While Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron at the EU summit German-celebrate French unity, the schism between them and the Eastern Europeans. From Brussels, Christoph Hasselbach reports.
This summit should spread optimism. The Brexit negotiations will now be left to the professionals, and the British make an offer for the rights of EU-citizens in the United Kingdom after the exit. This is criticized in the meantime as insufficient and vague, but is considered progress. Now the rest of the 27 members wanted to swing to new projects.
According to symbolic the joint press conference of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron. Merkel called the summit “a Council of the Confidence and of the spirit”. Such words all the easier, as the economy starts to growth in virtually all member States, also in the previously weak, again. The Eurozone has not even just their best quarter in six years behind what is, however, due to the year-long crisis much.
In July, the beginning of the end of the Estonian presidency of the Council does not want to be but satisfied. Estonia is considered to be a digital pattern country of Europe. The Estonian head of government Jüri Ratas warned in Brussels: “data are the coal and steel industry of the future. Therefore, we must be the world market leader in the digital economy.” In the case of Merkel, he runs to open doors. She is full of praise, “because Estonia is an example of how digitization is already being lived”.
Relaxation: the President of the Commission Jean-Claude Juncker takes off the jacket
The leader of the EU wants to be in the maintenance of free world trade. She sees through protectionist tendencies of US President Donald Trump threatened. On the other hand, the EU is not “naive,” as Macron said. Openness also demand Fairness. As unfair it is to feel the European governments, if, for example, countries with dumping prices with the European market, or if companies from third countries are buying up European companies, these countries protect themselves, but, conversely, against purchases. The pillory, especially China.
Refugees distribute? Hopeless.
The overall good mood after the Brexit-Depression does not want to set but in all areas. Because the vexing issue of Migration is. Just the new hope Macron has since upset right at the beginning of the Eastern Europeans, the refuse, the main arrival countries of Italy and Greece, migrants take off. Macron had not complained, it was here in the “supermarket” and it is in the EU not only “to distribute the money without being aware of European values”.
He had named no names, but the Intended feel of the raised, for example, Hungary. Prime Minister Viktor Orban yelled back, which was a”,” Macron was a “greenie” and “his debut will be a little encouraging.” The Austrian Chancellor, Christian Kern agreed, however, Macron: “I can’t demand only, and then the obligations.”
In search of a future: migrants from Africa
In order to smooth the waves, had taken a Macron on the sidelines of the summit with the heads of government of Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, which together form the so-called Visegrad group. Came out of it. Merkel said after the summit, the question of the fight against the causes of Flight and the question of the control of the external borders “we are very, very United”. You have achieved “unfortunately, no progress on the question of the distribution”, but also from the outset hardly any time out related, she added resignedly, “because it was clear that we can make progress”.
Macron added in the joint press conference with Merkel: “The current refugee crisis is temporary, but a long-term challenge, which must find their answer in a long-term stabilization in Africa, the Middle East, and an ambitious European development policy.”
Competition from Eastern Europe
The conversation between the Macron and the Visegrad countries, but it was for another reason sensitive. Macron fears that the whole European project was at stake, because workers would be in the rich Western European countries, the fear of Eastern European competition. Macron has explained recently, even the Brexit, as he said: “How could it come to a Brexit? Because workers from Eastern Europe, acquisitions of British jobs.” Macron calls for a Change in the so-called posting of workers Directive. According to his ideas from Eastern Europe posted workers should get the customary, for example, French wages paid. He has some support in other high-wage countries such as Germany and Austria. But the Eastern Europeans reject to your competitive advantage.
Many West Europeans fear of Eastern European competition, for example, on the construction
This summit has shown that the German-French Duo has received with the choice of Emmanuel Macron, new energy, and perhaps also new European projects could drive. But at the same time, the gap between the West and the East is threatening, between old and new EU members, to be even deeper.