Bruno Le Maire and Robert Habeck are to be received at the White House on Tuesday. TASOS KATOPODIS / REUTERS
The Minister of the Economy is going to the United States on Monday with Robert Habeck, his German counterpart, to defend Europe’s positions against the IRA, the American support plan for energy transition.
It is a Franco-German duo who goes to Washington on Monday to defend European positions against the IRA, Joe Biden’s plan to beef up the American green industry with massive subsidies. A journey in a formatunpublished“, we boast at Bercy. Bruno Le Maire and his German counterpart in charge of the economy, Robert Habeck, will be received on Tuesday February 7 at the White House. They will meet with Katherine Tai, President’s Representative for Commerce, Gina Raimondo, Secretary of Commerce, and Janet Yellen, Secretary of the Treasury.
While Paris and Berlin differ on the means of financially supporting the European response to the IRA or on strategic subjects such as nuclear power, the two ministers intend to display, in Washington, the solidity of the Franco-German couple. While playing collective since they will carry messages from the European Commission, associated with the preparation of this trip, indicates Bercy.
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The Europeans know that they have very little room for maneuver because the text of the IRA, adopted last summer by Congress, which provides for 370 billion dollars in subsidies, is “quite precise“, says one at the Ministry of the Economy. Especially since the Twenty-Seven have already obtained a concession. European electric vehicles, if they are marketed in leasing, will be able to benefit from the tax credit of 7500 dollars. The measure will mainly benefit German manufacturers.
American canvassing
For the rest, the Franco-German delegation will let it be known that it considers unfriendly the canvassing observed in recent weeks by American emissaries, in particular elected officials, on the Old Continent with industrialists with the aim of bringing them across the Atlantic.
Bruno Le Maire and Robert Habeck will, among other things, ask their American interlocutors to respect “the principle of transparency“. The aim is to ensure that the amounts of public aid are precisely identified on both sides of the Atlantic in order to avoid a mad race for subsidies.
After this display of unity, the differences between Europeans are likely to resurface on Thursday, at the European summit where the response to the IRA will be on the menu, in addition to the very sensitive file of immigration.