Outrage after Macron urges 'pause' on EU environment regulations

French Greens and environmental groups have expressed dismay following calls by French President Emmanuel Macron for Europe to pause its environment regulations so as not to hamper reindustrialisation efforts.

As the EU works towards reduce greenhouse gas emissions, French President Emmanuel Macron has called for a pause in environment legislation, arguing Europe is already doing more than its neighbours. AFP - KENZO TRIBOUILLARD

Macron on Thursday urged the EU to pause imposing environmental regulations, saying Europe had already done far more than other industrial powers.

Macron made the comments as he unveiled his plan for the "reindustrialisation" of France, which included tax credits and other measures aimed at favouring green industry but also vehicles and batteries made in Europe.

Speaking to a host of captains of industry, he also called for "a European regulatory pause" in environmental constraints, saying the EU had done "more than all the neighbours" and that it now "needed stability".

"We are ahead, in regulatory terms, of the Americans, the Chinese and of any other power in the world," Macron said.

"We must not make new changes to the rules," he added, stressing that this would pose "risks" for the financing of projects.

'Unfortunate phrase'

The EU aims to slash greenhouse emissions by at least 55 percent by the year 2030 as part of its European Green Deal.

Macron's comments caused consternation among MEPs in Brussels. The idea of a moratorium on some of the European Green Deal regulations has, up until now, been advocated by the conservative European People’s Party (EPP).

“He’s jumping on the old horse of the EPP, it makes no sense,” said Philippe Lamberts, co-president of the Greens group at the European parliament.

Marie Toussaint, a French Greens MEP, described Macron's comments as “historical nonsense” given the severe drought conditions France is facing.

• Macron rolls out water-saving plan as record drought saps resources

Pascal Canfin, head of the European Parliament's environment commission and a member of Macron’s Renaissance group said the President had used an “unfortunate phrase that doesn’t correspond to what France is doing".

Macron, he said, has since pointed out there was "no question of rolling back legislation currently under negotiation".

According to Le Monde daily, the Elysée said that the President had "never talked of a moratorium, repealing current norms or those under negotiation”.

However Paris wants to ensure that the 50 or so regulations of the European Green Deal, adopted or under negotiation, are not too prejudicial to European industry given that “Europe has the most ambitious environmental norms in the world”, the Elysée said.

No friend of the earth

Lorette Philippot, campaign manager for environmental non-profit Friends of the Earth France said Macron sounded more like the president of the Medef (bosses’ union) than president of France”.

“This declaration is not only completely irresponsible, it’s a grave admission of failure”, she told France Info.

“When we talk of environmental norms, we’re talking of norms that aim to protect the health of Europeans and their environment, to stop them having to face irreversible consequences of climate change.”

• Europe on alert as severe drought hits food, energy production

Macron's comments prove that the industrial model he defends is “incapable of moving towards these standards”, she added.

Macron has repeatedly sounded the alarm over what Paris sees as the protectionist policies of President Joe Biden's US administration to support industry and the energy transition.

He has urged Europe to defend itself against this competition, as well as against the rising power of China.