PARIS: Emmanuel Macron told Donald Trump late Thursday that tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from the European Union were “illegal” and that the EU would respond in a “firm and proportionate manner,” the Elysee Palace said.
The phone call between the French president and his US counterpart came after the US announced the steep metals tariffs would be imposed on the European Union, Canada and Mexico as of midnight (0400 GMT Friday).
Macron, who has forged a good relationship with the US president, spoke to Trump on the phone, urging him to take part in negotiations with the EU, China and Japan to strengthen the rules of the World Trade Organization.
He called the decision to impose tariffs a “mistake,” warning that “economic nationalism” would penalize everyone including the US.
Earlier Thursday Macron told journalists at the Elysee Palace that he deplored the American decision.
“I think this decision is a mistake in many ways because it responds to existing international imbalances in the worst way — by breaking up and creating economic nationalism.
“And nationalism is war. That’s exactly what happened in the 30s,” he added.
French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said Thursday that France will refuse to enter into trade talks with the United States while punishing steel and aluminum tariffs are in effect.
“We refuse to negotiate under pressure,” Le Maire told reporters while en route to a Group of Seven meeting in Canada. And “being hit by the tariffs will not help us to open the door to any kind of negotiation.”
Macron tells Trump US tariffs are ‘illegal’, EU will respond
Macron tells Trump US tariffs are ‘illegal’, EU will respond
- The phone call between Macron and Trump came after the US announced the steep metals tariffs would be imposed on the European Union, Canada and Mexico as of midnight.
- French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said Thursday that France will refuse to enter into trade talks with the United States while punishing steel and aluminum tariffs are in effect.
Saudi Arabia’s cultural sector is a new economic engine between Riyadh and Paris, says ambassador
RIYADH: Culture has become a fundamental pillar in bilateral relations between France and Saudi Arabia, according to the French Ambassador to the Kingdom, Patrick Maisonnave.
Maisonnave noted its connection to the entertainment and tourism sectors, which makes it a new engine for economic cooperation between Riyadh and Paris.
He told Al-Eqtisadiah during the opening ceremony of La Fabrique in the Jax district of Diriyah that cultural cooperation with Saudi Arabia is an important element for its attractiveness in the coming decades.
La Fabrique is a space dedicated to artistic creativity and cultural exchange, launched as part of a partnership between the Riyadh Art program and the French Institute in Riyadh.
Running from Jan. 22 until Feb 14, the initiative will provide an open workspace that allows artists to develop and work on their ideas within a collaborative framework.
Launching La Fabrique as a space dedicated to artistic creativity
The ambassador highlighted that the transformation journey in the Kingdom under Vision 2030 has contributed to the emergence of a new generation of young artists and creators, alongside a growing desire in Saudi society to connect with culture and to embrace what is happening globally.
He affirmed that the relationship between the two countries is “profound, even cultural par excellence,” with interest from the Saudi side in French culture, matched by increasing interest from the French public and cultural institutions unfolding in the Kingdom.
Latest estimates indicate that the culture-based economy represents about 2.3 percent of France’s gross domestic product, equivalent to more than 90 billion euros ($106.4 billion) in annual revenues, according to government data. The sector directly employs more than 600,000 people, making it one of the largest job-creating sectors in the fields of creativity, publishing, cinema, and visual arts.
Saudi Arabia benefiting from French experience in the cultural field
Maisonnave explained that France possesses established cultural institutions, while Saudi Arabia is building a strong cultural sector, which opens the door for cooperation opportunities.
This comes as an extension of the signing of 10 major cultural agreements a year ago between French and Saudi institutions, aiming to enhance cooperation and transfer French expertise and knowledge to contribute to the development of the cultural system in the Kingdom.
He added that experiences like La Fabrique provide an opportunity to meet the new generation of Saudi creators, who have expressed interest in connecting with French institutions and artists in Paris and France.
La Fabrique encompasses a space for multiple contemporary artistic practices, including performance arts, digital and interactive arts, photography, music, and cinema, while providing the public with an opportunity to witness the stages of producing artistic works and interact with the creative process.
