France intends to raise the issue of the euro's strength against the U.S. dollar during next week's meeting of European Union leaders, a gathering focused on strategies to enhance the EU's competitiveness.

According to informed sources, French President Emmanuel Macron plans to bring up the topic of exchange rates during Thursday's working session, positioning it among several key subjects intended to stimulate the economy and reduce vulnerabilities.

The summit's agenda is already highly packed. The bloc is attempting to bolster its economic influence by finalizing the single market, which involves dismantling long-standing national barriers in sectors such as financial services. Concurrently, EU member states are aiming to diversify and lessen their reliance on the United States, a primary trading partner.

The recent appreciation of the euro against the dollar has emerged as a critical factor threatening the European Central Bank's outlook, especially after U.S. President Donald Trump indicated he was not concerned about the dollar's decline. The ECB forecasts that inflation will fall below 2% this year and next. A stronger euro poses a challenge for exporters, an effect that could potentially restrain economic growth.