According to Bettel, several calculations are still pending and the EU parliament will also have a final say in the matter.
The European recovery plan harnesses the full potential of the EU budget, bringing its total financial firepower to €1.85 trillion. MPs debated the recovery plan at the Chamber of Deputies earlier this Friday. Opposition parties ADR and CSV emerged disappointed from the meeting with Prime Minister Xavier Bettel. They explained that Bettel failed to give concrete details about Luxembourg's contribution to the recovery plan and about the plastic waste tax, which is part of the recovery plan.
Opposition party MPs said after the meeting that Luxembourg will have to pay an additional €1 billion to the 7-year EU budget, including around €100 million per year because of Brexit. CSV, ADR, and the Pirate Party lamented that the recovery plan will only award €100 million to the Grand Duchy.
Prime Minister Xavier Bettel nevertheless defended the agreement. He conceded that the deal is not perfect but stressed that it is the right response to the crisis. Luxembourg benefits from a well-functioning EU, he argued.
He also assured MPs that the Chamber of Deputies will be continuously updated in full transparency as new developments unfold.
