The French President has become a key consensus-builder in the future of the EU, as the bloc takes on his plans to build a federal union.
But the europhile cautioned EU leaders of the risk of splits emerging between member states over the on-coming Brexit negotiations.
Speaking to The Telegraph, Mr Macron urged EU leaders not to fall for the “prisoner’s dilemma”, a notorious theoretical paradox in which two parties act out of individual self-interest – with both losing out.
He added the same unified EU approach to getting a deal in the first phase of talks would be carried into the second phase as the EU seeks to agree a “common mandate” on UK-EU future relationship.
He said: “I think this is the right method as it avoids divisions and once again allows us to preserve the collective interest.
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“Each of us can have our own interests. That’s what the prisoner’s dilemma is all about. Everyone can have an interest in negotiating on their own, and think they can negotiate better than their neighbour.
“If we do that, it is probable that collectively we will create a situation which is unfavorable to the European Union and thus to each one of us.”
The under-fire centrist’s remarks came despite France aggressively prosecuting its own Brexit agenda to erode UK dominance in financial services.
Earlier this week, France launched a brazen bid to poach business from Britain’s £8trillion asset management industry after Brexit.
A French-backed plan to limit UK-base fund managers’ access to EU money could force businesses to leave London and reduce the power of the City of London.
EU heads of state allowed EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier to moe into “phase two” last month after securing a strong enough commitment from Prime Minister Theresa May on the financial terms of the divorce, the rights of European citizens residing in the UK and the Irish border.
Mr Barnier can now engage in “exploratory” trade talks with Mrs May’s cabinet before receiving formal, more detailed guidelines in March.
Donald Tusk, the European Council president, has already warned that trade talks will present the “true test” of EU unity, while Enrico Letta, the former Italian prime minister, warned recently that unity would be “harder to maintain” now EU member states interests were directly at stake.
Ireland and Hungary hinted that they could become allies of Britain during trade talks as they called for a comprehensive free trade deal to be struck which would allow the free movement of goods and services after Brexit.