Europeans propose a new founding pact with the United States of Joe Biden

Ursula von der Leyen sees Joe Biden's presidency as "a relief".

John Thys AFP

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Europe has "a friend again" at the White House and invites US President Joe Biden to Brussels to "build a new founding pact" for transatlantic relations, the presidents of the European institutions said on Wednesday.

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From our correspondent in Brussels

Joana Hostein

“ 

A relief 

” is the word that returned to almost everyone's mouth this Wednesday morning, starting with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.

“ 

After four long years, Europe has a friend again in the White House.

 "

►Also read: United States: an extraordinary investiture

Ursula von der Leyen welcomed the United States joining the

Paris climate agreement on

the very day of Joe Biden's inauguration.

This is the starting point for renewed cooperation to face the pandemic

 ", global warming and economic challenges, added the President of the European Council, Charles Michel.

Lucid relationship, but not naive

I would like to make a call to build together a new founding pact for a stronger Europe, for a stronger United States and for a better world

 ", he also declared.

Charles Michel discussed Tuesday evening with the Secretary General of the Atlantic Alliance Jens Stoltenberg, the possibility of organizing the European meeting at the same time as that of NATO in which President Biden will participate, after a period when the organization was also roughed up by Donald Trump.

The dates still have to be fixed and will depend on the evolution of the Covid-19 pandemic.

► To read also: The new customs duties in the United States cause anger in Europe

MEPs want a new relationship based on lucidity, and not on naivety.

Arnaud Danjean, French MEP Les Républicains, thus affirms that it will take “

 acts to overcome very real disputes such as, for example, the famous unfair trade surcharges

[...]

It is the Burgundian who tells you that taxes about wine are particularly incomprehensible to people who love the United States.

 "

All of them stressed the risk to democracies after the events on Capitol Hill.

We have a lot of mini-Trumps in Europe,

" said a Dutch MEP

.

So let's fight against hate speech and disinformation, especially on social networks.

 "

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