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Paris and Berlin Urge Debate on EU Security Council Creation – Joint Declaration

© AP Photo / Michael SohnFrench President Emmanuel Macron, right, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel take a break on a balcony of Merkel's office after a meeting in the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Thursday, April 19, 2018
French President Emmanuel Macron, right, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel take a break on a balcony of Merkel's office after a meeting in the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Thursday, April 19, 2018 - Sputnik International
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Both politicians have previously proposed separate versions of EU reform, concerning migration policy, security issues, European bureaucracy and common funds.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel stated Tuesday after discussing EU reform with Emmanuel Macron during the Franco-German Council at the castle of Meseberg, that both Paris and Berlin support plans for strengthening the EU's external borders.

"We support the plans of the European Commission and the Austrian presidency of the Council of the European Union to strengthen the protection of external borders, which means no less than a significant strengthening of Frontex in terms of personnel," Merkel told reporters following talks with French President Emmanuel Macron in Berlin.

According to the Meseberg declaration adopted at talks, Germany and France urge debate on creation of the EU Security Council in order to coordinate common efforts.

"To look into new ways of increasing the speed and effectiveness of the EU's decision making in our Common Foreign and Security Policy. We need a European debate on new formats, such as an EU Security Council and means of closer coordination, within the EU and in external fora," the text of the declaration reads.

They also stated, that Europe needed to stop unilateral actions on the migration issue, which could enganger Shengen and the very EU institutions, claiming necessity in a single migrant office.

"France and Germany agreed today in Meseberg… to propose two key reforms beyond the short run: (i) setting up a genuine European border police building on the existing Frontex and (ii) creating a European Asylum Office harmonizing asylum practices in Member States and being responsible of asylum procedures at external borders," the declaration stated.

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The previous day, German Interior Minister and head of Bavaria's Christian Social Union (CSU) Horst Seehofer gave Merkel two weeks to negotiate a European solution to the migration crisis in order to save the ruling coalition. The collaboration between the CSU and Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) has been put in jeopardy, as the partners had failed to agree over stricter border control proposed by Seehofer.

Euro Zone Budget

Merkel and Macron also agreed to create a eurozone budget in order to promote economic cooperation between 19 member states.

"We are working to make sure that the eurozone budget will be used to strengthen investment, also with the aim of strengthening convergence within the eurozone," the German Chancellor stated, adding, that the countries "are opening a new chapter."

READ MORE: Italian Ministers Attack Merkel, Want Germany Out of Eurozone

Macron claimed that the budget would start in 2021, and would be "real", with annual revenues and spending. The leaders also made an arrangement to reduce the number of the EU commissioners. They are to present a common plan for eurozone reforms at the next European Council on 28 and 29 June.

Inaction on Climate Agenda

"Economic losses from inaction can hardly be calculated but they are huge… We [Germany] must do a lot to fill the existing gaps," the German chancellor said, commenting on her country's inability to fulfill the declared 2020 goals for curbing global warming.

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She also claimed that next week, a special commission would start to draw up a plan on abandoning coal as an energy source, which, according to Merkel, is "the most important task" of the current legislative period. The chancellor added, however, that Berlin was concerned over car manufacturing industry, stressing that re-equipment of old vehicles may considerably decrease emissions.

READ MORE: New Climate Change Report Says We're Screwed Even if Paris Accord Goals Met

In 2009, the EU Commission adopted the directive in order to promote energy from renewable sources. The members also committed to ensuring that at least 10 percent of their transport fuels come from renewable sources by 2020.

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