The European Commissioner for the Internal Market was the guest of “8:30 a.m. franceinfo” on Monday April 3, 2023.
Thierry Breton, European Commissioner for the Internal Market, was the guest of the 8:30 a.m. france infoMonday April 3, 2023. He answered questions from Marc Fauvelle and Salhia Brakhlia.
Pension reform: “Europe asks nothing of France”
“Europe asks nothing of France“in terms of pension reform, assures Thierry Breton, “it is up to the States to decide what they want to do. If that were the case, we wouldn’t have a disparity in starting ages within the EU.“On the maintenance of order, the European commissioner considers that there is no problem in France:”There are rules of law that must apply to everyone, but there is no subject that is rising in Brussels on this issue..” It’s necessary “respect“bans on demonstrations, he said, as was the case in Sainte-Soline.
Fuel prices: “It’s an artificial market. It is urgent to go into energy autonomy”
The major oil-producing countries, including Russia, announced last night that they will cut production until the end of the year, which sent oil prices skyrocketing. But “we are far below the situation at the beginning of the war in Ukraine“, assures Thierry Breton. However, “those who control fossil fuels are playing (…) They see that prices are falling because demand is falling, in which case they produce less to increase prices“, laments the European Commissioner. “It is an artificial market. It is urgent to move towards energy autonomy, including with nuclear“, he underlines.
“China is both a trading partner and a systemic rival”
Visiting China from April 5 to 8, Emmanuel Macron and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, will meet President Xi Jinping. “China is both a trading partner and a systemic rival“, believes Thierry Breton. “We are a vital outlet for it and you have to be very explicit about core values.“The subject of human rights”is very high in the list of concerns of Emmanuel Macron as of Ursula Von Der Leyen“, assures the European Commissioner.
Russian Presidency of the UN Security Council: “We will be extremely vigilant”
“We will be extremely vigilant about what Mr. Lavrov will say and do“, says Thierry Breton, “we won’t let him do or say anything.“
End of the sale of thermal cars by 2035: “I am campaigning for our manufacturers to continue to manufacture clean thermal engines”
“Anything that does not emit CO2 or recycles CO2 will be allowed in 2035“, recalls Thierry Breton, “therefore electric cars and thermal cars will be authorized from the moment they have a zero C02 balance.” Moreover, “I am campaigning for our manufacturers to continue to manufacture clean combustion engines in order to continue to export them“, assures the European Commissioner. “In Africa, where there will be two and a half billion inhabitants by 2050 and half of them will not have seen a light bulb, there is no doubt that we will not be driving on electric power.” Gold, “there will still have to be mobilityé” for Thierry Breton.
Artificial intelligence
“This is an extremely important subject, which is why I am carrying the Artificial Intelligence Act (Editor’s note: draft regulation governing the use and marketing of AI)which is currently under discussion in the European Parliament and which should be voted on this month“, assures Thierry Breton. “Anything generated by AI must be reported as being made by an artificial intelligence.“