It is Macron’s third visit to The Hague and, according to De Vries, it is more than any other French president in the Netherlands. “This is an indication of how relations between Holland and France are currently,” he says. “But above all between Rutte and Macron”.
The meeting is mainly dedicated to the preparation of next week’s European summit in Brussels, which will focus on the war in Ukraine. ‘But the European response to Joe Biden’s American Inflation Reduction Act will also be discussed’, continues De Vries. ‘France would like Europe to become more protectionist and therefore more protected from the big economic powers. And this is something the Netherlands balk at, because the Netherlands has always been in favor of an open market economy. It will be a sore point tonight.’
Biden
According to De Vries, it could also have to do with Rutte’s visit to US President Joe Biden, because the Netherlands was to play a pioneering role in the relationship between the EU and the US. Especially if you look at the ASML issue. ‘This is also very important for Europe. ASML is actually the leading technology company in Europe and therefore plays an important role in the future relationship between the European Union and the rest of the world,” says De Vries. “The US is obviously saddened by the way the company it supplies China, but at the European level we don’t really have a policy for that. If Europe is to accelerate strategic autonomy – Emmanuel Macron’s concept of standing more on its own two feet – then it will also have to respond. I suspect it will be discussed again tonight.’