is said to have called Mark Rutte “the police of Europe”.
A new plan is on the table this afternoon, a proposal to reduce total subsidies to € 450 billion (£ 409 billion, $ 514 billion) and allow countries to come forward if they have objections … but rule out a veto. .
The Dutch have described this as a serious step in the right direction.
An EU source said he expects leaders to go through many more “face masks and hand gel if there is going to be white smoke.”
