EU: The 27 determined to green their imports, divided on energy

EU environment ministers discuss France's climate priorities -- carbon tax at borders, fight against imported deforestation -- but remain divided on reform of the electricity market despite the outbreak energy prices. Gathered around the French Minister for Ecological Transition Barbara Pompili, the representatives of the Twenty-Seven will discuss for two days several texts of the ambitious climate plan presented in mid-July by Brussels to cut carbon emissions by 55% by 2030. the EU compared to 1990. A second meeting in this city in northern France will bring together energy ministers on Friday and Saturday. If Emmanuel Macron makes the environment a marker of the French presidency of the EU, which began in January, no agreement is expected in Amiens but Paris intends to "advance as much as possible" by June the negotiations in progress. In particular, France wants to speed up the establishment of an EU "carbon border adjustment mechanism" proposed by Brussels and now discussed by states and MEPs.

Covid in France: no lifting of restrictions, but the government wants to "give visibility"

A Health Defense Council meeting Thursday morning at the Elysée must "give visibility" as to the restrictions linked to the health crisis, even if the epidemiological situation must maintain the status quo for at least two weeks, we learned. from government sources. The executive is faced with a paradoxical situation: if the number of positive cases continues to increase - and to break records at more than 300,000 daily contaminations on the average of the last seven days -, the pressure on the hospital and in particular the services resuscitation tend to stagnate. "We should ask the French for another two weeks of effort before lifting the restrictions," said a source close to the executive. The Minister of Labor, Elisabeth Borne, has already announced to the social partners that the government plans to extend “for another two weeks” the rule providing for a minimum of three days of teleworking per week.

IN SHORT

Far-right polemicist and presidential candidate Eric Zemmour is to be tried on appeal Thursday for challenging crimes against humanity, after having argued in October 2019 on CNews that Marshal Philippe Pétain had "saved" French Jews.

Six Rafale combat planes ordered from France by Greece have landed on the Greek military base of Tanagra, the first delivery of a Franco-Greek partnership intended to beef up European defense and counter Turkish ambitions in the Mediterranean.

Lille rolled out against Lorient (3-1) to get closer to European places, where Strasbourg is now, fourth after its success at Clermont (2-0), in the late matches of Ligue 1.