BRUSSELS, 6th October, 2026 (WAM) -- French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz have called on the European Commission to adopt a new legal instrument that would enable the European Union to respond swiftly and decisively to trade wars and practices that undermine fair competition within the European market.
In a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Macron and Merz called for a “credible instrument” that would enable the Commission to take strong measures against third countries, extending, if necessary, to their immediate exclusion from the EU single market.
The two leaders also proposed a faster and more flexible decision-making mechanism, under which measures could be activated automatically unless blocked by a qualified majority of EU member states.