About: Sarkozy Archives

France's regions are defending a stronger EU regional policy budget, pitting themselves against Nicolas Sarkozy's government which would prefer to reduce the bloc's so-called 'cohesion' spending in favour of the Common Agricultural Policy. EURACTIV France reports.

The revision of the EU's border-free Schengen zone prompted by Nicolas Sarkozy and Silvio Berlusconi's reaction to the wave of immigration from North Africa will probably be a minor one, argues Yves Pascouau. But he says there are legitimate concerns regarding the apparent acceptance that the free movement of people can be limited and even dismantled.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy yesterday (14 June) called for tighter controls on the speculators he blames for spiralling food and energy prices, spelling out reforms that would put more trading under the thumb of regulators.

Austria would prefer forging a special partnership between the European Union and Turkey over full EU membership for Ankara, Austrian Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger said today (3 May).

The new leader of France's National Front, Marine Le Pen, warned skinheads to stay away from its annual labour day parade this weekend, stepping up efforts to improve the far-right party's image ahead of elections next year.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi yesterday (26 April) asked Brussels to make changes to the treaty establishing the Schengen border-free area. The proposed changes strengthen the hand of member countries and undermine the role of the European Commission.

Italy and France will today (26 April) discuss changing rules that scrap border checks between EU countries, as French President Nicolas Sarkozy visits Rome seeking to ease tensions over North African immigration following the Arab revolutions.

In an exclusive interview with EURACTIV, former European Commission President Jacques Delors said Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy maintain a "superficial" alliance which needs to be "rebuilt" – a goal for which he is offering a helping hand.

Unlike their illustrious predecessors, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy maintain a "superficial" alliance, former European Commission President Jacques Delors told EURACTIV in an exclusive interview.

More than 40 governments and international organisations are meeting today (29 March) in London to try to lay the groundwork for a Libya without leader Muammar Gaddafi.

EU leaders adopted new sanctions yesterday (24 March) against the regime of Muammar Gaddafi, urging the international community to ensure that Libya's oil and gas revenues "do not reach" his regime. Meanwhile, NATO said it would enforce a no-fly zone over Libya but stopped short of taking full command of the UN-backed military operations in the country.

The intervention of ground troops in Libya is unlikely and would run counter to the objectives of the Western coalition, Dominique Moïsi, founder and senior advisor at Ifri (French Institute for International Relations), told EURACTIV.

Western nations waging an air campaign in Libya agreed yesterday (22 March) to use NATO to drive the military effort but lack the backing of all alliance members and are divided on the mission's leadership.

EU hopeful and NATO member Turkey is expected today (22 March) to block a decision by the Alliance to take over leadership in securing the no-fly zone over Libya. In an apparent tit-for-tat response to France's reluctance to back its EU bid, Ankara is questioning the legal base of the coalition's operations in Libya.

EU foreign ministers meeting in Brussels yesterday (21 March) admitted they were divided over how to enforce the no-fly zone over Libya, but agreed to extend sanctions on the Gaddafi regime and carry on offering humanitarian assistance.

Western forces hit targets along the Libyan coast for a second day today (20 March), using air and sea strikes to force Muammar Gaddafi's troops to cease fire and end attacks on civilians.

The UN Security Council voted late yesterday (17 March) to authorise the imposition of a no-fly zone over Libya and the taking of "all necessary measures" - code for military action - to protect civilians from leader Muammar Gaddafi's forces.

France and the UK made a last-effort yesterday (16 March) to urge the UN Security Council to back a draft resolution that would include a no-fly zone over Libya. As the international community appears unwilling to take action, Muammar Gaddafi's troops are preparing to launch "a mortal blow" on rebel capital Benghazi.

France pressured G8 foreign ministers yesterday (14 March) to agree action on Libya and back its efforts to speed up a UN Security Council decision on imposing a no-fly zone, but hit opposition from partners like Germany.

Today's (11 March) EU summit took a somewhat surreal turn, after French President Nicolas Sarkozy and UK Prime Minister David Cameron left the other 25 EU leaders hanging around while they bilaterally discussed what were believed to be hardline options against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

France broke ranks with its European partners yesterday (10 March) by becoming the first country to recognise Libya's opposition and by deciding to "explore the possibility" of carrying out targeted bombings in the civil war-torn country. EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton finds herself pushed onto the sidelines as EU leaders flock to Brussels for a crisis summit.

Guy Verhofstadt, leader of the liberal group in the European Parliament, has tabled a proposal for economic convergence in the EU. He said his was more wide-ranging than the recent Merkel-Sarkozy plan and would put the European Commission, not EU member states, in the driving seat.

MEPs and prominent professionals in the media world warned yesterday (3 March) that press freedom had deteriorated badly in Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, but also Italy and France, and called on the EU institutions to spearhead a wide-ranging "reconquest" of basic rights across the European Union.

In a televised speech announcing changes to his government, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said yesterday (27 February) that Paris is calling for an EU summit meeting to discuss the consequences of events in Libya. Meanwhile, the bloc adopted sanctions against Muammar Gaddafi and his supporters today.