🏛️ Macron advocates for eurobonds amid EU investment debate

Oneliner

French President Emmanuel Macron has proposed the establishment of eurobonds to finance strategic investments in defense and artificial intelligence, arguing that Europe must enhance its competitiveness against the U.S. and China. However, Germany has swiftly rejected this proposal, emphasizing the need to focus on productivity and budget reforms. Meanwhile, the European Parliament is set to vote on a €90 billion loan to support Ukraine's war effort, highlighting the EU's urgent financial needs. The upcoming informal summit will address these issues and the broader economic strategy for the bloc.

Key points

• Macron proposes eurobonds to finance strategic sectors like defense and AI.
• Germany rejects the proposal, emphasizing a focus on productivity and budget reforms.
• The EU Parliament is set to vote on a €90 billion loan for Ukraine's war effort.
• Upcoming informal summit will address competitiveness and economic strategies.

Links

• Politico: The EU’s secret weapon to shut out Chinese companies
• Le Monde: Emmanuel Macron : « C’est le moment pour l’Union européenne de lancer une capacité commune d’endettement »
• Politico: EU Parliament to vote on €90B Ukraine loan Wednesday
• Reuters: Time for EU to launch joint borrowing and challenge US dollar, says Macron
• BFMTV: "N'y croyez pas une seule seconde": Emmanuel Macron prévient que la guerre commerciale lancée par les États-Unis n'est pas finie
• ANSA: Macron: 'Debito comune Ue per finanziare difesa e intelligenza artificiale'
• Le Figaro: Face aux menaces américaines qui ne sont «pas finies», Emmanuel Macron plaide pour une «préférence européenne» dans les secteurs stratégiques
• Euronews: Newsletter: EU leaders raise stakes ahead of talks on economic revival
• BFMTV: Emmanuel Macron place ses pions pour l'après 2027 !
• Euronews: 'EU countries should refrain from joint debt,' MEP Terras says
• ANSA: Gozi (Renew), 'Macron ha ragione, l'Europa deve agire da potenza' - La voce degli Eurodeputati - Ansa.it
• Deutsche Welle: Macron warns Europe faces political and economic crisis
• Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung: Merkantilisten aller Länder - aber bitte ohne die EU
• BFMTV: Macron appelle à la préférence européenne
• Politico: Macron calls for Eurobonds ahead of informal summit
• Euronews: 'EU preference is risky to healthy supply chains,' EU industries say
• RAI News: A Bruxelles pre-vertice sulla competitività. Macron: "Debito comune Ue per finanziare difesa e AI"
• Il sole 24 ORE: L'Unione deve pensare alla "manutenzione attiva"
• Politico: Germany shoots down Macron’s Eurobonds proposal

Facts

• Macron's eurobond proposal aims to finance defense and AI.
• Germany's government has rejected the eurobond proposal.
• The EU Parliament will vote on a €90 billion loan for Ukraine on February 10.
• The informal summit on competitiveness is scheduled for February 12.

Quotes

• The EU is under‑indebted compared with the United States and China. Failing to use this borrowing capacity is a profound mistake — Emmanuel Macron
• We need more investment, but this belongs in the context of the Multiannual Financial Framework — German official

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