French President Francois Hollande delivers a speech during a meeting with leaders of international start-ups based in Paris as part of the

French President Francois Hollande delivers a speech during a meeting with leaders of international start-ups based in Paris as part of the "French Tech Ticket" conference in Paris, on January 16, 2017 © POOL/AFP PHILIPPE WOJAZER

Paris (AFP) - French President Francois Hollande replied bluntly on Monday to Donald Trump's criticism of the European Union, saying the EU "has no need for outside advice" in its affairs.

"I say it here, Europe will always be willing to pursue transatlantic cooperation, but it will determine its path on the basis of its own interests and values," Hollande said at a ceremony in Paris for outgoing US ambassador Jane Hartley.

"It has no need for outside advice to tell it what it has to do."