European borders, presidential … What to remember from Emmanuel’s press conference … – BFMTV

Emmanuel Macron wanted to present his priorities. As France soon takes the rotating presidency of the European Union, the Head of State presented the main axes that will guide its governance.

Just before taking the rotating presidency of the European Union, Emmanuel Macron spoke at a press conference. The President of the Republic began by speaking quickly, highlighting the importance of the European Union in this context of the coronavirus pandemic in particular.

Attacked by Valérie Pécresse and Yannick Jadot on the calendar of the rotating presidency during the presidential campaign, Emmanuel Macron defends himself.

“We did not choose this calendar. It is the fruit of the implementation of Brexit. The countries that come before and after themselves have electoral periods”, thus advanced the president.

“We must play our role with the spirit of responsibility, considering that it is France, that there is also a continuity”, explained the President of the Republic. “Perhaps the policy of France will change, for sure France will remain France, in any case I will do everything for and I will do it in the coming months until the electoral deadlines which are ours.”

“Tell me the date when we must stop working democratically? It’s the end of the mandate. I will work until the end of the mandate,” added the president.

Asked about a possible candidacy for the next presidential election, Emmanuel Macron did not wish to answer.

Asked about the controversies surrounding the candidacy of Eric Zemmour, Emmanuel Macron first kicked in touch.

“It is not for the president to qualify or disqualify a candidate in a future election. It is for the French people to decide sovereignly. There are rules, they are controlled by the judge (…) and c It is up to the sovereign people to choose, ”the president explained.

However, he assured that “to love France and respect the French is basically to have a certain idea of ​​the greatness of France”.

• A new part and a logo

To mark this French presidency and the 20 years of the single currency, the government presented a new 2 euro coin. “This is the first time that we have changed the design of this piece”, added Clément Beaune.

• The desire for a “Europe that knows how to protect its borders”

Emmanuel Macron felt that the European Union had to endow itself with a “new ambition”. The president wants to make “Europe more sovereign”. It will even be the “first axis” of French governance. The Head of State thus wants to avoid the migratory crises and the tragedies which result from them, like “what we lived in the Channel two weeks ago”.

“We must find a Europe which knows how to protect its borders”, assured Emmanuel Macron, who pleaded for a reform of Schengen.

Organization and political guidance should be put in place, with regular ministerial meetings. An “urgent border support mechanism”, in gendarmes or police, must also be put in place. Finally, Emmanuel Macron wants to “advance the migration package” to protect the external borders, harmonize the rules on asylum and management of flows and avoid “uncooperative games” between the Member States.

• The desire for a common defense policy

Emmanuel Macron highlighted a need to better organize European defense. The head of state defended a strategy to “draw a European strategic sovereignty” to fight against “common threats”. Joint exercises should be carried out.

“This concept which seemed unthinkable four years ago makes it possible to anchor that we Europeans, whether we are members of NATO or not (…), have common threats and common objectives”, declared Emmanuel Macron.

• Two great summits to come

Emmanuel Macron praised the importance of the relationship with Africa for “peace and prosperity”. “It’s our common interest,” he said. He notably defended the establishment of a “New Deal” between Europe and Africa.

“We will organize in this regard (…) a summit between the African Union and the European Union” in February in Brussels, promised Emmanuel Macron, who denounced the bureaucratization of the relationship between the two continents.

In addition, a major summit focusing on the EU economy is to be organized on March 10 and 11.

“Our Europe must be a Europe where we can produce, create wealth”, proclaimed Emmanuel Macron, with the aim of defining the “new growth model” of Europe.

“We will need to build a credible budgetary and financial framework”, he explained, proposing to reform Maastricht and defending the importance of new investments in certain sectors such as ecological transition.

• Support for ecological transition

“Under the French presidency, one of the objectives will be the establishment of the carbon adjustment mechanism at the borders”, explained the Head of State, who also highlighted the importance of carbon neutrality in the Union of ‘by 2050.

“European economic players cannot be a victim of their efforts for the planet,” said Emmanuel Macron, however.

Soybeans, beef or even coffee could be banned in Europe if they contribute to deforestation, warned Emmanuel Macron. An instrument to fight against this “imported deforestation” must be negotiated. “It is very consistent with our climate policy,” assured the Head of State.

• A directive on minimum wages

“If our Europe does not better protect the weakest (…) then a market without rules appears in which the middle classes no longer recognize themselves”, explained Emmanuel Macron, who calls for the creation of “good jobs”.

A directive on minimum wages could be presented during the French presidency.

“It does not set a minimum wage but it pulls all low wages up and it will be at the heart of our presidency (…) to pull towards a decent minimum wage in Europe.”

The Head of State announced that the texts on quotas between men and women in the boards of directors of companies should be finalized during the first half of 2022.

• The defense of a “human Europe”

Emmanuel Macron wants to make the French presidency a “great moment of“ European humanism. ”He wants the EU to give itself“ simple ambitions ”not to distance itself from European citizens, by imagining a potential renegotiation of the treaties.

“There are political forces which question these values ​​which make our Europe”, analyzed Emmanuel Macron, who intends to put in place sanctions for the States which do not respect them.

The president announced that he wanted to relaunch “a great deal of work on the history of Europe”. By denouncing “historical revisionism” in certain countries, he assured that it was necessary “to build an academic framework” to support historians in their work on the continent.

Regarding youth, the Head of State called for the establishment of a six-month “European civic service” for those under 25, on the model of that which was recently created in France.

• United Kingdom targeted

While tensions have increased with London in recent weeks, on fishing or immigration, Emmanuel Macron has made harsh remarks. He thus assured that “the current government (…) does not do what it says”.

“I love Britain and its people, but I want a government that wants to work in good faith.”

Recalling that the United Kingdom was also part of the agreement between Australia and the United States in the submarine crisis, the Head of State considered that “all these are not glaring signs of ‘friendships’. However, he praised a “sincere re-engagement” and “progress” in recent weeks.