Alexandre Chauveau, edited by Solène Leroux
, modified at
8:08 am, January 01, 2022
This only happens every 13 years, but from January 1, France takes over the presidency of the European Union for six months. Current President Emmanuel Macron holds this mandate at least until April, until the next presidential election. And the Head of State wants to make his mark.
The agenda promises to be busy for Emmanuel Macron. He will deliver a speech in Strasbourg on 19 January which will be followed by a debate in the European Parliament. There are many projects for the Head of State who first wishes to reform the Schengen area, with the objective of strengthening Europe’s external borders and cooperation between the Member States.
Another priority: rethinking the 3% rule, resulting from the Maastricht agreements of 1992, a regulation which limits the budget deficit of countries. It is even an “outdated” standard for the tenant of the Elysee, responsible for supporting the implementation of the recovery plan of 750 billion euros.
Minimum wage, carbon tax, civic service …
Other proposals will be put forward, such as the creation of a European minimum wage, a carbon tax at the borders of the European Union, or a civic service common to member countries. However, the real powers of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union remain limited.
But Emmanuel Macron will undoubtedly take the opportunity to use his influence, especially since his European mandate will be hit hard by the presidential election in France. The oppositions blame him for it, pointing out the impossibility of exercising this presidency by being a candidate for re-election. “I will govern until the last quarter of an hour,” replies Emmanuel Macron, who assumes to make this mandate a political argument for his future campaign.