Franco-German couple Macron+Merkel say BREXIT may Boost EU Integration Faster

- "I see it as a more InVigorating element" stressed Merkel from the outset, in Reply to Questions at her Press Conference in the Conclusion of this December 2019 EU Summit here.

- Because, "Perhaps, this will also Give us (EU) a bit of a Boost, in order to Speed Up", and act "More Decisively", the German Chancellor added.

+ Meanwhile, "Many people are Pleased" that those UK Elections gave "a Clear Result", so that "we woN't have, No more another Hung Parliament, to come and go again" at Westminster, Contrary to the Past, But "we Now have some Certainty ... that Britain's DisOrdely Exit from the EU is No Longer a reality", since "the (Withdrawal) Agreement, that we had drawn up, Will Apply". "Boris Johnson has Managed to Convince a Large Number of Citizens", and "it's Good to have a (UK) Prime Minister with a Strong Mandate, who Can, therefore, really Negotiate with us (EU), and "Succeed that ...Britain can ...be a Good Partner for the EU, as we want", Merkel concluded.

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- Mainly, "We (EU) must Accelerate in going for Europe's Sovereignity !", ambitiously stressed French President Macron, Replying to a relevant Question on BREXIT's "GeoPolitcal" and other Consequences, at his own Press Conference, later Today.

- In Fact, "We are Ready to Advance with All those EU Member States which Wish so, in order to Build that European Sovereignity in Defence ("Military"), GeoPolitics, Technology (IA, 5G, etc), Climate (i.e. Energy), Food", etc., he explicitated.

+ In Parallel, we keep "a very Special Relation", a "Special Link with our Brittish Allies", not only through Already Existing Bilateral Agreements, "independently of the EU", But Also by "Elaborating the Coordination Tools for the UK to Continue as a European Partner ...for All the EU", Macron added.

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- On the 1st Point, even if, "in this Europe of Tomorrow, (i.e. After BREXIT), France is the Only EU Member State to have Nuclear Power, and to be UNO Security Council's Permanent Member", so that "this gives us a Special Responsibility", as he noted, however, naturally, "We are led to Discuss with our 1st Historic and Economic Partner : Germany, but Coordinate also with Italy and Other EU Countries".

- A Main point is to "Try to Build more Convergences". As, "f.ex. in Defense : Reinforced Cooperation, EU Defense Fund, European Intitiative for Intervention (which reached 10 Countries, last July in Paris, Together with the UK !)", etc., he reminded.

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+ Meanwhile, concerning a UK - EU Future Trade Deal,  - "We (EU) will have a Competitor sitting in front of our Door : Great Britain, who will be No Longer integrated into the (EU's) Internal Market, and will ...Consider the Extend to which it would Change its Standards : Britain will certainly Weigh up very carefully and ask what the Benefits are of leaving certain Standards that we have in the European Union, and what are the Disadvantages that can arise from this". So that the UK "will make an Effort that will Show to the World what is Inside" EU's "Door" towards the European Common Market, explained Merkel.

 - Indeed, the "UK should Stay Our (EU's) Friend", But "Conclure a Trade Deal withOut Dumping", Added also Later-on Macron.  "So that it will have More Access to EU Market, withOut Big Differences of Regulation on Health, Climate, Economy and Social" relevant matters, warned the French President.

- In Fact, "It's Simple : It all Depends on what they (UK) will ask for Regulation : More they will Diverge from EU's Regulations, More Difficult and Long it will be to Find a (Trade) Deal. Less they Diverge from EU Regulations, Easier and Faster it will be to have Good Access to EU's Markets", replied, in substance, Macron to a relevant Question.

=> Now, the most Challenging, during the Forthcoming Weeks or Months, is that we must ...Organise the Future Relations EU - UK, on 3 Principles (decided this Morning) : 1) Closer possible relation on Trade + Security/Defense, as the UK stays on our side in Europe, 2) Guarantee the EU, 3) Ensure Our Strategic Interests, particularly, Fishing, +Internal Security", etc.

>>> In a Call "to our British Friends, (at this Moment, when our Future Relations are to be Built)", Macron stressed : - "You Endorsed the Choice (BREXIT) made 3 Years ago. But you are Not Leaving Europe : You Stay at Our Side, and we too at your Side. Our History, Geography, Values, link us Beyond Hazards, Errors or Deceptions. So that, (we) Support this Relation Forged by Joint Fights in History, and common Responsibilities due to Geography, (Once Clarity made, in Legal/Institutional terms), Guiding us to be Responsible, and Build this (New) Common Future Together."

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- But, concerning the Most Important matter : EU's foreseable Future, "We will Advance, if we have Clarity", he stressed :

 - Until now, "I thought that Europe had almost Abandoned Power, Sovereignity, in order to become only a Market. That's Not a Project ! Where are the High-Tech Projects ?", Macron Wondered.

-  On the Contrary, "We (EU) Must Find the Strength of a Political Project able to create the Adhesion of our People", the French President rightfully Urged, (practically endorsing a Key, Long-Time Call by "Eurofora" and other real Europeans).

- In Fact, "I Believe to this Continent (Europe)'s Force !", "And, Inside this Continent, to EU's Force", he Optimistically stressed.

=> So that, "We Shall See, in a Few Years, what all this will give : If we (EU) succeed to Find that Force, this Attractive Project, Who says what the Brittish will do then ?", Macron wondered, (Obviously implying that a New UK Referendum, in that case, might call for a Return Back in a "New" EU, as "Eurofora" has also speculated several times, i.e. returning, somehow, to the 1960-1970 era, when London had repeatedly Asked for its EU Accession)...

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+ In this regard, concerning a Question on the "Conference for Europe's Future",  Similar to what "Eurofora" had Already Asked Yesterday to Both EU Parliament's President, David Sassoli, and to Macron's own "Elysée" Counselor on European Issues, (See: http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/euparliamentpresidentforstrongcitizenvoices.html, etc),  Macron was called to Confirm, (or not), his initial "Ambitions", considering an Impression from EU's Latest "Conclusions" that they Look quite "Weak", comparatively.

- Indeed, "We must Start with the Maximum of Ambition, and Associate our Citizens, in order to Advance during the Next Months" (2020), stressed the French President in Reply, i.e. apparently Confirming what his EU Counselor had told "Eurofora" Yesterday, (See ibid).

- "If Necessary, I Will engage all my Energy and Remind that we Need More Ambition", he promised.

- "Let's Examine things in the Wider Possible way, and Afterwards, see what Conclusions we'll have. It' just Starting : Don't be Defeatist, But Be Vigilent !", he Advised, (i.e. almost launching a Similar Invitation to that Yesterday made by EU Parliament's President to in Reply to "Eurofora", for EU Citizens to use a "Strong Voice" : Comp. ..., etc).   

- In particular, inter alia, there are "NO TABU" for me : Even if Changes might Need to Modify the (EU) Treaties, I am Ready !", Macron promised,

(Even if, at least as far as it concerns the Activation of "Regular Dialogue" with EU "Civil Society" and "Citizens", before "Acts" are taken by anyone among the "EU Institutions", it's Enough to Simply use, in real Practice, ...Lisbon Treaty's already existing "Article 11", as "Eurofora" has Already Discussed with EU Ombudswoman, Emily O'Reilly, and with EU Commission's vice-President Dombrovski : See http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/euombudsmanoneurofforaproject.html + http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/eucomvpresidentoncitizensanddigitalisation.html, etc).

- "Because we Must make our Europe Advance" forward, Macron concluded, at any case.

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+Meanwhile, concerning "the €uro-Zone Budget", Chancellor Merkel ensured that "this is, Now, a Reality". "And, above al, it is intended to strengthen Competitiveness and Convergence", she added.

- "It must then also be Adopted in the context of the medium-term (Multi-Annual) Financial Perspectives", where there will be some "interesting detailed" work, observed Merkel, Announcing, Moreover, that "on March (2020) we (EU Heads of State/Government) are Focusing on Digitalisation, i.e. the Digital Single Market".

- To a Press Question about an Alleged "German demand to Freeze its Contribution to EU Budget, until 2027, up to a GDP percentage", she Rightfully Replied, First of all, that, here, "the Word 'Freezing'does Not quite Apply, because a (GDP) Percentage of Today is, of course, clearly More Money than a percentage 7 Years Ago !"... Because, "in This Case, the 1 % is also a Dynamic Factor", as Merkel Explained.

+ Moreover, Nowadays, "We (EU Council) have Not Yet reached the "Hot" Stage of the Negotiations", but just "want to develop a common Position, as far as possible, among the Net Contributors" (to EU Budget), "a Number of whom have Also a Percentage in mind", while, Also,  "the EU Parliament's President, Yesterday, made it Clear.... that We Need to Talk", because "there are considerable Differences between Parliament and Council" on that matter. So that, "I am Not putting my Last Negotiating Card Now, But ...my Starting position", while, "there are Countries much Tougher than Germany on that issue", she observed...

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 + On "€uroZone's Reform", Macron also spoke about "Progress" made Nowadays, since "on 2020 we will Set Up a Strengthened Stability Mechanism, allowing to Support a Country BEFORE a Financial Criis, and a 1st Budget for €uroZone, which was Impossible some Months ago", as he reminded.

-  "That's Better", But, the French President also made it "Clear", that, "in (his) View, that' Not Enough !" :

=> Indeed, "We Need to Trigger a Strong and Strategic Work by Heads of State/Governments, in order to Advance ahead", he Urged. "It's an almost Philosophical, Strategic "Adjiornamento", that we Need, on EU Growth Funding, which has Not Yet been done"...

-"Because we (EU) have Not Yet that Economic Policy able to meet the Challenges that we face, and the current Economic and Financial Environment", Macron Criticized : F.ex., "We (EU) are the Eco Force which Invests the Less on its Priorities, (Comp. Supra), which uses the Less the environment of Law Rates [of Loans], when I See what's going on in the USA, China, etc. And commits the "Exploit" to "Fill the Coffers with Savings which Serve ...to the USA to Fund their Deficits, I.e., the "American Dream", (Projects) Decided by the USA Government !", he Denouned, ad absurdum...

- "And we, Europe, still remain closed in structures Dating from the beginning of the 1990ies, while we should Invest to Build the New Infrastructures which correspond to the Technologies of Tomorrow !, It's a profound Error !", Macron Criticized.

- Indeed, Until Now, "the Advance made on the EU Convergence Budget, is Not Sufficient : There is Not yet a Political Deal for this Budget to serve Also Stabilisation", (But Only "Competitiveness and Convergence" : Comp. Supra). And, "during the Next Months, we must Either Decide to give it a Sufficient Volume, Or to Use External Resources"...

+ "It's also Obvious that we must go Faster towards a Real Banking Union, inside €uroZone. It's Not Yet done". But, "Only thus could we send a part of Excedentary Savings to Areas which have a Growth Potential", he Urged.

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=> In Other Words, to put it in a Nutshell : ... A Public Debate "on Europe's Future" seems to have Just Started !...

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