France's Macron seeks joint defence force under EU reforms

The French president has called for a joint EU defence force as part of his vision for the future of the bloc.....
Setting out a series of reforms, Emmanuel Macron proposed greater cooperation on security and the fight against terrorism.

He came to power in May promising to strengthen the eurozone and deepen EU integration ahead of Brexit.

But his plans face fresh hurdles after Sunday's German election with the rise of eurosceptic Alternative for Germany.

The nationalist AfD won its first seats in the German parliament, while Angela Merkel was re-elected for a fourth term as chancellor amid falling support.

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In a major speech at the Sorbonne university in Paris, Mr Macron said he wanted the European Union to boost its common defence systems and have "autonomous capacity for action" through a joint military force.

He called for a shared defence budget and common policy, and said a European training academy should also be created.

In his other key proposals, Mr Macron said the EU should:

    Strengthen borders and protect the "sovereignty" of member states against uncontrolled migrant flows - speeding up asylum applications and helping countries where immigrants come from to stabilise their economies
    Set up a single, EU-wide tax on financial transactions
    Forge a common policy on sustainable development by harmonising subsidies for green technology and introducing a bloc-wide carbon tax
    Reform the Common Agricultural Policy, by making it more flexible and less bureaucratic
    Set up a European agency to encourage the emergence of "champions" in digital technology

"Europe as we know it is too weak, too slow and too inefficient," Mr Macron said.

"But only Europe can give us the means to act on the world stage as we tackle the great challenges of the day."

The French president is pressing other EU leaders, including Germany's Mrs Merkel, to work with him.

However, the German election result means the chancellor must now try to form a government that is likely to include the Free Democratic Party (FDP), whose leader is an outspoken critic of Mr Macron's European agenda.