Coronavirus: Merkel and Macron talk about reconstruction of Europe – politics abroad

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Fight the corona pandemic

In order to get the infection under control together, the rules of conduct must be adopted and controlled as uniformly as possible across Europe. Until now, each country was responsible for this individually. But the call for coordination from Brussels is getting louder. Travel regulations, border traffic and, as far as possible, Europe-wide Corona warning apps should also help to safely start up social life and the economy in the EU again.

2. The 750 billion aid package

Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron already proposed a 500 billion euro construction fund for Europe in May, EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen (61) increased this by another 250 billion euro. For this purpose, the EU Commission should take out loans that are paid off jointly.

Important: 500 billion are to be paid out as grants that countries in need do not have to pay back. The rest are loans.

But nothing has been decided on by this package. Important countries – Austria, Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands – have so far refused to accept EU monetary gifts without conditions and repayment. Merkel wants to break their resistance by giving them greater consideration in the simultaneous negotiations on the EU budget (1.1 trillion euros by 2027).

But the core problem remains: some countries, for example Italy, Spain and Greece, are already over-indebted and there is little hope that the new billions will change this.

3.Climate goals by 2030

In parallel with the corona reconstruction of the economy, the Leyen wants to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent (compared to 1990) by 2030, the share of renewable energies should increase to 32 percent and the average energy efficiency to 32.5 percent.

In fact, the Corona billions would have to be linked to compliance with the Leyens Green Deal guidelines. The European Central Bank (ECB) and the European Investment Bank should actually only fund ecologically sustainable projects. There is also a dispute here that should be resolved in the next few months.

4. Brexit contract

Great Britain now wants to finally leave the EU by the end of the year. But there is no progress with the desired trade contract. If London wants to continue to have free access to the EU internal market, it should also follow EU rules, Brussels demands. The Chancellor is now also obliged to avoid a hard Brexit if the negotiations fail.

5. Stand up to China

Many EU countries want Europe to oppose China’s economic and political claims to power more strongly. For years, EU politicians have therefore been calling for economic cooperation at eye level and on fair terms with every visit to Beijing.

Nothing has really improved, however. On the contrary: In the Corona crisis, Europeans’ dependence on China became apparent when it came to masks and medicines.

Angela Merkel had originally wanted to reorganize relations with President Xi Jingping’s (67) giant empire at a major EU-China conference in Leipzig in early September. This has now been canceled due to the corona pandemic.

And the fact that China is exerting massive pressure behind the scenes not to exclude its providers (for example Huawei) from building up fast 5G networks in Europe may also have played a role. A power struggle that is far from over.

6. EU-Migrationspakt

A common EU migration policy is not in sight even five years after the 2015 migration crisis. Voices like the EPP parliamentary group leader Manfred Weber (47, CSU) call for EU officials to control and process asylum applications at the European external borders.

It was absurd to first distribute people in Europe and then send them back to their home countries after a negative asylum procedure. Around 60 percent of migrants arriving in Europe were not entitled to political asylum or protection from civil war or the like, Weber told the FAZ.

Here too, the Chancellor could advance an agreement. Countries that are not ready to accept migrants could financially participate in controls or external border protection.

7. Fair digitization

Europe should finally become more independent of American and Chinese tech giants, according to the EU Commission’s ambitious digitization strategy. In order to guarantee data security and above all to establish future technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) in Europe, not only money is necessary, but also a science offensive, a fair distribution of the research centers in the EU countries and a stable energy supply. Angela Merkel also wants to advance these goals during her presidency.

Seven BMEput in six months. There is no shortage of work.

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