The French Presidency of Europe presents its priorities to parliamentary commissions The French Presidency of Europe presents its priorities to parliamentary committees comments

The ministers present the priorities of the French Presidency of the EU Council to parliamentary commissions during a series of meetings.France assures the presidency of the council until the end of June 2022.A first series of auditions was held from January 24 to 27.European Parliament in FranceEmploi et Affaires Sociale January 25, the Minister of Labor, Employment and Economic Inclusion, Élisabeth Borne, has identified as main priorities the promotion of employment and the protection of workers, inclusive social modelsand more resilient companies.She also said that she wanted to conclude negotiations on a fair minimum wage and obtain significant progress in the wage transparency file.Other priorities are the establishment of new rights for platform workers and the guarantee of healthy work environments.MPs overall praised the program.They pleaded for the release of the file on the coordination of social security and called for urgent measures to deal with the consequences of the pandemic on employment and education as well as on the mental health of young EUs of the EU.Regional development January 25, the Minister of Territorial Cohesion and Relations with local authorities, Jacqueline Gourault, said he wanted to debate with the deputies of the recent 8th report on economic, social and territorial cohesion, which analyzes the geography of discontent emergingthe most peripheral areas of the EU.The deputies said that the cohesion policy should only finance solutions that protect the environment and should be a priority in all budgetary discussions.They also warned of current significant delays concerning cohesion funds and wish to debate what cohesion policy will look like after 2027.The deputies finally called on the presidency to work on a code of conduct on partnerships in order to improve the participation of local and regional communities.Culture and Education January 26, the Minister of Culture, Roselyne Bachelot, mentioned three key priorities: set up an intra-European mobility program for cultural artists and workers, consolidate the artistic and cultural sovereignty of the EU and ensureAccess of all to culture.The deputies asked how the cultural and linguistic diversity of the EU would be safeguarded in the digital age and called for measures to combat the discrimination and reproduction of racial stereotypes in art.The deputies also asked questions about EU initiatives in the video game sector, on the return of works of art looted to the old colonies, and praised the project to set up a European support for journalisminvestigation and independent.On January 27, the Minister of Higher Education, Research and Innovation, Frédérique Vidal, highlighted the following priorities: to create synergies between higher education, research, innovation and services, and progress on the initiative "European universities".It also discussed the creation of an independent commission for European history and the European Academy.The deputies wanted to know if the presidency intended to guarantee automatic recognition, on the level of the EU, diplomas and qualifications of level lower than university, access to Erasmus+ funding for studentsmore disadvantaged and support for digital skills and education.Environment, public health and food security January 26, the Minister of Ecological Transition, Barbara Pompili, told deputies that the presidency had four priorities in the field of the environment: the climate package "Fit for 55", for which shewishes to achieve a position of the council by June, biodiversity, the circular economy, in particular the stategies in terms of batteries and waste, and the right to a healthy environment.The deputies questioned it on a series of issues, such as the way of obtaining broader support for climatic ambitions in all the Member States, the French position on the future decision concerning green energy sources in taxonomy,the calendar of the batteries and sustainability of the policies.On January 27, the Minister of Solidarity and Health, Olivier Véran, said that the presidency would concentrate his work on the conclusion of an agreement relating to the serious cross -border threats weighing on the health regulations.In addition, the presidency will work on the strengthening of health cooperation within the EU, the role of the Union in global health, the future of the Union of Health, Mental Health, thedigitization of health care, as well as on rare diseases and antimicrobial resistance.The deputies asked questions about the Union of Health, COVVI-19, cancer treatments, digitization, health inequalities, women's health and the right to abortion.Constitutional affairs January 26, the Secretary of State for European Affairs, Clément Beaune, stressed that the greatest challenge was to strengthen our democracies and the European legal order, both against internal and external threats, as well as againstInformation manipulation.In addition, he approached the transnational electoral lists for the European elections and an electoral district on the EU scale.On this last point, some deputies have raised the question of the balance between the Member States and to know if it would facilitate or hinder the integration of the EU.The deputies also debated the rights of initiative and investigation of the Parliament, the financing of political parties and the transparency of political advertising, an independent EU ethics body, delays in the Council onProcedures for Article 7 and the Conference on the future of Europe.Industry, Research and Energy Entering the Energy Policy, Barbara Pompili, Minister of Ecological Transition, pleaded for an “acceleration of the decarbonation of the economy”, and to advance negotiations to the Council on Directives on Energy Energy Effectivenessand on renewable energies.The presidency will also work on the latest proposals of the package “Fit for 55’ ’on the gas system, buildings and methane.Finally, the increase in energy prices will continue to be the subject of in -depth discussion.In the field of industry, SMEs and space, Agnès Pannier-Runacher, Minister Delegate in charge of Industry, called to “invent a new growth model”, which leads Europeans to think abouttheir strategic autonomy and their vulnerabilities, in particular in terms of supply of health products or semiconductors.Finally, the presidency will bring the fight for fair competition in order to allow European companies to fight on equal arms with their competitors, she concluded.In the field of research and innovation, Frédérique Vidal, Minister of Higher Education, Research and Innovation, said that the presidency will work for a European knowledge policy in order to promote synergies betweeneducation, research, innovation and services to the company.She also pleaded for the strengthening of the attractiveness of Europe of research.The presidency will also support the construction of a "real European innovation space" and will work on the deployment of the Horizon Europe program.Finally, cooperation with third countries in matters of research must emphasize respect for values and principles as well as the interests of the Union.International trade January 24, deputies have exhortedfranck Riester, Minister Delegate in charge of foreign trade and economic attractiveness, namely whether the Member States have made progress on legislation relating to foreign subsidies and on the anti-coercion tool presentedrecently.In addition, they wish to see progress as to the free trade agreements with Chile, and have called for a rapprochement with Taiwan and the support of Lithuania against China.Several deputies have said that the debate on an investment agreement with China should not be relaunched without the adoption of a regulation linked to an instrument based on trade against forced labor.Franck Riester added that the presidency expected an agreement on the instrument relating to international public procurement during his mandate.Economic and monetary affairs, January 25, the Minister of the Economy, Bruno Le Maire, said that a green and socially equitable economic recovery as well as better integration of innovation into the EU economic model were prioritiesabsolute.In addition, he stressed that progress in the completion of the Union of Capital Markets and the Banking Union, as well as the revision of the economic governance model, would be essential to carry out these priorities.The deputies asked for more details on the position of France on the regulations relating to taxonomy and on the revision of the stability and growth pact.Tax policy has also been raised on several occasions and some French deputies have expressed their fears with regard to the influence that financial lobbies exercise on the development of European and tax laws.Agriculture and rural development reciprocal standards for environmental and health production for products imported from third countries are, with the sequestration of carbon, the two main priorities, said the Minister of Agriculture and Food, Julien Denormandie, on 25January.Mirror clauses should be used in trade agreements and farmers must be able to capture more carbon, he added.Many deputies approved the presidency approach.A number of deputies highlighted the current crisis in the pig meat sector and asked for a system to support farmers.Some have asked questions about nutritional food labeling systems, while others have proposed a cautious approach to the revision of EU geographic indication systems and the policy of promoting agricultural products of theUnion.Interior market and consumer protection wills all the potential of the single market, in accordance with digital and ecological transitions, guaranteeing fair competition and protecting consumers against dangerous products are among the issues put forward by the Minister Delegate responsible for Industry, Agnès AgnèsPannier-Runacher, January 25.The Secretary of State for Digital Transition and Communications, Electronic, Cédric O, reaffirmed the desire to conclude a provisional agreement on the laws on markets and digital services under the French presidency.Artificial intelligence legislation and data were also mentioned in its intervention.The deputies have, among other things, addressed the need for more complete harmonization of the rules, in particular for digital markets, the role of consumers in the ecological transition, sustainability and repairability of products, interoperability, targeted advertising,common chargers, the instrument of the single market for emergency situations, foreign subsidies or even SMEs.Women's rights and gender equality January 25, the Minister Delegate responsible for equality between women and men, diversity and equal opportunities, Elisabeth Moreno, said that the French presidency would endeavor to dosucceed in several major texts, in particular on wage transparency, the presence of women in the boards of directors of companies and the ratification of the Istanbul Convention.The deputies called for a reinforced action in the face of violence, which increased by 30% since the start of the pandemic.They also questioned the minister on care strategy, the promotion of gender equality through EU foreign policy, or sexual and genesic rights.On this last point, the minister recalled that the French presidency wanted to open the debate on the way of explaining the recognition of the right to abortion in the EU fundamental rights charter.Foreign Affairs, January 25, the Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs, Jean-Yves Le Drian, condemned the strengthening of troops on the Ukrainian border.Referring to the next African EU-Union summit, he stressed that the security situation in Mali and in the Sahel region in the broad sense was a priority, as well as the situation in Burkina Faso.On the Balkans and the enlargement process, the presidency will organize a conference later in 2022.In their answers, the deputies asked questions about the Balkan countries candidates for membership and on the actions that would be envisaged against the leader of Bosnia Serbs, Milorad Dodik.On the Ukrainian crisis, the deputies questioned the French proposals aimed at restoring dialogue with Russia and asked if the EU member states would align with the request of the deputies for a more assertive action against China.Find out more parliamentary commissions of the Think Tank DUPE - priority files within the framework of the French presidency of the EU Council [size = 18] [/Table] [/size]