26/03/2021 (Agence Europe) – On Friday 26 March, the German Constitutional Court said that German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier could not sign the December 2020 Council of the European Union decision on own resources for the EU budget (see EUROPE 12622/11) while it examines legal challenges to the Next Generation EU recovery plan. The ratification of the ‘own resources’ decision by the EU27 is a condition sine qua non for the European Commission to be allowed to borrow on behalf of the Member States to finance the European Recovery Plan. The Karlsruhe Court's statement comes after both chambers of the German Parliament approved the ratification of the Council decision this week. The German Constitutional Court did not set a deadline for a legal decision. (MB)