France took over the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union on Saturday.

It will be among the key aims of France’s term presidency for six months to pursue Europe’s sovereignty and autonomy, and better control migration to ensure the bloc’s border security.

“… we need to move from being a Europe of cooperation inside of our borders to a powerful Europe in the world, fully sovereign, free to make its choices and master of its destiny,” President Emanuel Macron told a news conference last month at which he presented France’s January-to-June EU program.

Among France’s proposals will be setting up an “emergency border support mechanism” to assist EU states facing migration crises at their borders, Macron said.

France also proposes a rearrangement for the common external borders of the bloc’s Schengen area.

France will go to the presidential elections while holding the EU term presidency.

The first round of the French presidential election will be held on April 10, and the second round on April 24.