Europe and France now know which sauce they will be eaten from August 1. After weeks of negotiations, an agreement was finally reached between Donald Trump and Ursula von der Leyen on Sunday, July 27. To avoid 30% customs duties, the European Union has agreed to taxes 15% on European exports to the United States. Until then, these customs duties were valued at around 10%. If Donald Trump used superlatives as usual, speaking of “Bigger ‘deal” never passed “the president of the European Commission mentioned a “Good agreement” for the union.
But it is not really to the taste of France. In a post published on the social network X this Monday morning, the French minister responsible for Europe concedes that this agreement will “Bring temporary stability”. Benjamin Haddad also recognizes that he is free “Key sectors for the French economy”be it aeronautics, Spirits or drugs and that“He excluded any concession for our sensitive agricultural sectors” while preserving “Our European regulations on subjects such as digital or sanitary”.
Benjamin Haddad claims the anti-coercion instrument
However, “He is unbalanced”deplores the French minister. This agreement “Cannot be sustainable”he warns, before attacking the United States: “The free trade that has made the shared prosperity of the two banks of the Atlantic since the end of the Second World War is today rejected by the United States which chooses economic coercion and the complete contempt for WTO rules.” For Benjamin Haddad, If Europe does not draw the consequences Quickly, she “Risk erasure”.
Benjamin Haddad also considers that doing such “Concessions will only encourage predation outside, and the rejection of Europe within our borders by our citizens”. So what solutions? France is looking at new discussions pour “Search for commercial balance” with the United States. The Minister once again requests the use of the anti-coercion instrument, especially for “Tax digital services or exclude them from public contracts”.
Too many standards in Europe?
European interest would also be “Massively reduce the standards and regulations that continue to weigh on the competitiveness of European companies” or review “State and obsolete competition policies of the European Commission” in order to protect industries “International unfair competition”. Finally, we must support innovation. “We cannot be the latest turkeys of the rules of rules that no one respects”lance Benjamin Haddad.
