Merkel taps brake as Macron pushes euro zone reform
Emmanuel Macron
TALLINN (Reuters) - Angela Merkel cautioned on Friday that euro zone reform should not be the top priority for the European Union  putting a brake on a sweeping programme of European renewal presented to an EU summit by French President Emmanuel Macron.
Her likely liberal partners are opposed to  Macron âs idea of a substantial common budget  fearful of what they see as spendthrift habits in France and Europeâs south.
 Macron  said there had been a consensus around  his  ideas and those of European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker that the 27 remaining members of the Union should take advantage of a window of opportunity after years of economic and political crisis to reinforce their cooperation as Britain leaves in 2019.
â2018 is a year of opportunities for the European agenda â  he  told reporters. It follows elections in France and Germany  the blocâs leading powers.  Macron  said outline accords next year would give the European Commission and European Parliament a chance to use new five-year mandates starting in 2019 to make the changes.
Speaking of a need for a âleap forwardâ   he  said: âWeâre all convinced Europe must move ahead faster and stronger.â
 Macron  voiced satisfaction with summit chair Donald Tuskâs commitment to report back to EU leaders when they meet again in three weeks with proposals for concrete steps to be taken.
FILE PHOTO:  French President Emmanuel Macron  arrives with German Chancellor Angela Merkel to attend a Franco-German joint cabinet meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris  France  July 13  2017. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe/File Photo
He insisted the EU needed to maintain unity in the face of conflicting views about so many new initiatives bubbling up.Merkel spoke privately to  Macron  and  according to a French aide  welcomed his speech as âvisionaryâ and a return of co-founder France as a driving force in the European Union project.
 Macron  also faced a reality check of scepticism from leaders wary of his talk of ambitious âhorizonsâ for the continent. The president of euro zone member Lithuania  Dalia Grybauskaite  tweeted during the dinner: âEuropean horizons drawn. Important to avoid mirages in the desert on the way.â
TALLINN (Reuters) - Angela Merkel cautioned on Friday that euro zone reform should not be the top priority for the European Union  putting a brake on a sweeping programme of European renewal presented to an EU summit by  [TGT] .
Her likely liberal partners are opposed to   [TGT]  âs idea of a substantial common budget  fearful of what they see as spendthrift habits in France and Europeâs south.
  [TGT] said there had been a consensus around   [TGT]   ideas and those of European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker that the 27 remaining members of the Union should take advantage of a window of opportunity after years of economic and political crisis to reinforce their cooperation as Britain leaves in 2019.
â2018 is a year of opportunities for the European agenda â  he  told reporters. It follows elections in France and Germany  the blocâs leading powers.   [TGT] said outline accords next year would give the European Commission and European Parliament a chance to use new five-year mandates starting in 2019 to make the changes.
Speaking of a need for a âleap forwardâ   he  said: âWeâre all convinced Europe must move ahead faster and  [TGT] 
voiced satisfaction with summit chair Donald Tuskâs commitment to report back to EU leaders when they meet again in three weeks with proposals for concrete steps to be taken.
FILE PHOTO:   [TGT] arrives with German Chancellor Angela Merkel to attend a Franco-German joint cabinet meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris  France  July 13  2017. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe/File Photo
He insisted the EU needed to maintain unity in the face of conflicting views about so many new initiatives bubbling up.Merkel spoke privately to  Macron  and  according to a French aide  welcomed his speech as âvisionaryâ and a return of co-founder France as a driving force in the European Union project.
  [TGT] also faced a reality check of scepticism from leaders wary of  [TGT]  talk of ambitious âhorizonsâ for the continent. The president of euro zone member Lithuania  Dalia Grybauskaite  tweeted during the dinner: âEuropean horizons drawn. Important to avoid mirages in the desert on the way.â