Netherlands will support loans from EU funds for short-term medical costs but not economic-recovery measures

The Dutch Finance Minister Wopke Hoekstra said the Dutch government supports easy loans from a European fund for governments to cover short-term medical costs but not economic-recovery measures.

Speaking ahead of a eurozone finance ministers’ meeting, Hoekstra told lawmakers the government would insist on conditions for countries seeking to tap the eurozone’s European Stability Mechanism (ESM) for any uses beyond acute health-care problems.

Politico reports that Hoekstra also repeated a contested position that the Netherlands would oppose an Italian-led push for European bonds to raise money for combating the coronavirus outbreak. That would “lead to more destabilization, more risks and a large bill for Dutch taxpayers,” he said in the parliament’s finance committee.

“… must come up with a package that is reasonable and sensible, also toward the Dutch taxpayer,” he said.

“Some proposals are wishes of member states that have been on the table for some time and are now coming up again. That is allowed, but does not mean that it is sensible.”

After Hoekstra spoke, the parliament voted to back the government in its position to rule out eurobonds and stick to conditionality for ESM loans.

Via Politico