"WASHINGTON -- President Biden said he was open to making concessions to American allies who have objected to new U.S. subsidies for North American manufacturers, but he didn't commit to specifics after a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, as the two leaders sought to project unity following months of tensions.
Mr. Biden said he makes no apology for the Inflation Reduction Act, which provides subsidies to U.S. manufacturers and tax incentives for electric vehicles and other products that are assembled in North America.
But he said changes might be needed to ensure the law doesn't have unintended consequences.
"So there's tweaks that we can make that can fundamentally make it easier for European countries to participate, and/or be on their own. But that is something that has to be worked out," Mr. Biden told reporters at a news conference at the White House during the first official state visit of his presidency. He said the law wasn't meant to exclude allies such as Europe. Instead, it was aimed at boosting U.S. supply chains to wean America off its reliance on Chinese products.
The new subsidies have set off frustration among U.S. allies, and strained ties with France that were already fraying after the Biden administration last year pushed France out of a multibillion-dollar contract to supply submarines to Australia.
The European Union, South Korea, Japan and the U.K. have criticized the electric-vehicle provisions, arguing they discriminate against their companies and violate World Trade Organization rules.
Ahead of the meeting, Mr. Macron made his displeasure known, telling a group of lawmakers that the subsidies threatened to attract investments and manufacturing jobs away from Europe.
Following their bilateral meeting, both leaders committed to working together to find a path forward, pointing to an existing task force formed by U.S. and EU officials to work through issues with the law.
"We have decided to synchronize our approaches and our agendas," Mr. Macron told reporters Thursday.
Messrs. Biden and Macron didn't offer any details about what a compromise might look like, and the U.S. president offered no indication that he would abandon the subsidies.
The two leaders discussed the possibility of creating exemptions for U.S. allies, including nations in Europe, to some of the law's domestic content requirements, according to people familiar with the discussions.
Mr. Biden alluded to exploring such a move in the news conference. He suggested that Congress intended that a provision allowing for exemptions for Mexico and Canada, countries that have a free-trade agreement with the U.S., should cover a broader group of nations.
"That was added by a member of the United States Congress who acknowledges that he just meant allies. He didn't mean literally free-trade agreement. So there's a lot we can work out," Mr. Biden said.
The two leaders discussed a range of issues during their bilateral meeting, including Russia, relations with China and energy policy.
European leaders also are facing an energy crisis as winter approaches. The U.S. has stepped in to help replace Russia as one of the continent's biggest natural-gas purveyors, but its shipments of liquefied natural gas have come with higher prices, straining Europe's manufacturing base.
Mr. Biden said he is open to meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but only if Mr. Putin demonstrates that he is willing to bring the military operation of Ukraine to a close.
"I have no immediate plans to contact Mr. Putin," Mr. Biden said. "I'm prepared to speak with Mr. Putin if, in fact, there is an interest in him in deciding he's looking for a way to end the military operation. He hasn't done that yet."
Messrs. Biden and Macron reiterated that they would follow Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's lead on negotiating with Russia. Mr. Macron, who has at times cast himself as a mediator concerning the military operation, said he would continue to speak with Mr. Putin.
"We will never urge Ukrainians to make a compromise which would not be acceptable for them," the French president said.
In a joint statement, Messrs. Biden and Macron pledged to provide "political, security, humanitarian, and economic assistance to Ukraine for as long as it takes."
Both presidents pointed to what they called the strong ties between the U.S. and France. "Occasionally we have some slight differences, but never in a fundamental way," Mr. Biden said during Thursday's news conference.
Messrs. Biden and Macron also spoke at length during their private meeting about China, officials said.
The French leader is trying to chart a path for Europe to avoid choosing sides between the U.S. and China, and he has called on Beijing to play a bigger role in talks with Moscow. Mr. Macron briefed Mr. Biden on his efforts to push Chinese President Xi Jinping to engage with Russia over the military operation, French officials said." [1]
1. World News: Biden, Macron Seek Compromise on Trade --- During U.S. state visit, leaders said they would look to tweak North American subsidies
Bisserbe, Noemie; Restuccia, Andrew; Tarini Parti.
Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y. [New York, N.Y]. 02 Dec 2022: A.7.
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