MACRON’S REORIENTATION PROPOSALS FOR EUROPE

Based on Macron's Program 

Translated from French into English by CdF

Europe faces today a triple challenge: Accordingly it is necessary to take time for debate and reestablish trust, reaffirm the five dimensions of European sovereignty and reinforce European identity by concrete achievements.

Take the time for debate and reestablish confidence in Europe

The basis of a new European Union will be laid down at the end of a large citizen consultation at national and European level.

• We’ll propose to our partners to launch throughout the European Union democratic conventions by the end of 2017. During six to ten months in each Member State according to modalities that leave the choice to governments and communities, a  European debate will be organized about the content of the Union’s action and the priorities it must have. By feeding on these debates, European governments will elaborate a brief road map, with a few common challenges and precise actions, tracing the priorities of action of the Union and their implementation calendar for the next five years to come.
• We’ll establish European lists to elect the 73 MEPs corresponding to the British seats of the European Parliament. If the Brexit negotiation calendar allows it this change could take place as early as the European elections in June 2019.

Reinforce the European Union on the 5 dimensions of sovereignty

We’ll assume a stronger European action on the great challenges that we can better resolve together, by concentrating the European Union on these isues.

Europe of security

Europe that protects its borders in the respect of its values

• We’ll propose to our partners to reinforce a European border police force by giving it a sustainable monitoring and protection capacity of external borders. The objective is to have 5000 men available to be called by the European Agency for border guards and coast guards.
• We’ll develop actions and projects in the main countries of migrants’ departure and transit as a complementary and additional measure of our development aid, in relying also on the establishment of control points in those countries before the arrival in the EU, assistance in dealing with people smugglers and the return of migrants non authorized to enter the EU.
• The respect of these engagements will be verified on the occasion of an annual conference. It will be taken into account in the major balances of public development assistance policy. 

Europe of defence based on concrete cooperations

• We propose the creation of a European Defence Fund that will finance common military equipments (e.g. European drone) as well as joint research and development programs in the military field.
• We propose the establishment of a Permanent European Headquarters responsible for ensuring the planning and control of European defence operations in close relation with the national command centres and NATO.
• We propose the creation of a European Security Council bringing together the main military, diplomatic and intelligence leaders of Member States. For this, we’ll establish a scientific cooperation between the Member States that wish to advance together on defence matters without waiting for the participation of all EU countries.

A police and judiciary cooperation permitting efficient action at the European level.

• We propose the establishment of a true European information system in order to facilitate intelligence actions: a centralized databank with a mandatory exchange of information that is accessible to the intelligence services of the different Member States.
• We propose to reinforce and harmonize the security of ID cards (biometrics)

Europe of Growth

• We propose the creation of a budget for the Eurozone with 3 functions (investment in the future, urgent financial assistance and response to economic crisis). The access to this budget will be conditioned on the respect of common rules at the fiscal and social level (in order to avoid dumping within the Eurozone.
• We propose the creation of a post of Economic and Finance Minister for the Eurozone who will be in charge of the budget of the Eurozone under the control of a Parliament of the Eurozone bringing together European Parliamentarians of Member States.
• We will demand the establishment of a set of European social rights defining minimum standards in terms of rights to training, health coverage, unemployment insurance or minimum wage (at levels that take into account the unequal development of Member States).

 A Europe that protects in globalization

A fair world competition that protects European enterprises

• We’ll defend the reinforcement of an anti-dumping instruments that must be more deterrent and more reactive (for example to fight against unfair competition of countries such as China or India on steel).
• We’ll defend a ‘Buy European Act’ that allows to reserve access to European public procurement to enterprises that locate at least half of their production in Europe.
• We propose the establishment at European level of an instrument of control of foreign investments in Europe to preserve our interests and strategic sectors as does the US or China or what exists in France.
• We propose to create a ‘European Commercial Prosecutor’ to verify the respect of engagements taken by our partners and to quickly sanction their breach, notably regarding social, environmental or tax aspects.

A commercial policy that defends European preferences and values.

• We’ll demand the integration in all EU commercial agreements of a tax cooperation component as well as binding social and environmental clauses (by lowering as a priority customs tariffs on clean goods and services and by establishing commercial sanctions in case of breach of social and environmental clauses)

A more democratic commercial policy

• We’ll propose the establishment of watchdog committees that associate representatives of associations and NGOs during negotiations, then for the application of commercial agreements and the evaluation of their impact.

Europe of sustainable development

• We’ll reform the European carbon market by establishing a base price of the carbon ton. It is the condition for an efficient and equitable energy transition for our enterprises.
• We’ll make the agricultural common policy more protective and more reactive by putting in place revenue stabilization mechanisms adapted to each sector (contra-cyclical subsidies, regulation of production) and in promoting an agriculture more respectful of the environment.

Digital Europe

• We’ll promote the creation of a European Venture Capital Fund to accompany the growth of European digital start-ups. This fund will require at least 5 billion euros
• We’ll renegotiate with the United States the ‘Privacy Shield’ the data protection framework before 2018 in order to guarantee the preservation of personal data of all Europeans.
• We’ll propose the creation of a European Agency for digital trust responsible for regulating large digital platforms to guarantee the protection of personal data and loyalty in their operation.

Reinforce European Identity by achievements

• We’ll promote the creation of a European Apprentice status in order to facilitate mobility

New Creations

1. Creation of a European Defence Fund
2. Creation of a Permanent European Headquarters responsible for ensuring the planning and control of European defence operations
3. Creation of a European Security Council
4. Establishment of a true European information system in order to facilitate intelligence actions
5. Creation of a budget for the Eurozone
6. Creation of a post of Economic and Finance Minister for the Eurozone under the control of a Parliament of the Eurozone bringing together European Parliamentarians of Member States.
7. Establishment at European level of an instrument of control of foreign investments in Europe.
8. Create a ‘European Commercial Prosecutor’
9. Establishment of watchdog committees during trade negotiations, and then for the application of commercial agreements and the evaluation of their impact.
10. Creation of a European Venture Capital Fund to accompany the growth of European digital start-ups. This fund will require at least 5 billion euros
11. Creation of a European Agency for digital trust responsible for regulating large digital platforms
12. Creation of a European Apprentice status in order to facilitate mobility