French President Macron says he favors changes to EU treaties

By Agnes Szucs

BRUSSELS (AA) - French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday he was “in favor” of changing EU treaties, a goal being pushed by the European Parliament.

Speaking in Strasbourg, France at the closing ceremony of the Conference on the Future of Europe at the European Parliament, Macron said he agrees with the idea of looking into possible changes to the EU’s founding agreement and will propose discussing the topic at next month’s EU leaders’ summit.

“We will have to reform our texts, it is obvious,” said Macron, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency until July 1, when the Czech Republic takes over.

“One of the ways of this reform is the convening of a convention for the revision of the treaties. It is a proposal from the European Parliament, and I approve of it,” Macron added.

But at least 10 EU countries on Monday are set to publish a document criticizing the outcome of the Conference on the Future of Europe and its European Parliament-backed aspirations to change the EU treaties, according to Politico.eu.

The conference is an initiative of the European Parliament and the European Commission to launch a debate with citizens on the mid- and long-term future of the EU and necessary reforms.