French Economy Minister Le Maire to EF+ on €uroZone Pact for Growth/Innovation, in Wider EU Overhaul

 - Just After Saluting kindly "Eurofora", Bruno Le Maire noted, at his "Press Point", that he "came in Strasbourg to speak about European Issues, because there is a major Challenge that we have to face : the current  weakness of Growth in the €uroZone".

- "That's why we have made certain Proposals, (together with President Macron), and mainly to launch a Pact for Growth in €uroZone, for more Prosperity and Jobs thoughout all Member Countries of €urozone".  

- In this regard, "Each one should act in a Responsible way :"

-  I.e., "those who have to Restore their Public Finances, should restore them. That's the 1st Pillar".

- "Those who should make Structural Reforms, they do make them : That's the 2nd Pillar, and that's what we are doing nowadays in France, by Multiplying the Structural Reforms which ameliorate the Competitivity of our Economy", as he said-

- "Then, the 3rd Pillar, it's for those who have Budgetary Leeways, (Margins/Playing Field), with their Public Finances Balanced : They should immediately make More Investments, on Innovation, Research, New Technologies, in order to allow to all €uroZone to get more Impetus in Economy, and, therefore, become more Prosperous"

+ In Fact, "it's Not Only Economy, which is at Stake. It's Also the Political life which is at Stake", he Warned :

- F.ex. "if, Today, Populists are Booming in Europe, it's Also Because we doN't bring yet Sufficient Replies, to our Citizens, concerning the Economy", i.e., "Prosperity, Employment, Purchasing power, (etc), that they Rightfully Expect"...

>>> Indeed, "we caN't claim that <<Europe is the Solution>>, and", at the same time, "doN't make any Move, when Growth in Europe is close to Zero !", he criticized.

=> That' why, "France is at the ForeFront of all those States which want More Growth, and advances Proposals, which, naturaly, are to be Discussed. They are not a "Revealed (Divine) Truth", but, at least, let's Discuss them Together",

"and let's do it during the Next Meeting of €uroZone's Economy/Finances' Ministers at Helsinki", (on September 13-14, 2019),

in order to say What Collective Decisions we must take, Nowadays, We, i.e. the 19 Member States of €uroZone, in order to have More Growth", he announced.

+ It's in this Context, that the French Minister also told "Eurofora", that more concrete matters concerning, f.ex., the Development of certain Key "Digital" Technologies, should be considered "Later-On", during the following steps, in the forseeable Future.

-"Eurofora"s relevant Question meant to point at the Topical and Strategic Issue of Smart-Phones' Operating Systems (OS) in a Fast-Growing Global Market, where the Recent Quarrel between USA's "Adroid" OS dominated by "Google", and Chinese "Huawei" Telecom Giant, which notoriously led the Latter to Start Launching an Alternative OS, "Harmony", was Both an Opportunity and a Challenge, for France and all Europe to, at last, Prepare and Launch also an Independent, European SmartPhones' brand New OS, as a matter of Economy, but also "Digital Sovereignity", and Strategic Technology Development, given France and Other EU Countries' (f.ex. Scandinavian, etc) Capabilities in certain Software products.

- Following that, surprisingly, even Bruno Le Maire's experienced Press Spokesman, told "Eurofora" that, in his view, France and all Europe didn't seem to have yet any Really Developed and Competitive products in That key Area, at least Until Now. But, in Fact, already since the October 2013 EU Summit in Brussels, i.e. just When the World-Famous Eduard Snowden-revealed Scandal of Global Surveillance, by USA's Digital Monitoring, of all SmartPhones and other Internat Data in the World, including Europe, had just erupted, the mainstream German Medias, (as, f.ex., the Newspaper "Die Welt", etc), in a Ground-Breaking Attempt to systematically Search and Promote various Relevant Independent European, Alternative Digital products, a priori Considered to have a Good Potential and More Safety, they included, on the Key Issue of Smart-Phones OS, mainly a ...French Company's Software, nick-named "Lin-Phone", already produced at Grenoble, on the Basis of the European Computer OS "Linux", inviting to Use and Support its further development !...

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+ In Wider, and more Fundamental Terms, Bruno Le Maire had Focused, Today in Strasbourg, from the Outset, at "the European Project", which should, as he said, "Respect its Nations" and "Better Coordinate" them, as well as be "Re-Founded" in order to "Become Stronger", since "the Status Quo is Impossible Today", particularly when "Giants like f.ex. China" are emerging at a Global Horizon.

- In such conditions, when we see, f.ex., that some inside EU Commission committed such "Strategic Errors" as to "Refuse us the Project of Alsthom and Siemens" Fusion on High-Speed Trains, (for so-called "Competition" claims inside the EU), it becomes Evident that things Must Change, he Denounced. Indeed, "Eurofora" remembers well a Recent period, when France and Germany were still in Competition between them on Selling such High Speed Trains' technology to China, (Comp., f.ex., relevant Statements of a French Presidential Counselor, from Elysee Palace, to "Eurofora", during 10/2012 EU Summit in Brussels, at: http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/frenchpresidentsdipomaticadvisoronchina.html, etc), while Nowadays, it is ...China itself which Exports, even towards Europe, such High Speed Trains, having, Meanwhile, developed its own Huge Business, which threatens to Become the Biggest in the World, as Bruno Le Maire has also Earlier pointed out at EU Parliament in Strasbourg, (See, f.ex.: http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/taxgafaandbuildeudigitaltech.html, etc).

- He added, to that, even the Different, but almost Synchronous, Issue of "Solar Panels", where China also Bypassed recently Europe, after some in EU Commission reportedly left the EU Producers without protection : - "They told us that France, Germany and Italy should not Subsidize our Producers of Solar Panels, while, at the Same Time, China and USA were heavily subsidizing their businesses", he Denounced.

- "We (EU) have to Review our Competition Rules, in order to allow to European Businesses to Face the Giant Chinese or American competitors" at a Global level, he stressed, on these occasions. "We are in favour of Free Trade Rules, but they should be applied in Terms of Reciprocity, f.ex. concerning on Markets' Opening to Competition", the French Minister added.

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=> More Generally, Fustigating the "Hesitations to Decide", inside some EU Institutions, including EU Parliament, Bruno Le Maire Criticized a Trend to hold "Long Talks, Time Consuming Discussions, withOut Reaching the required Decisions", (something which feeds "EuroScepticism", as he said), and Launched a Call for the EU for "Less Discussions, but More Decisions !"

>>> A Topical Example is that of the so-called "Digital Tax", particularly on some Foreign, Multi-National Companies at the Internet, which "have Not Employees, Neither Installations in Europe", But Ripe remotely the abundant Original Digital Data that they Find Here, "Making several Billions $ of Profits", "WithOut Paying for Taxes in Europe but Only a Few Cents !", as he Denounced.

- "We (EU) are Talking about that During More than 2 Years !" And, Inside EU Council, we've arrived at a (Big) Majority of 24 Member States against Only 4". However, the only "Result is : No Decision !"...

=> In consequent, "the Time has Come to Pass from Unanimity to Qualified Majority" in EU's Decision-Making, "so that the Majority bypasses a Minority", he Urged, largely Applauded, by a Numerous Audience in Strasbourg's "PMC" Center.

+ Even Worse is "an Incapacity to Coordinate and Take the necessary Collective Decisions : F.ex., "the 19 €uroZone's Member States, canNot be Satisfied by a Situation withOut enough Growth and/or Employment", nowadays.

=> Therefore, "I Proposed, and will ANew Propose, Next Week, at Helsinki('s Ministerial EU Meeting) an €uroZone Pact", the French Minister announced.

- Indeed, "Whoever thinks that We (myself and my Collegues) would stay withOut Doing Anything, to Only Watch the Growth Falling Down, Jobs to be Destroyed, with a Low Inflation, and Negative (sic !) Interest Rates, WithOut Proposing Nothing to Boost the European Growth, and create Prosperity in Europe, has got it Wrong !", he warned.

- Because, in fact, "We have the Will, and are Determined to Persist in proposing Solutions against such a Lack of Impetus at nowadays €uroZone's Economy, which Harms Everybody involved", he stated Firmly.

 - "The Ways that we are proposing, are Far from Any Irresponsible act : On the Contrary, they point Sharply at the Responsibilities of Each one : F.ex., those Countries which have to Put in Order their Public Finances, they Must Do so. That's the case also for France". "The 2nd Pillar of these Proposals is to say that Those Countries of €urozone, which, despite Belonging in the most Prospere Region of the World, are No More Competitive, Must, Now, Make all those Structural Reforms and Transformations which would allow them to Gain in Competitivity : That's what We have been Doing in France, Since 2 Years now", (f.ex., in Taxing Jobs, or Capital, in Education, Qualifications, etc), in order to Face that Challenge. And there is also a 3rd Pillar, which, apparently, has some more Difficulties to be accepted, for those Countries which have a Budgetary margin of manouvre (i.e. larger Surplus), particularly Germany, should Invest More".

- In fact, "it's Germany's Interest to Invest more in Europe. Otherwise, What's the use to have a Balanced Budget, if your Growth Weakens", since "your Neighbouring European Countries canNot Benefit from Your Economic Impetus ?", he Wondered, (F.ex. provoking Less Exports to Impoverished Countries of its neighbourhood, etc). "I wish that Germany, and All Member States which have that Budgetary Margins, Invest More, in the Months and Years to come, Because, more Innovations, Investments and Growth, would Not Only develop a more Dynamic Economy, but also Face the Political Challenge of Populism growing all over Europe", he urged.

- However, as "accross several Other EU Countries, there might be, more or less, Political Instability, Chaos, or Complicated Alliances, etc, nevertheless, Countries which have a Stable Political Situation, and Solid Institutions, as France, have a particular Responsibility", Bruno Le Maire added. Indeed, while "Other Nations Faced various Crisis or Difficalties, on the Contrary, we (France) remained Steady : It's Our Number 1 Advantage in Europe", he stressed, pointing to De Gaulle's Presidential Constitutional System since 1958, Strengthened even further by Jacques Chirac's 2002 Reform (which practically Excluded shaky "Co-Habitations" between Politically Opposed Parties).

=> "We should put that at the Service of our Compatriots, as well as of our Mission in Europe, he concluded in his official Speech.

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+ Questioned, Later, on the foreseeable Future of Strasbourg's Euro-Fair, during a subsequent Press-Point, Bruno Le Maire, (who has Studied and Worked in the Past in Strasbourg, as he reminded), found that Such Events are even more Necessary Today, in the Digital era, than ever !"

- "I don't believe in DesIncarnated Societies. People need to be able to Meet Together, Shake Hands, Speak to eachother, and hold a Dialogue. That's what such Euro-Fairs are made for, and Strasbourg is a good Meeting Place. People can speak and exchange about Perspectives in Economy, Jobs, etc., according to Alsacian (Strasbourg's Area) Traditional Culture of conviviality, that France (and Europe) still Need Today", he concluded,

- before Jumping, gaily, into 2019 Strasbourg Euro-Fair's Best Stands, naturally Starting from "the Delicious Garden"s Tasting, since it was, already, late for Lunch Time...

+ Quite Logically, "Eurofora" anew Met a Smiling Le Maire, Later-on, at a Pittoresque Stand for Alsace Region's Fresh Vegetables and Fruits' Natural Juices, immediaTely treated by smooth Electric Devices, (which Tested really Delicious and Healthy, from what we could judge on the spot)...

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This positively concluded a 2019 additional Press Contact with that Experienced French Minister of Economy, formerly on AGriculture, and even EU Affairs, from whom, "Eurofora" had AlReady Published various Replies that he kindly gave to our Questions on several Topical Issues, as Early as Since 2008. F.ex.: http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/shipgas.html), as Also, among others, http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/frenchministerlemaireonagriculturalpotential.html (2012), http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/internationalpressdebateongermanelection.html (Paris, 2013), etc., while Covering, in Addition, varous Other Press Statements, as, f.ex.: http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/irish/sarkobigprojects.html (2008), http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/irish/2009_2010.html (1/2009), http://www.eurofora.net/brief/brief/blablablablabla.html (4/2009), Moreover Meeting and briefly Exchanging with him, also when we was Together with President Macron, during the "G20" Summit in Hambourg, on 2017, (Comp: http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/macrontoprotectcyprusisraelenergyforeurope.html), or during his Visit to EU Parliament and Strasbourg's City Hall, with EU Commission's Vice-President Vestager, on 10/2018, (http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/taxgafaandbuildeudigitaltech.html), etc.

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