While the French president began his state visit on Wednesday in the United States on Wednesday, he took the opportunity to assert French and European commercial interests against the future massive program of support for the energy transition carried by Joe Biden.
mo12345lemonde with AFP
This is one of the most thorny files that must be addressed between Paris and Washington. During the first day of his three-day state visit to the United States on Wednesday, November 30, Emmanuel Macron castigated the planned subsidies in the Grand Climate Plan of Joe Biden, which promote “Made in USA” products in front of goods imported from Europe and France.
“It’s super aggressive for our businesses,” said Macron, during a lunch on climatic issues and biodiversity organized at Congress. The French Head of State referred to the massive program of support for the energy transition wanted by the American president, baptized “inflation Reduction Act” (IRA). The latter aims to grant generous subsidies to companies producing in particular electric vehicles, batteries or renewable energies, provided that they are manufactured in American territory.
may “destroy many jobs”
“Put yourself in my place”, “nobody contacted me when IRA was under discussion,” argued the French president, asking to be “respected as a good friend”. He added: “Perhaps this law will solve your concern, but you will increase my problem”, in reference to the difficult economic situation in Europe, against the backdrop of war in Ukraine, galloping inflation and energy crisis.
The law which will come into force on 1 er January 2023 raises fears in Paris and Brussels a great wave of relocation of industries. Emmanuel Macron thus warned American elected officials and President Biden against the risk of “destroying many jobs” if there is no coordination between Europe and the United States. Mr. Biden intends in particular to dopy the electric vehicle sector, with a view to both recovery in industrial employment, energy transition and technological competition with China.
If the French president said that he did not “believe a second” in an American flip-flop on this legislation deemed crucial by the White House, he therefore pleaded for better synchronization between the United States and the ‘Europe. In Washington, we consider that this inflation Reduction Act will be a “win-win” project likely to also stimulate the European economy.
“Vital ally for the United States”, according to Kamala Harris
The state visit of Emmanuel Macron, the first foreign leader to whom Joe Biden reserves this diplomatic honor, had started in a more polite tone. The vice-president, Kamala Harris, had praised in France a “vital ally for the United States”, during a meeting at the siege of NASA, and cooperation “based on democratic principles and shared values”.
The French president must have another meeting on Wednesday, this time on civilian nuclear, with actors in the sector. The Head of State must also contact the French Community, after a traditional ceremony in the National Cemetery of Arlington.
Finally, Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron will meet Joe and Jill Biden for a dinner wanting to be intimate, far from the protocol splendor that the White House will deploy on Thursday for the French president, between cannon shots, meeting in the oval office and dinner Gala.