Latest news with #Macron
Telegraph
16 hours ago
- Business
- Telegraph
Labour considers copying Macron's net zero housing laws
Ed Miliband and Angela Rayner are considering copying French laws that impose strict net zero limits on housebuilders. The Cabinet duo are exploring whether to adopt Emmanuel Macron's green approach, which has driven up construction costs by around a fifth. In 2022, France introduced a law setting limits for how much carbon buildings should produce over their lifetime, including their construction. It comes as Ms Rayner, the Deputy Prime Minister, faces an uphill battle to fulfil Labour's manifesto promise to build 1.5 million new homes by 2030. Kevin Hollinrake, the shadow housing secretary, said: 'Adopting French-style regulations would seriously undermine house-building efforts in the UK. 'Already, Labour's tax policies, reduction in housing starts and failure to control our borders are pricing British families out of the market. This latest proposal would only make things worse, leaving hard-working people with less chance of owning a home. 'Above all, it highlights once again the recklessness of Labour's unrealistic net zero targets. This must not go ahead.' Mr Macron's reforms have proven controversial, being blamed for driving up construction costs, thwarting development and causing house prices to stagnate. Under the scheme, the limits are gradually ratcheted down. They were toughened at the start of this year, with the next change scheduled for 2028. But amid mounting criticism, ministers in Paris are attempting to backtrack and have ordered a review of the planned level for three years time. Valérie Létard, the French housing minister, said there was a need to find a better 'balance of standards' that 'allow for faster projects', adding: 'Urban planning and housing must serve our citizens and not be a source of administrative bottlenecks or a drop in purchasing power.' In a note issued last year, BCG, a leading consulting firm, said the regulations had sparked 'a dramatic effect on construction costs and property values'. 'In new build, the rules require companies to use more energy-efficient materials and equipment,' experts from the company wrote. 'As a result, the cost of constructing a new building has risen by an estimated 10-20 per cent, significantly slowing demand.' The firm said the new regulations had also exacerbated concerns about a value gap opening up between new homes and older, less energy-efficient ones. Despite the criticisms, officials at both Mr Miliband's and Ms Rayner's departments confirmed they were looking at introducing similar rules in the UK. The net zero department, run by Mr Miliband, quietly revealed that it was looking at the French-style reforms in a paper published last week. A Government spokesman insisted no decision has been taken on whether to go ahead. Any changes would come on top of other controversial net zero reforms that have been driven through by Labour ministers. They include the planned introduction of a 'glass tax' that is set to push up the cost of a bottle of wine by 9p and beer by 4p. Mr Miliband is also considering proposals to shift green levies from electricity bills to gas ones, pushing up the cost of central heating. The Home Builders Federation, the trade association for housebuilders, said the UK industry was already building more energy-efficient homes and cautioned against extra regulation. Rhodri Williams, its technical director, said: 'As we look to increase housebuilding to address our chronic housing shortage, and address the failings in the planning system that have for too long resulted in endless delays and additional costs for construction projects generally, any moves to add further potentially significant restrictions on construction need to be carefully considered. 'Adding yet more costs into housebuilding, on top of the other recent major increases for, amongst other things, solar panels, biodiversity net gain, the building safety levy, and employee costs would make even more sites unviable to develop and potentially slash housebuilding across the country.' Ms Rayner, who has fronted the pledge, is under growing pressure amid a widespread expectation that she will not be able to deliver the target of 1.5 million new homes across the course of this Parliament. Despite sweeping changes to planning rules, housebuilding slowed down by 14 per cent last year, according to the British Property Federation. Asked about the prospect of the new net zero limits, a spokesman for the Ministry of Housing said: 'No decisions have been made on this. We are currently considering the right approach to embodied carbon in new buildings, and will ensure that our plans do not block development. 'We are taking decisive action to speed up the planning process and deliver our stretching target of 1.5 million homes through our Plan for Change, with work already being driven through our seismic planning reforms and landmark Planning and Infrastructure Bill.'
Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Times
Five EU countries oppose one-in, one-out migrant scheme
Italy, Spain and three other European countries have attacked the UK's plans for a one-in, one-out migrant returns deal with France, warning it could leave them having to take back people returned from Britain to the Continent. Sir Keir Starmer and President Macron are working on an agreement that would allow Britain to send illegal migrants who cross the Channel in small boats back to France. In return Britain would accept migrants with a legitimate case for joining family in the UK. Five EU countries, including Greece, Malta and Cyprus, have sent a letter to the European Commission objecting to the proposals. They fear that existing EU rules would allow France to deport illegal migrants they receive from the UK back to the country where they first entered the bloc. 'We take note — with a degree of surprise — of the reported intention of France to sign a bilateral readmission arrangement,' the letter, seen by the Financial Times, said. 'Such an initiative raises serious concerns … procedurally and in terms of potential implications for other member states, particularly those of first entry.' A record number of small boats have arrived on UK shores this year BEN STANSALL/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES The objections could potentially scupper the plan, which Downing Street hoped to announce at a summit with Macron early next month. It was due to start as a pilot to see if it reduced the 'pull factor' of the UK as a destination for illegal migration. Under the deal, a joint UK-France processing system would be set up to indentify migrants who have a valid claim for family reunification in Britain. For each migrant relocated to Britain, an illegal migrant would be returned to locations across France, away from its northern coast. Any migrant who made a return journey to the UK would be identified through their biometric details and sent back again. Government sources said that the pilot scheme would show 'proof of concept' and not repeat the 'mistakes' of the previous government's Rwanda scheme. They pointed to other progress that they hope will combine to start reducing the numbers of migrants arriving on small boats after a record high of 18,518 this year, which is 42 per cent higher than this time last year. French police are due to start implementing a law that will allow them to intercept migrant boats up to 300m into the sea within days in another move that UK ministers hope will reduce the numbers crossing.
The Diplomat
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Diplomat
Reframing the French Indo-Pacific: French Polynesia, a Model of Shared Sovereignty?
French Polynesia is a pivotal element of France's strategy in the Pacific – and offers a compelling case study for shared sovereignty within the French Republic. As Emmanuel Macron wrapped up his visits to Vietnam, Indonesia, and Singapore – where he delivered the keynote address at the Shangri-La Dialogue at the end of May – the French president reaffirmed the Indo-Pacific's strategic importance for both France and Europe. In a context of growing geopolitical uncertainty and renewed unilateralism, Macron emphasized France's commitment to a stable, multipolar order grounded in international law, freedom of navigation, and inclusive multilateralism – an international posture shared with key partners such as India, Japan, and ASEAN. Building on this common strategic vision, and as the only remaining European Union (EU) member state with sovereign territories in the Indo-Pacific, France seeks to position its diplomacy not only as a national actor but also as a standard-bearer for European engagement in the region. The exercise of sovereignty is precisely what underpins France's specificity and credibility as a resident power. The French Indo-Pacific overseas collectivities (FIPOCs) – La Réunion, Mayotte, les TAAF (or South Antarctic Lands), New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna, French Polynesia, and Clipperton – which together have a population of 1.65 million inhabitants, play a central role in the construction and elaboration of a credible strategy. Notably, 93 percent of France's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) lies in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, making it the second largest EEZ in the world after that of the United States. There are also around 200,000 French expats residing in countries of the region, more than 7,000 French subsidiary companies operating in the region, and 8,000 military personnel stationed permanently. The assimilation of the FIPOCs into a single geostrategic Indo-Pacific framework is a logical step for a state seeking to assert itself as a legitimate actor in the region. However, despite some common geographical, economic, and political characteristics, grouping the FIPOCs into a single macro-region does not fully reflect the diversity of contexts and geopolitical challenges specific to each territory. A comprehensive and nuanced understanding of local contexts is thus essential to fully comprehend the complexity of France's Indo-Pacific engagement. This series will explore each of the FIPOCs separately to understand their characteristics, role in France's Indo-Pacific strategy, and potential friction points between national and local drivers. You can view the full series here; today, we focus on French Polynesia. Encompassing five archipelagos and 118 islands, French Polynesia is a pivotal element of France's strategy in the Pacific. Its exclusive economic zone (EEZ), covering nearly 4.8 million square kilometers, accounts for almost half of the total French EEZ – which is the second largest globally. Beyond its maritime significance, French Polynesia offers a compelling case study of how post-colonial legacies, nuclear trauma, and political evolution have shaped a successful model of shared sovereignty within the French Republic. Colonial Imprint and Nuclear Legacy Eastern Polynesia was among the last regions on Earth to be explored and settled by humans. In the case of French Polynesia, archaeological evidence suggests an initial wave of settlement beginning around 800 CE in Tahiti, between 800 and 900 CE in the Marquesas and Gambier Islands, around 1000 CE in the Tuamotu atolls and the eastern parts of the Society Islands, and approximately 1100 CE in the Austral Islands. French influence began formally in 1842 with the establishment of a protectorate, in a context of heated rivalries between French and British colonial power in the region. The territory underwent a major transformation in the 1960s, when France established its Pacific Experimentation Center (CEP), triggering a wave of modernization – and deep trauma. Between 1966 and 1996, France conducted 193 nuclear tests, including 41 atmospheric and 152 underground at Moruroa and Fangataufa (Tuamotu archipelago). These experiments left lasting social and environmental scars. Although long taboo in Paris, the nuclear legacy has since entered public debate. The current political party in power, the pro-independence Tavini Huiraatira, has historically opposed nuclear testing and pushed for transparency and reparations. In 2010, a national law established a right to compensation for individuals recognized as victims of French nuclear testing. In a gesture of appeasement and openness, the French state granted access to the Moruroa site in March 2024 to a high-level Polynesian delegation, including President Moetai Brotherson, marking a shift from opacity to cautious transparency. The change is a rational response considering the evolving political dynamics between Paris and Papeete. Increased Autonomy French Polynesia's political evolution reflects France's gradual accommodation of demands for self-government. From a protectorate (1842–1880) to a colony (1880–1946), and then an overseas territory (1946–2003), the territory has undergone significant institutional transformations. Today, as an overseas collectivity, it enjoys broad autonomy, with its own laws and institutions – including a president, a government, and a parliament – managing key areas such as the budget, foreign investment, and resource exploitation. While sovereign competencies – such as national defense, justice, public order, internal security and currency issuance – remain under the authority of the French state and are implemented by the High Commissioner, foreign affairs may, in certain cases, be the subject of shared competence. A Quiet Model? French Polynesia represents a rare example of international agency of a non-state actor, as it holds formal membership in several interregional organizations, including the Pacific Islands Forum, the Pacific Community, and the Polynesian Leaders Group. Successive presidents of French Polynesia have engaged in high-level meetings with foreign heads of state – a development that underscores the territory's growing diplomatic autonomy. This trend was exemplified by then-President Edouard Fritch's attendance at the first U.S.-Pacific Island Country Summit in 2022, and Brotherson's visit in 2023 to Washington for the second summit, where he met with U.S. President Joe Biden. This ad hoc model of shared competences in foreign affairs can at times create ambiguity. While French Polynesia is at the forefront of France's Indo-Pacific ambitions, local voices – including Brotherson – have expressed skepticism about the wider strategy. But this ad hoc relationship often functions harmoniously, as French presidents have repeatedly associated their counterparts from French Polynesia in the France-Oceania Summits, and even during presidential trips abroad, such as President Macron's visit to Vanuatu in 2023. Despite the enduring legacies of sensitive issues, including the public health consequences of nuclear testing, French Polynesia offers a relatively stable model of negotiated autonomy within the French constitutional order. The most recent example came when Brotherson and French President Emmanuel Macron jointly announced at the U.N. Ocean Conference in Nice that nearly the entire EEZ of the archipelago – 4.55 million sq km, or 47 percent of France's EEZ – would be designated as a Marine Protected Area (MPA), in a mutually beneficial act of environmental diplomacy. Shared sovereignty in French Polynesia diverges from the impasse faced by New Caledonia, suggesting that calibrated devolution and respectful partnership can reconcile historical grievances while maintaining continued political association.
Barnama
2 days ago
- Politics
- Barnama
France Aims To Organise Un Conference On Palestinian State 'As Quickly As Possible'
ISTANBUL, June 27 (Bernama-Anadolu) -- French President Emmanuel Macron said he wanted to organise the recently postponed UN conference on Palestinian statehood "as quickly as possible," Anadolu Ajansi (AA) reported. "My aim is to move as quickly as possible. But, as you know, we are coordinating with Saudi Arabia, and in the coming days I will meet with the crown prince of Saudi Arabia to discuss a possible date and the organisation of the summit. I hope it can happen as soon as possible," Macron told a news conference in Brussels after an EU summit late Thursday, when asked about the future date of the conference. Focusing on a peaceful resolution of the Palestinian issue and the implementation of a two-state solution, the conference was initially scheduled for June but was postponed after military tensions between Iran and Israel.
Al-Ahram Weekly
2 days ago
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Macron says Trump ‘very determined' to secure new Gaza ceasefire - War on Gaza
French President Emmanuel Macron has said Donald Trump is 'very determined' to broker a new ceasefire in Gaza, following a phone call with the US president. Speaking at a news conference in Brussels on Thursday after a meeting of EU leaders, Macron said Trump was 'very much aware of the importance of a ceasefire' after the US-brokered truce that ended 12 days of Israeli war on Iran and direct Iranian retaliation against Israel earlier this month. 'I think his commitment is crucial on this issue,' Macron said. The two leaders also discussed the situation in the Middle East and Ukraine, according to Macron's office. Earlier in June, Macron announced that a UN conference on a two-state solution, scheduled to take place in New York this month, had been postponed due to 'logistical and security reasons'. He said the meeting would go ahead 'as soon as possible'. At the time, Macron said he expected the New York conference would mark progress 'towards recognising Palestine', without providing further details. He has repeatedly reaffirmed France's 'determination' to recognise a Palestinian state 'under any circumstances' and suggested the move could come in June. The postponement followed a wave of Israeli attacks on Iran's nuclear sites that culminated in a US strike on three key facilities. Iran responded with direct attacks on Israel and a strike on a US military base in Qatar. The 12-day war saw senior Iranian military officials and scientists assassinated, some in their homes alongside family members, killing at least 610 civilians. In Gaza, a separate Israeli war that began on 7 October 2023 has killed at least 56,000 people, the majority of them women and children, according to Gaza's health ministry. Meanwhile, a three-month siege has triggered a severe humanitarian crisis, with Israeli forces carrying out daily attacks on aid sites operated by the US and Israel, killing scores of starved Palestinians seeking food in a territory where relentless bombing has displaced over 2 million people and pushed the population into famine. *This story was edited by Ahram Online. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
