European Union – Mme Amélie de Montchalin’s participation in the General Affairs Council (Brussels, 17 February 2020)

Amélie de Montchalin, Minister of State for European Affairs, attached to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, took part in the General Affairs Council in Brussels, which is preparing the extraordinary session of the European Council due to meet on 20 February to reach an agreement at heads-of-state-and-government level on the budget for the 2021-2027 period.

The Minister of State signaled France’s desire to reach an agreement on this budget, which must be a lever for tackling the challenges Europe is facing – provided, however, that it is a genuinely balanced agreement. In this regard, the Minister of State emphasized the progress contained in the proposal made by M. Charles Michel, European Council President, following bilateral meetings with the 27 member states (the creation of new resources, the introduction of conditionalities linked to the rule of law, and the maintenance of the regions-in-transition category within the cohesion policy).

She also reiterated France’s priorities which have not yet been satisfied, in particular: the overall volume of the Common Agricultural Policy, the European Defence Fund and Euro Area budget packages, the abolition of rebates, the implementation of social conditionalities, and ambitious climate and biodiversity targets.