Thursday, the heads of state and government, including Emmanuel Macron, meet in Brussels to find an agreement on the budget of the Union of 27. Amélie de Montchalin, the secretary of state to the Minister for Europe and for Foreign Affairs, in charge of European Affairs, will also take the direction of Brussels with the President. These budgetary discussions constitute the first major post-Brexit challenge for Europeans who are far from all agreeing. The current project, for example, provides for cuts in the funds of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
According to her, to build a strong Europe, it is necessary "to put the means. We do not want a Europe at a discount, where everyone contributes but not too much". However, the frugal countries, the Netherlands, Denmark, Austria and Sweden, supported behind the scenes by Germany, do not want to pay more. How then can an agreement be reached when, for the moment, the draft budget cuts funds for the regions, defense and the common agricultural policy (CAP)?
"I don't know if there will be an agreement," admits Amélie de Montchalin, who considers that, if we receive a lot for our farmers, a reduction in the budget is not desirable: "We cannot ask our farmers to do more by giving them less. " "Our objective is to ensure that farmers have the same budget, or more. The CAP is not has-been. It is a key policy for our sovereignty. No power in the world imagines importing its food ", considers the secretary of state. "A country that imports its food is a country that depends on someone else, and therefore that we can handle, that we can hold."
This is the speech we are having with the government and we are not all alone. 20 countries in Europe want a strong CAP.
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