French President tells EU treaty change ‘not a priority’ for France

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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French President François Hollande has told on Friday France does not seek to reform the European Union treaty like Britain as such a revision was “not a priority”.

At an Anglo-French summit held at the Brize Norton airbase in Oxfordshire southern England, with U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron, Mr. Hollande has pointed that they might be interested in a treaty change in the future to ensure the eurozone was “better coordinated and better integrated”.

The French President has added: “We feel that revising the treaty is not a priority for the time being.”

Mr. Hollande has clearly indicated of having no intentions for a new treaty – which could also trigger a referendum in France – before the next presidential elections in 2017 – the same year when an in-out EU referendum is also expected to take place in Britain.

Mr. Hollande has also told that anything other than “minor procedures” or a tweak to existing EU rules – could initiate a referendum in France and other countries which is not desirable at this time.

Hollande has to respect Britain’s right to hold a vote, with the addition: “We can’t impose the British choice on Europe.”

Mr. Cameron is facing pressure from eurosceptics in his Conservative party and promised to renegotiate Britain’s membership of the EU by holding up an in-out EU referendum in the country by 2017, if he gets re-elected in the general election 2015. 

During the summit, Mr. Hollande has said the U.K. was permitted to hold a referendum about its place in Europe and he hoped the U.K. would remain a permanent part of a more “efficient” union.

Mr. Cameron has told at the joint press conference: “My position absolutely remains that we want to see those changes, we want that renegotiation… that renegotiation will involve elements of treaty change.” 

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