“If we want clearly to be more competitive and have our place in this multipolar order first we need a simplification shock,” Macron said.
Talking about trade, the French president said that if China and the U.S. do not respect the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO), the EU should not respect them either.
“Twenty-five years ago, we thought that [with] China joining WTO it would comply with the laws. It is not the case,” he said, adding that in 2022 the U.S. also decided not to be compliant with WTO rules related to the Fishing Regulation Act.
“And I have a suggestion,” he said, “when both U.S. and China do not respect the rules, we should not be the only one in the room to just abide the rules. This doesn’t fly.
“I don’t suggest trying to become protectionist, this is an awful world, but at least to be fair. With our industry, with our farmers, with our people,” he added.