German government spokesman Steffen Seibert said it’s up to Spain to decide to apply for aid from the euro area’s rescue fund and declined to comment on whether Spain has already decided to seek aid.

“The decision lies with the Spanish government,” Seibert told reporters at a government briefing in Berlin today. “If it takes the decision, Europe’s instruments will be ready for it.”

“If it happens, it will follow the usual procedure: a state files an application, it accepts liability and is bound to conditions,” Seibert says. “The decision whether that’s the Spanish way will be taken by the Spanish government.”

To contact the reporters on this story: Rainer Buergin in Berlin at rbuergin1@bloomberg.net; Tony Czuczka in Berlin at aczuczka@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: James Hertling at jhertling@bloomberg.net