MNI: France Macron Calls for More Unified Europe; EMU Budget

--But 90 Minute Address Leaves Out Many Details

By Jack Duffy

     PARIS (MNI) - French President Emmanuel Macron called Tuesday for a

stronger, more integrated Europe in a speech that was long on vision but short

on detail. 

     Macron, as expected, called for a budget "at the heart of Europe, at the

heart of the Eurozone," controlled by a single finance minister and parliament,

but he gave little indication of how large the budget should be. 

     Speaking for more 90 minutes, Macron also made numerous nods to Germany,

from where he needs the support of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, but which is

expected to less enthusiastic about European integration following Sunday's

election. 

     A common budget "can only be undertaken with greater responsibility which

starts with respect for the rules and implementation of indispensable reforms,"

Marcon told students at Paris-Sorbonne University. He said the goal of tighter

integration "was not to mutualise past debts." 

     Macron's speech ranged widely from defence and migration policy to

agricultural and tax policies.

     On corporate taxes, he said countries must bring their corporate tax rates

into the same band by 2020 or see their access blocked to European structural

funds. 

     More  

--MNI Paris Bureau; tel: +33 1-42-71-55-41; email: jack.duffy@marketnews.com

--MNI London Bureau; tel: +44 203-586-2225; email: les.commons@marketnews.com

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