The French president, Emmanuel Macron, has received in Paris the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, in a meeting where both agreed on the need to strengthen the industrial fabric of the continent and maintain support for Ukraine. During the meeting, they also analyzed the recent decision of the French Parliament to veto access to social networks for minors under 15 years old, a measure that is part of the "European priority" of "online child protection".
After the meeting with Von der Leyen, Macron emphasized in terms of security that "our course for the European Union is clear: a more sovereign and competitive Europe, a Europe with a stronger defense with its industrial base (and) unwavering support for Ukraine".
The occupant of the Élysée has also advocated for "fair competition" with the "main European trading partners", defending "European preference" and demanding "greater public and private investment to prepare for the future in key sectors: artificial intelligence, quantum, space, energy, and semiconductors". "And the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) for our agricultural and food sovereignty," he added.
In parallel, the leader has called for "stricter standards for digital platforms to protect our children and our democracies", referring to the law definitively approved on Wednesday in the National Assembly that prohibits the use of social networks for minors under 15 years old. The regulation is expected to come into force in September and will be applied gradually until January 1, 2027.
Von der Leyen has joined this approach by considering "online child protection" as "a European priority for which France has taken important steps this week".
Regarding the other issues raised by Macron, the president of the European Commission highlighted that their "excellent meeting" allowed them to "discuss concrete measures to ensure true European competitiveness and independence, whether through our common budget or joint industrial projects".
In this regard, she focused on leveraging "own energy and innovation to stimulate growth" and supported the position of the French head of state to maintain his "continuous support for Ukraine".