The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said, on Friday 7 January, she was pleased that “a country with the political weight and experience of France assumes the presidency of the EU Council at such a delicate moment”, citing the Covid-19 crisis, but also Russian pressure in the EU’s neighbourhood. “Because the voice of France speaks loud and clear. And France has Europe at heart”, she said to the media, alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, at the start of the French Presidency of the EU Council.
Ms von der Leyen and Mr Macron were united in their priorities for the next six months. They highlighted climate, digital, economic, security and defence issues.
The French Presidency’s programme is based on the motto ‘recovery, power and belonging’ and on three ambitions: a new European growth model, a humane Europe and a more sovereign Europe, ‘the Ariane thread of the Presidency’, according to a French government source, which has been applied to all areas: health, environment, trade, geopolitics and defence, digital, border management, etc. (see EUROPE 12850/17).
In front of the media, Mr Macron recalled that one of the priorities of the French Presidency of the EU Council would be the new European growth model. “This new model of growth, investment, production and autonomy is a new key element of this semester, but, above all, for the coming decade”, he said. “We must continue to strengthen our economic model, that of a competitive and social economy”, added Ms von der Leyen. She also called for a rapid agreement during the French Presidency on the taxation of multinationals - for which an agreement has been reached at the OECD and the G20 - because, in her view, this reform is necessary for fair global growth.
Mr Macron also stressed the will to move forward on the climate package to “achieve a more decarbonised society and economy”. He highlighted the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, the mechanism to decarbonise transport and housing and improve electricity systems.
The digital agenda is another priority. France intends to make progress on the DSA (Digital Services Act) and DMA (Digital Markets Act). “Our common ambition is to make Europe a true digital power in the world, structured according to our own rules and values”, said the President of the European Commission.
For Mr Macron, the semester will also be “extremely important in terms of social convergence and social justice” (see other news). He called for a “fairer, more inclusive” Europe, citing texts on “a decent wage” - the minimum wage - and equal pay for men and women.
Finally, the security agenda, in terms of defence with the adoption of the ‘Strategic Compass’, and border management was also discussed. The President of the Commission, for her part, said she hoped that France would be able to give “the necessary impetus to make progress” on the reform of the Schengen area, which is one of the priorities of the French Presidency of the EU Council.
“We want to restore, preserve and strengthen the openness of the European Union’s internal borders (and) to this end, we presented proposals for reforms in this direction in December and I hope that the French Presidency will be able to give the necessary impetus”, said von der Leyen, referring to the proposals of 14 December (see EUROPE 12853/1). This also involves “strengthening the management of external borders, combatting smuggling networks and working with countries of origin and transit”, she added, hoping for “rapid progress on our Pact on Migration and Asylum”.
Despite France’s stated ambitions, the EUFP will be marked by the organisation of the French presidential elections in April and the legislative elections in June, which could disrupt it. Several French government sources sought to reassure a group of journalists, including EUROPE. One source stressed France’s “determination” to fully exercise the “responsibility” of the EU Council Presidency “until the end of June”, while another promised that the Presidency would be held “every day until 30 June, come what may”. “This is a Presidency that will make every day of the week a useful day of work, of action”, the source promised. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant with Solenn Paulic)