Sarkozy sees energy, migration, agriculture as EU presidency priorities

Energy and climate policies, migration, agriculture and security will be the priorities of France's half-year rotating presidency of the European Union, visiting French President Nicolas Sarkozy said Monday afternoon in a speech.

He said told the Romanian Parliament France will do its best to reach agreement over a legislative package suggested by the European Commission on a European energy and climate policy.

Migration, he added, is also a major challenge to Europe, given the important freedom of movement for persons, but the European Union should no longer have 27 migration policies, but a European pact on migration should be adopted.

Sarkozy said the EU agricultural policy after 2013 should be grounded in the principle that agriculture produce imported from third states should meet the food safety rules and standards that apply to European farmers.

He also argued that the EU, one of the most prosperous areas of the world, should be able to provide for its own security, irrespective of its alliance and friendship with the United States.