Germany, France want to create stronger European champions - Merkel

France and Germany are in favour of reforming the European Union's merger and competition rules so that the bloc can create stronger European champions after the coronavirus crisis, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Monday.

Speaking to reporters to present an Franco-German proposal for a European Recovery Fund worth 500 billion euros, Merkel said that in all, EU member states and the bloc's executive would mobilize a combined sum of 3 trillion euros to cushion the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic.