Clément Beaune, Secretary of State for European Affairs, was the guest of “8:30 a.m. franceinfo”, Tuesday January 18, 2022. Blanquer in Ibiza, crisis in Ukraine, European carbon tax… He answers questions from Marc Fauvelle and Salhia Brakhlia.
Jean-Michel Blanquer “does not have to apologize”
He stays “perfectly” credible in his post, assured the Secretary of State for European Affairs. His government colleague was on vacation in Ibiza when he gave an interview to Le Parisien/Aujourd’hui en France which earned him a lot of criticism.
Carbon tax at the borders of the EU: “We are fighting to get there”, says Clément Beaune
On the eve of a speech by Emmanuel Macron before the European Parliament on the French presidency of the European Union, he recalled that this measure “is a political fight of this presidency”. “We still have to build an agreement, bring together a majority of member states”, he said, adding that there is “an agreement in principle from Germany”.
For the Secretary of State for European Affairs, “the principle” of this tax, “it is that the manufactured in Europe, the manufactured in France, is not penalized by its legitimate effort of environmental transition”.
“No military option” planned in Ukraine
“If there was any attack on Ukrainian sovereignty, there would be extremely strong European responses, coordinated with our NATO partners and with the Americans”, he said. “We will not leave the Ukrainians alone”, hammered Clément Beaune.
Roberta Metsola, opposed to abortion elected president of the European Parliament: “it bothers me”
Clément Beaune confided to being “uncomfortable” by Roberta Metsola’s opinions on the voluntary termination of pregnancy, when she is due to be elected head of the European Parliament today. “Europe will remain this political project and this continent which strengthens rights”, added the Secretary of State for European Affairs.