Western Balkans and Africa at the heart of the French EU Presidency agenda

EU. In a speech on Thursday 9 December 2021 at the Elysée Palace, Emmanuel Macron set out the agenda for the French presidency of the Council of the European Union (FPEU), which Paris will take over on 1 January 2022 for six months, for the first time in thirteen years (it has held the presidency twelve times since 1958). France will succeed Slovenia, which has held the presidency since July 2021.

"If I had to sum up the objective of this presidency in one sentence, it would be that we must move from a Europe of cooperation within our borders to a Europe that is powerful in the world, sovereign and master of its own destiny. For the first time in half a century, existential questions are being asked of us and we must adopt a new ambition", said the President of the French Republic.

The Head of State announced the organisation of a summit between Africa and the European Union on 17 and 18 February 2022 in Brussels. "It will bring together the leaders (...) of the African Union and Europe. The objective of this summit is to thoroughly re-found the relationship", he said. Emmanuel Macron wants to "rebuild an economic and financial new deal with Africa. But also to establish "a security partnership between Europe and Africa to deal with the rise of terrorism."

Emmanuel Macron also announced that a Western Balkans Summit would be organised in June 2022. "This region is riven by new tensions. History has returned, as has tragedy, and we have a special responsibility," he said. The French President intends "to conduct a policy of re-engagement but also of investment (...) to fight against interference and manipulation by several regional powers seeking to destabilise Europe through the Balkans". According to him, "this work is a political and economic work" and "a real agenda of sovereignty for our Europe."

He added, "we will not be able to build the Europe of peace of the next fifty years if we leave the Western Balkans in the situation they are in today."

Emmanuel Macron will defend his plan before the European Parliament meeting in Strasbourg on 19 January 2022.
On the other hand, the 27 Member States will meet in France on 10 and 11 March 2022 for an exceptional summit designed to act on the various reforms that the French Presidency will carry out.

The French Presidency of the Council of the European Union will be held under the slogan "recovery, power, belonging" and will have a logo bearing "the initials of the European Union dressed in the colours of France and the European stars. We have added an arrow that carries a message of ambition, which consists of moving forward in the face of the temptations of withdrawal or renunciation", as Clément Beaune explains.

More anecdotally, the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs unveiled a new 2 euro coin at the conference. Designed to celebrate the twenty years of the common European currency and stamped with an oak and an olive tree, it will enter into circulation on 1 January 2022.