«Historical» EU Summit: who won?

The article analyzes the results of the emergency EU summit, which lasted almost five days (July 17-20, 2020), which many of its participants and observers hastened to call «historic». Indeed, the heads of states and governments of the European Union countries have agreed on a Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2021–2027 and a €750 billion package aimed at recovering economy after the pandemic. However, as you know, the devil is in the details. In the course of a tough bargaining by the EU leaders, the ambitious proposals of the European Commission and President of the European Council Charles Michel have undergone major changes and have largely ceased to be of a breakthrough innovative nature. On the other hand, EU leaders managed to pass the largest multiannual budget in all years, and emergency funds to restore the affected economies will begin to flow as early as next year. The author comes to the conclusion that the assessment who benefited the most from an accepted deal can vary greatly in the short and long term. In defending their narrow national interests, member-states have maintained the traditional multiannual budget structure and traditional divisions.