There were many topics when the Chancellor's EU entrance to the EU: The accusation that Germany has suddenly tightened border controls rejected Merz. When it comes to reducing bureaucracy, he called for the EU Lief Chain Act to stop.
EU Council President António Costa is an experienced politician and easy to deal with who mostly smiles. He does that even after the short conversation with the new Chancellor. The question of a journalist, which Friedrich Merz could do better than his predecessor Olaf Scholz, does not get the Portuguese upset. His diplomatic answer: A new head of government always comes with new energy and new ideas.
In fact, Merz vigorously appeared in the new office on his first visit to Brussels. He refers to his beginnings as a member of the European Member and on the trips to France and Poland the day before yesterday right after the chancellor's election. He emphasizes that even smaller EU partners could rely on Germany.
“We control like during the European Football Championship”
Merz also promises more presence by the Federal Government in Brussels and contradicts the impression that Berlin has exacerbated the border controls as a first official act without consulting the neighbors:
Nobody in the Federal Government, even I personally, did not proclaim an emergency. We are now checking more intensely at the limits. We check something like during the European Football Championship last year. We will continue to reject, but this is all in line with European law and our European neighbors are also fully informed about this. There is no German single -handedly here.
EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen emphasizes after her conversation with Merz that migration is a challenge for the entire EU, which can only be met together. The new federal government has announced a harder course in migration policy.
Merz confident that Trump puts pressure on Putin
With a view to the help for the Ukraine attacked by Russia, the new Chancellor relies on continuity: Germany is still firmly at the side of Kiev that there can only be a solution with Ukraine.
Merz refers to his phone call yesterday with US President Donald Trump. Europe supported its demand for a 30-day break in Ukraine. Trump are “the numbers of the losses of the soldiers on both sides,” says Merz, adding: “In the conversation, this also made me somewhat confident in the conversation that he is now increasing the pressure on Russia that after this weekend there is now a phase in which there can be serious negotiations.”
More cooperation with armaments goods
In finance and economic policy, the Federal Chancellor also adheres to previous basic beliefs. Like his predecessor, he speaks to integrate Europe's fragmented capital market in order to finance companies more easily. Merz announces initiatives. He demands that armaments to work closer and better in the production of armaments.
But when it comes to how Europe's planned upgrade is to be financed, the Chancellor remains hard: no common EU debts on a large scale like during corona pandemic. “I will not change the attitude of the German Federal Government. As far as the European Union's debt opportunities are concerned, there must be exceptions.”
For the cancellation of the Lief chain law
In the reduction in bureaucracy in Europe, Merz wants to be significantly harder than its predecessor. He demands that the European supply chain law recently decided not only later, but also to abolish it completely: “The permanent solution to the problem must be to simply cancel this guideline, as we will do this with the German supply chain law in the near future,” said Merz.
According to the law, companies along the supply chain must make sure that human rights and environmental requirements are observed. The European supply chain law was decided last year and should replace German. It is open whether the SPD will be the abolition of the European regulation required by Merz in the coalition.
Jakob Mayr, ARD Brussels, Tagesschau, 09.05.2025 12:12 p.m.
