Sawt Falasteen - Macron calls for a less regulated Europe

On the second day of a state visit to Sweden, Macron told French and local business leaders that over-regulation put Europe at a disadvantage to the United States and China.

"We need a smarter European industrial policy," he said.

"We need more investment, more single market and less regulation," Macron added, warning of the risk of Europe falling behind its main trade rivals.

He called for more investments in critical sectors such as defence, space, artificial intelligence and green technologies.

Above all, Europe needed to accelerate the development of low-carbon energy. "Europe has to stop regulating hydrogen and other uses of electricity sources," he said.

The French leader on Tuesday called on European leaders to make bold and "innovative" decisions in the coming months to "accelerate" and increase their aid to Ukraine.

During his visit, Paris and Stockholm signed partnerships to expand cooperation in the nuclear, defence and forestry sectors.

According to Macron's team, the aim is for France and Sweden to position themselves as European leaders in innovation "in the face of the challenge of the green and digital transition".

Macron was to visit the site of the European Spallation Source (ESS), an advanced atomic research centre being built in the university town of Lund that is financed by 13 European countries including France.

In Lund, Macron will also have an exchange with students, and accompany King Carl XVI Gustaf to the energy technologies company Alfa Laval.

R.Halabi--SF-PST