On January 1st, the French Presidency of the Council of the EU commenced, during which France hopes to implement a number of significant regulatory changes to the functioning of the European bloc.

President Emmanuel Macron has proposed an ambitious agenda for the January-July period, with far-reaching consequences across a number of policy areas, including digitalization, sustainable development, global economy and finance.

The French EU Presidency comes at a highly challenging time for the European bloc as tension between Russia and the West continues to grow; 2022 began with much anticipated talks between the US, NATO and Russia but have ended without an agreement. The high-running tensions will most likely complicate France's EU ambitions, while Brussels' political row with Poland and Hungary, both locked in long-running disputes with EU institutions, will also cast a shadow on their extensive agenda.

Below, Aretera has prepared a brief overview of the expectations for the French EU Presidency, its main political and legislative priorities and the implications it holds for international investors.