“That may also enable us to provide concrete answers to the questions raised by Mario Draghi and Enrico Letta. Because we know full well that the European Union really needs to make a huge investment effort, particularly in innovation,” Forissier said, referring to landmark strategy recommendations from the two former Italian PMs.
“Basically, the Americans are doing us a favor by forcing us to take action, make decisions, and step outside our comfort zones or areas of uncertainty that suited us just fine.”
Forissier’s comments were a departure from the usually more hawkish French position toward Washington. As recently as January, President Emmanuel Macron called for the EU to use its strongest trade weapon in response to Trump’s threats to annex Greenland.
France has been the fiercest supporter of making the EU economically less dependent on the rest of the world, with Macron for years pushing for more public investment in the EU economy and for more trade defense and “Made in Europe” measures to ensure European firms can compete with their Asian and U.S. rivals.
The trade minister stressed that the deal with Washington — which foresees an “all-inclusive” tariff of 15 percent on most EU exports and exempts aircraft and pharmaceuticals — should remain the baseline of the EU’s relationship to Washington.
He urged, however, that Brussels keep negotiating further exemptions — something the U.S. has so far been reluctant to do given the EU still hasn’t completed its side of the bargain on the deal struck last July at Trump’s Turnberry golf resort in Scotland. Legislation to scrap duties on imports of U.S. industrial goods remains stuck in the European Parliament.
“I would like us not simply to revert to the Turnberry agreement. We must also continue the process, ensure that the conversation is constructive, and move forward,” he said.
“Frankly, is it in the interest of American consumers to have a 15 percent tariff on French spirits?”