Reference News Network reported on November 28 According to a Reuters report on November 25, French President Emmanuel Macron will be received by US President Joe Biden next week in a rare state visit aimed at highlighting the friendship between France and the United States,
According to reports, an obvious and deliberately avoided issue to be discussed between the two sides is the US “Inflation Cutting Act”. Europeans say the massive subsidy program for U.S. manufacturers could deal a fatal blow to European industry, which has already been hit hard by high energy prices.
Macron will try to convince the United States that it is in its interest not to undercut European companies at a time when Western allies face stiff economic competition from China. “You cannot ask us to help with China and at the same time hit us with the Inflation Cutting Act,” said a French diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity.
A French presidential adviser said Macron would try to follow the example of Mexico and Canada in negotiating immunity for European companies.
The presidential adviser noted that German automakers, for example, have been among the hardest hit by the Inflation Cut Act, which would subsidize electric vehicles made in the United States. The US is an important export market for German cars. French automakers do not export vehicles to the U.S., but large French auto parts suppliers will be affected.
The report pointed out that the energy issue is also an important topic of the White House talks, and France hopes to strengthen nuclear energy cooperation with the US. Macron will also head to Louisiana, where French oil giant Total Energy has a large liquefied natural gas terminal on the Gulf Coast. Macron has expressed dissatisfaction with the high price of natural gas exported by the United States, saying he will raise this issue with Biden.
According to reports, Macron told French executives on November 8: “The United States produces cheap natural gas, but sells it to us at a high price. In addition, some of their industries receive heavy subsidies, which makes our projects uncompetitive.” He said : “I don’t think it’s very friendly, and I’m going to Washington at the end of the month in the spirit of friendship and mutual assistance… just to ask for a level playing field