Spain says EU recovery fund debt is not charity

MADRID, July 13 (Reuters): Joint borrowing by European Union countries to finance a fund to recover from the economic crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic is not charity, Spanish Foreign Minister Arancha Gonzalez said ahead of a crucial summit on the issue July 17-18.

All the countries involved would contribute to reimbursing the debt, even northern countries dubbed "frugal", she said on Monday in an interview with Belgian radio station RTBF.

Germany would contribute 20 per cent, Spain 9 per cent and the Netherlands 6 per cent, for instance, said Gonzalez.