The French recipe

Steered by one of the most dynamic and energetic leaders in Europe, France is planning big things for the EU and its future. EU correspondent Ivan Camilleri spoke to senior French government officials.

The atmosphere at the Elysée Palace was rather dull last June 13 as the first signs of Lisbon Treaty rejection emerged from Ireland.

Although the French were not surprised such a thing could happen - having passed through a similar experience with the treaty's forerunner, the Constitution, three years ago - the result was unexpected.

They knew it would have a bearing on their plans for the EU. According to French President Nicolas Sarkozy, settling the Irish impasse is now a top priority. Close behind on the agenda of France's 12th EU Presidency will be illegal immigration, energy and sustainable development, defence and agriculture.

After the Irish 'No'

The French Presidency has expressed a determination to solve this issue as fast as possible and is insisting that Ireland will spell out its plans in October during a summit meeting in Brussels.

Mr Sarkozy himself will be putting pressure on the Irish since one of his overseas missions will be to Dublin on July 21 where he intends to discuss the possible solutions. He seems to have quite a forceful position. All 27 member states have signed the treaty and now must in some way keep their word and ratify it.

Elysée sources are confident that Mr Sarkozy will manage to convince the Irish to have a second crack at ratification. They are not even ruling out the possibility that a second referendum will be held before the next EU parliamentary elections in June. One thing is sure, however. Sarkozy does not believe "technical issues", such as the new Lisbon Treaty, should be subject referendums.

Managing migration

The French Presidency will be proposing that member states adopt a European Pact on Immigration and Asylum at the European Council.

The aim of this will be to lay the foundations for a reinforced common policy based on responsibility and solidarity, resting upon the three dimensions of the global approach to migration, which includes better organisation of legal migration, a more effective battle against illegal immigration and the promotion of a close partnership between migrants' countries of origin, transit countries and destination countries.

This pact will consist of several strong political commitments to be monitored by the European Council. Of direct interest to Malta is the French plan to improve security on the EU's external borders. The presidency will be pushing for more effective control by Frontex, the EU's border agency.

Energy

France will aim to apply a personal touch on the numerous ongoing dossiers in this area. Specifically, it intends to handle the energy and climate change questions in order to meet three objectives: controlling energy consumption through energy efficiency and conservation initiatives; integrating the EU energy market and developing a common European voice on energy.

Defence

The French Presidency is aiming to give renewed impetus to a Europe of defence and security. Its main focus with regard to defence is strengthening the military capabilities available in Europe and planning a security strategy for the next decade. According to the French, updating the European Security Strategy adopted in 2003 should make it possible to revive joint analysis of threats.

France intends to put forward new elements into a revised strategy intended to add to new challenges and enhance the nature of military capabilities and EU-NATO cooperation in this strategy. The aim is to produce a document to be adopted by the European Council in December.

Health check for agriculture

This will be a tricky one for the French, a country which is the main beneficiary so far of the EU's agricultural policy based on subsidies. The EU is currently trying to implement reforms of its Common Agricultural Policy. However, France is one of the main member states resisting change.

According to the French, particular stress will be placed on the problem of food safety, animal health and the protection of plants.

A number of topics will be reviewed, including the progress of efforts on the 'pesticides' package, strengthening food safety controls on imports of agricultural and agri-foodstuff products and the reform of animal health policy.

My view: Foreign Affairs Minister Tonio Borg

"The French Presidency comes at a significant time for the EU. The institutional deadlock following the Irish referendum is serious and Malta is sure that France will (adopt) a balanced approach on one hand, respecting the Irish vote, and on the other respecting the fact that the ratification process is still going on in other member states.

But far from being paralysed by this situation, the French Presidency understands the need for the EU to step up its activities to better respond to the daily concerns of citizens, beyond information and pedagogy.

Malta believes that at the moment, the best response we can give to the current institutional difficulty is to show that, notwithstanding this situation, Europe continues to work and make progress.

Needless to say, Malta is (concerned about) illegal migration and therefore welcomes and appreciates the French suggestion to secure political commitments in the form of a European Pact on Migration and Asylum.

However, Malta expects the pact to go a step further by incorporating the concept of responsibility-sharing and by considering the possibilities offered by intra-EU resettlement. Malta is arguing for the pact to take into account the disproportionate pressures we are facing as a consequence of our commitment to manage the Union's external borders. Malta is also arguing for the pact to consider intra-EU settlement in the knowledge that, irrespective of the willingness of Malta to integrate these people, its ability to do so is invariably limited.

The French President's initiative to create a Union for the Mediterranean is also (welcome) as it aims to bring stability and prosperity in the southern Mediterranean.

Undoubtedly, Malta's expectations are high in this respect and looks forward to contribute in no uncertain terms.

My view: MLP foreign affairs spokesman George Vella

The work programme of the incoming French Presidency emphasises certain sectors which are of particular interest to Malta.

As expected there is no commitment as to what the future holds for the Lisbon Treaty. October's European Council will determine the way forward and therefore Malta's sixth seat in the European Parliament remains in the balance.

France is giving a lot of attention to environmental and social challenges. It promises to push towards a low carbon economy, promote renewable energy, and ensure energy security and affordability by mitigating the effects of energy price increases.

Emphasis is made on the promotion of the social dimension of European policies and of values that characterise the European Social Model: social dialogue, the fight against poverty and social exclusion, and commitment to safeguard services of general economic interest.

Malta will benefit from the promised pressure on member states to move faster along the lines of the Lisbon Strategy, as well as the presidency's commitment to promote further the status of SMEs, and from the proposal for a directive to establish reduced VAT rates.

Also of special interest to Malta is the programme's renewed political commitment on asylum and illegal migration, on making Frontex more effective, and on the special attention promised on drug trafficking in the western Mediterranean.

Of equal interest to Malta is the French Presidency's promise of more intense dialogue with the countries of the Maghreb, and the new framework and the new impetus to the Euro Mediterranean dialogue through new governance and joint action on specific projects as envisaged in the Union for the Mediterranean.