Macron in Meseberg: for a better climate

It is equal to two-ended breaks were at once. On Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel met. After the pandemic had forced in the past to Make on the screen or phone calls, came to Macron, this Time in person to Berlin, rather to the North of the capital, located Meseberg, where the guest house of the government. He feels "honored" to be the first foreign guest of state again received, he said in the evening after the first meeting with Merkel.

Eckart Lohse

head of the Parliamentary office in Berlin.

Michaela Wiegel

Political correspondent, based in Paris.

the substance of the Meeting marked the end of a long interruption. Berlin and Paris had earlier works very naturally together as the engine of the European Union. However, under Merkel and Macron this matter of course, had suffered. Therefore, it provided a sigh of Relief, as the two recently made a joint proposal for an economic stimulus package to help the particularly hard-hit by the pandemic, measures taken, the countries of the European Union. Merkel said in Meseberg, with a view to the project, if Germany and France had agreed, meant no Unity in Europe. "But when Germany and France disagree, then it is not ordered with the Unity of Europe is particularly good." The Chancellor was confident that the countries of the EU would agree on a common financial framework.

Particularly Macron was, however, another issue is important: the introduction of a CO2 border tax. It provides for the taxation of imports from third countries with low environmental standards. Merkel was prepared, in principle, to develop a suitable Instrument, made clear, however, that this must fit to the rules of the world trade organization.

Immediately prior to the meeting, government spokesman Steffen Seibert in Berlin, had expressed to the intensive cooperation of Merkel with Macron've just worn it in the last time "fruits". After the recent meeting of the Council of the EU "are intensive Works in progress" to the positions that were now apart, merge. In particular, Austria, Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands to look critically at the German-French Plan and the similar, if more extensive Plan to the Commission. They want the funds for economic reconstruction will be awarded as loans and not as grants. Seibert said that everyone Involved worked on the "target date" 17. and 18. July the way. Then it should be in the first month of the German presidency of the EU in a summit that is not expected to as a video conference, but with the presence of the heads of state and government.

"For the European recovery plan

Macron fight" had announced just before his departure for Berlin that he "wants to fight for the European recovery plan". The President needs after the defeat of his party in the municipal elections in urgent need of a European success. Therefore, he uses the shoulder-to-shoulder with Angela Merkel as an internal political Argument, such as during his speech on Monday in front of the so-called citizens ' Convention in the Elysée Palace.