Emmanuel Macron, usually so fast to comment on international news, would it find it difficult to find his words? More than 48 hours after the announcement of an agreement between the European Union and the Donald Trump administration on customs duties, the President of the Republic did not leave wood.
However, it is a tasty addition to France that was signed by the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. Specifically, the customs rates of European products sent to the American soil will increase to increase to 15%now, with the exception of some sectors, such as aeronautics.
An agreement welcomed more than warm, even causing a rare exit from Prime Minister François Bayrou, obviously concerned about the consequences of this agreement on the French economy.
“It is a dark day that when an alliance of free peoples met to affirm its values and defend their interests, resolve submission,” the head of government deplored, adopting an unusual bitter tone.
The unsatisfied reactions were numerous on the side of the oppositions, even on the side of the rebel of France, which has long defended protectionism, far from a vision of an undone economy of all its barriers.
“Everything was sold to Trump,” said Jean-Luc Mélenchon on July 27. While Marine Le Pen Lee in this agreement a “political, economic and moral fiasco” and asks “Macronie” to “recognize this bitter failure.”
“Don’t be angry” with Donald Trump
Emmanuel Macron, therefore, prefers to make a low profile. The Head of State can have (a little) withdraw from the internal scene, he never deprives himself of intervening in international issues, either in the war in Ukraine, the catastrophic situation in Gaza and even the customs tasks inflicted by Donald Trump, before the conclusion of the agreement … but not since then. Contacted, Elysée did not follow up on our requests.
“It probably does not want to anger Donald Trump when many are still negotiating. Economic diplomacy is also played out of silence to return the pressure,” observes a former Emmanuel Macron minister who knows the file well, with BFMTV.
The European Union continues to negotiate the list of exempt products with the US administration. In particular, France expects wines and spirits not to be affected by this increase in customs tasks. The same mole for the pharmaceutical sector.
The publication of the final exemption list must take place before Friday, which can awaken at that time a speech of Emmanuel Macron.
“The negotiation has never ended with Donald Trump,” said former Emmanuel Macron Stéphane, who imagines the French president who plays the letter of “his veto right.”
If the European Commission has received a mandate to negotiate, the agreement must still be supported by a large part of the Member States. On this occasion, the French president could try to block negotiations, therefore, drawing his veto, or playing surveillance, making discussions last among European countries.
Try to convince the Eastern European countries
As for changing the countries most favorable to this agreement, in particular the countries of Eastern Europe that still depend on the transatlantic alliance, the idea is necessarily in a corner of the Head of the State.
“We have cards in hand and we can really develop the perspectives with each other when they have made their calculations, even in countries that do not want to get angry with the United States,” said a former Emmanuel Macron minister.
As for the former Tenant of Matignon, Gabriel Attal, cold for months with the Head of State, calls the columns of Figaro to stop “theorizing our own impotence” and “build our own power.”
Source: BFM TV
