THE FORTHCOMING FRENCH PRESIDENCY OF THE COUNCIL AT A GLANCE

EU sovereignty

• Move from a Europe of cooperation within its borders to a powerful Europe in the world, fully sovereign, free to make its own choices and master of its own destiny.
• Better “control” of Europe’s borders for taking up the challenge of migration, facing up to hybrid wars and avoiding human dramas..

Reform of Schengen

• A reform of the Schengen border-free area based on the model of the Eurozone, with the establishment of a political steering committee and regular meetings between ministers.
• Creation of an emergency border support mechanism in cooperation with the EU border agency, Frontex, which would allow the rapid deployment of law enforcement and equipment at the borders in case of need.
• Move the European migration package forward by continuing to work with countries of origin and transit, but also by harmonising the rules for accompanying migrants and those governing secondary flows.

Africa and the Western Balkans

• Launch a new economic and financial New Deal with the continent (EU-Africa summit to be held in February in Brussels).
• Protecting  minorities and fighting interference in the Western Balkans and clarifying their European prospects (timeline).

Defending Europe's social model

• Summit on March 10 and 11 around a new European growth and investment model.
• Rethinking the budgetary framework of Europe previously defined by the Maastricht criteria, (the 3 per cent deficit rule is outdated)
•  A six-month "European civic service" for all young people under 25.

Reconciling climate ambitions and economic development

• European growth model to fully integrates environmental ambitions.
• Pushing the texts forward to achieve the EU’s objectives of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
• Carbon adjustment mechanism (carbon tax at the borders of Europe in order to preserve competitiveness).
• Coherence between trade policy and climate and biodiversity preservation policy, as well as a European instrument to combat imported deforestation (forbidding the import of products that contribute to deforestation).

Digital transformation

• Successful conclusion of the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) and the Digital Services Act (DSA).
• Make increasingly strong players emerge while supporting innovation and growth.
• Acting as Europeans so that we  can catch up with its competitors.
• Paying special attention to talent and setting up an “integrated digital market” to attract funding and help tech companies so they do not have to look elsewhere for money.
• Regulation and accountability of platforms.

Rule of law 'non-negotiable'

• No negotiation on the EU Rule of Law.

Strategic Autonomy

• EU's "strategic autonomy" that would allow the bloc to better weather competition from China and put it on a more equal footing with the United States.
• Stronger and more capable European defence that contributes to transatlantic and global security and is complementary to NATO (Needs to “enter a more operational phase” and make the EU Council presidency a “moment to define the Strategic Compass”.

A new European model

• Imagining a new European model at the heart of the EU Council presidency summit that is set to take place in March.
• Job creation and the fight against mass unemployment.
• The EU’s minimum wage and wage transparency directives  (ending the wage gap between women and men).
• Industrial revival in key sectors such as hydrogen, batteries, semiconductors, cloud, defence, health and culture.
• Promote European purchasing.
• Launch of several European investment plans and new industrial alliances by March.
• Adapting budgetary and financial rules and completion of a credible, simplified and transparent framework particularly a union of banking and capital in Europe.

A more ‘humane Europe’

• Renew the EU’s humanist vocation by making it more effective and closer to citizens.
• The Conference on the Future of Europe coming to a close in May should mark the start of this refounding momentum.
• Finding new instruments to help bring our democratic freedom to life and work a great deal on Europe’s history in the light of the “revisionism” that is taking place in some parts of Europe.